Brand Differentiation Pays
Merkle's Q1 2022 Customer Engagement Report, released this week, indicates that most consumers are quite willing to share their data in return for relevant offers. Read more »
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consumer attitudes
Why a Content Library is Important for Streamers
Merkle's Q1 2022 Customer Engagement Report, released this week, indicates that most consumers are quite willing to share their data in return for relevant offers. Read more »
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- Targets & Segments
- Article
Beyond Clicks: What Polarizing Content Really Costs Publishers
Digital publishers often assume that content generating the most clicks also creates the most valuable readers. This MSI Working Paper challenges that assumption. Using behavioral data from a major European news publisher, the researchers find that while politically polarizing content reliably increases engagement, it does little to drive subscriptions—and during politically charged periods, it can actually reduce subscriber acquisition and increase churn. The findings offer important guidance for publishers and marketers seeking to balance short-term attention with long-term customer relationships.
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- Past Event Highlights
- Article
Global vs. Local Marketing
On July 23, the ARF Young Pros discussed what it takes to build and execute successful global marketing campaigns and the strategic elements that drive effectiveness at scale, including cultural nuances, market-specific behaviors, and cross-market alignment while maintaining a cohesive global message. Plus, attendees had the chance to work together to create a quick mock campaign concept and then pitched their ideas back to the larger group.
Member Only AccessGlobal vs. Local Marketing
Merkle's Q1 2022 Customer Engagement Report, released this week, indicates that most consumers are quite willing to share their data in return for relevant offers. Read more »
Member Only AccessAI In Advertising: How Marketers Are Adopting It—And What Consumers Really Think
Merkle's Q1 2022 Customer Engagement Report, released this week, indicates that most consumers are quite willing to share their data in return for relevant offers. Read more »
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- Targets & Segments
- Article
When AI Meets Representation: The Consumer Reality of Synthetic Diversity
As brands increasingly use AI-generated people in advertising, a new MSI Working Paper explores how consumers respond when those synthetic models are used to increase racial representation. Across multiple experiments, the research finds that disclosure of AI-generated Black models can reduce brand evaluations by weakening perceptions of authenticity and commitment to diversity initiatives, while similar effects do not emerge for White models. The findings offer important guidance for marketers seeking to balance technological innovation with meaningful representation.
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- Future States & AI
- Article
Striking the Right Balance in AI-Personalized Advertising
Generative AI is opening new possibilities for hyper-personalized advertising, including the ability to create AI-generated faces that closely resemble individual consumers. But how similar is too similar? This Journal of Advertising Research study finds that while moderate facial resemblance can improve advertising effectiveness, excessive similarity may backfire. The research introduces a new framework for measuring facial similarity and identifies an optimal personalization threshold that maximizes purchase intentions while avoiding consumer discomfort and resistance.
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