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AUDIENCEXSCIENCE 2026

AUDIENCEXSCIENCE 2026

  • ARF

ARF’s annual AUDIENCExSCIENCE conference showcased the most urgent challenges and recent breakthroughs in audience measurement. Industry leaders gathered in NYC March 18-19 to examine the rapidly changing intersection of AI, marketing, media, and consumer insights. As AI shifts research workflows, alters measurement systems, and changes consumer behavior, we explored new insights on how audience measurement is adapting to rapid change. Content is currently available to conference attendees.

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Creative Council Peek Behind the Curtain: Brand Meets Game: Navigating Creative Strategy in High-Profile Sports Sponsorships

Creative Council Peek Behind the Curtain: Brand Meets Game: Navigating Creative Strategy in High-Profile Sports Sponsorships

  • by Tommy Wu (Paramount), Young Pros Officer
  • ARF CREATIVE COUNCIL

On March 4th, The ARF Creative Council hosted its “Brand Meets Game: Navigating Creative Strategy in High-Profile Sports Sponsorship” panel, a conversation about how brands develop creative strategies and measurement frameworks for major sports partnerships. Moderated by Creative Council member Jillian Rice (Ipsos), the panel featured Matthew Gottlieb (NBCUniversal), Kristen Rumble (The Coca‑Cola Company), and Trey Ballard (Bank of America). Panelists shared perspectives on how companies activate around major sporting events, maintaining authentic connections with fans while delivering measurable business outcomes for their brands.  Kristen and Trey showed ads for their brands that had appeared in sports broadcasts to illustrate how their brand messages aligned with the spirits of the events. The discussion explored how successful sports marketing requires a balance of cultural relevance, strong creative strategy, and disciplined measurement. Speakers highlighted the importance of planning well in advance of major sporting moments, leveraging audience insights to shape storytelling, and ensuring that brand activations feel natural within the broader sports experience.

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The Attribution Working Group Drills Down into Shoppable Ads

The Attribution Working Group Drills Down into Shoppable Ads

  • by Matthew Yoli, Young Pros Officer
  • CROSS-PLATFORM MEASUREMENT COUNCIL

On February 19, 2026, the ARF Attribution Working Group hosted a deep‑dive session focused on the rapidly evolving landscape of Shoppable Ads, exploring how new formats are emerging, how they function across platforms, and how measurement practices are adapting. The discussion delved into shoppable ads across retail media networks, social platforms, display inventory, and connected TV environments, highlighting how these formats are redefining the relationship between media exposure and commerce outcomes. The conversation built on the Working Group’s broader initiative to evaluate five emerging advertising channels, an effort informed by industry interviews and an agency/advertiser survey. The session was moderated by Chip Godfrey (Director, Data Strategy, J.D. Power, and a member of the ARF Attribution Working Group). The panelists were Yannick Koger (Sr. Manager, NA Retail Measurement Solutions, Pinterest), Jared Oliver (Manager, Advanced Analytics & Modeling, Ocean Spray and a member of the Attribution Working Group), and Phil X. Jackson (Director, Global Digital Marketing Effectiveness & Innovation, Haleon).

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Why Personalization Persuades: What the Evidence Really Says

Why Personalization Persuades: What the Evidence Really Says

  • ARF
  • JOURNAL OF ADVERTISING RESEARCH

Does personalized advertising really work—or does it risk turning consumers off? A large-scale meta-analysis of 53 experimental studies finds that personalized ads are, on average, more persuasive than non-personalized ones, improving consumer attitudes and behavioral intentions. Crucially, personalization works not because it feels intrusive, but because it increases perceived relevance. When consumers see ads that connect to their interests and identities, persuasion improves—making personalization a low-risk, high-reward strategy when done well.

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