shopper insight

The State of Retail Media Networks & Consumer Behavior

  • Shopper 2025

On May 21, the industry’s top minds gathered in Chicago for a look at the future of retail, media, and consumer behavior and dove into the rapidly evolving role of Retail Media Networks (RMNs). Attendees gained actionable insights on the opportunities and challenges that RMNs present. Leading experts led discussions on optimizing RMN investments, navigating sales attribution complexities, adopting an "omni-normal" approach to connect with shoppers across all touchpoints, harnessing AI for brands and consumers, and more.

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Enhancing Household Marketing: The Power of Dyad-Exposure Advertising

  • JOURNAL OF ADVERTISING RESEARCH

The household is a crucial unit of consumption that involves joint decision-making. While many studies have focused on individual-level advertising impacts, the interactions among household members have been largely overlooked. This study investigates a dyad-exposure advertising method that targets both spouses as decision-makers in purchasing household products. The findings reveal that dyad exposure significantly increases conversion rates by stimulating intra-couple interaction.

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Learn How to Train LLMs to Identify Implicit Consumer Needs

This study explores the potential of large language models (LLMs) to revolutionize marketing research. By partnering with a Fortune 500 food company, the authors replicated qualitative and quantitative studies using GPT-4. The findings indicate that LLMs can effectively generate synthetic respondents, moderate in-depth interviews and perform data analysis tasks, matching or even surpassing human performance in certain aspects. The study highlights the benefits of a Human-LLM hybrid approach, where LLMs assist in various stages of the research process, from study design to data analysis. This approach not only enhances efficiency but also uncovers new insights that might be overlooked by human researchers alone.

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Should Experiments Use LLMs as Human Surrogates? This Study Gives a Resounding No.

This study evaluates the reasoning depth of large language models (LLMs) using the 11-20 Money Request Game, an experimental game designed to test level-k reasoning. Level-k reasoning is a theoretical framework in game theory where individuals operate at varying levels of strategic thinking. The findings of the study reveal significant differences between the responses of LLMs and human participants, highlighting the limitations of using LLMs as human surrogates in behavioral experiments. This research emphasizes the need for caution when interpreting LLM behavior as human-like, as the models often exhibit inconsistent and non-human-like reasoning patterns. The study suggests that while LLMs can provide valuable insights, they should not be relied upon as accurate simulations of human behavior.

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Learn the Effects of Using a Dialect in Text Ads on Advertisement Recall

  • JOURNAL OF ADVERTISING RESEARCH

This study explores how dialect wording in advertisements can enhance consumer recall and deepen brand connections. By examining six studies conducted in China, the research demonstrates that dialect advertisements evoke a stronger feeling of groundedness, leading to better recall compared to standard Mandarin ads. The findings are supported by both adjusted recognition scores and eye-tracking data. The study also identifies boundary conditions such as bicultural identity integration, traveler versus settler orientation, and brand characteristics (warm versus competent) that influence the effectiveness of dialect advertising. These insights provide valuable guidance for marketers in choosing the appropriate advertising language to enhance consumer engagement and memory.

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People’s Performance Goals Shape Their Use of Predictive Algorithms

This study presents a framework for understanding people’s use of predictive algorithms, emphasizing their role as tools designed to support human decision-making. It argues that users’ performance expectations are a primary driver of their decisions to adopt these algorithms. By reviewing and reinterpreting the literature through the lens of laypeople’s performance expectations, the study aims to clarify why some algorithms are accepted and others are rejected. It concludes by suggesting avenues for designing algorithms that better meet users’ expectations, enhancing their usability and acceptance.

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