social media

• Targets & Segments
• Article

Influencer Partners a Must for Branded ASMR Content

• JOURNAL OF ADVERTISING RESEARCH

How can brand managers maximize their engagement with tingle-inducing ASMR videos? A new study, recently published in the Journal of Advertising Research, offers evidence that brands risk being perceived as “inauthentic intruders” when advertising within ASMR communities. They should instead consider collaborating with ASMR influencers, especially those who are highly visible and/or terrific at building emotional connections with viewers.

• Targets & Segments
• Article

Utilizing FOMO to Increase Engagement with Your Brand

• MSI

Fear of missing out (FOMO) is a phrase that social media has given rise to. Those who follow others on such platforms can be made anxious about their own life choices and use of free time when following friends and their activities online. If brands can properly understand this phenomenon, however, they can find ways to engage with customers, including through the content and events consumers most care about. Researchers in this Marketing Science Institute (MSI) working paper find that those who are most attracted to a brand are the ones who become the most engaged through such a strategy.

• Audience & Media Measurement
• Article

The 6th Annual Privacy Study

One of the ARF’s most popular reports for membership and the press, the 6^th Annual Privacy Study has now been released. The study surveyed 1,329 American consumers in the spring of 2023 on a Qualtrics online sample and platform. The report contains perennial questions regarding device usage, trust in institutions and how well privacy terms are understood. Last and this year’s versions also investigated what changes in information the public is willing to share and under what circumstances they are willing to share it. A new aspect to this year’s study is that it contains longitudinal findings across all six years.

The Media Universe

• Posted: January 3, 2024

Evan Shapiro has updated his “Media Universe” chart. This is what it looks like at the end of 2023.   Read more »

• Ad Effectiveness & ROI
• Article

Consider Arousal Level when Picking Cover Images for Pre-Roll Video Ads

• JOURNAL OF ADVERTISING RESEARCH

Cover images—the preview images that provide a glimpse of the content to be shown in pre-roll video ads—can determine whether or not someone clicks on the ad, depending on the level of arousal in those images and how well it meets their sensational needs, new research shows.

• Targets & Segments
• Article

Which Gen Z Mobile Users Should Retailers Retarget?

• JOURNAL OF ADVERTISING RESEARCH

Even though it is a common practice in the industry, researchers so far have not reached a uniform conclusion about how or even whether retargeting works. But a new study focused on Gen Z mobile users offers insight into the early stages of decision making, and a multitude of factors that influence these consumers’ perceptions when viewing luxury fashion ads for a second and third time.

Insights on Advertising

• Posted: November 29, 2023

The recent ARF OTT 2023 conference covered, among many other things, advertising opportunities in the new media environment. Here are two examples: first a summary of the variety of ad formats available now. Second, insights on the role of ad/product placements.

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• Research & Data Quality
• Article

2023 Attribution & Analytics Accelerator

The Attribution & Analytics Accelerator returned for its eighth year as the only event focused exclusively on attribution, marketing mix models, in-market testing and the science of marketing performance measurement. The boldest and brightest minds took the stage to share their latest innovations and case studies. Modelers, marketers, researchers and data scientists gathered in NYC to quicken the pace of innovation, fortify the science and galvanize the industry toward best practices and improved solutions. Content is available to event attendees and ARF members.

• Targets & Segments
• Article

Targeting Aids Consumers at Different Stages of their Purchase Journey

• MSI

Although firms invest much in targeted advertising, little is known about when it is most effective. A new Marketing Science Institute (MSI) working paper now shows that such advertising helps facilitate the purchase journey along different stages. While targeting on social media is found effective for consumers during the early stages of that journey, retargeting is best served for consumers who are closer along the line to making that purchase. Another important finding was that cross-platform targeting does not motivate consumers who are unfamiliar with the product or brand.

• Targets & Segments
• Article

Young People Respond Favorably to ASMR Ads on YouTube

• JOURNAL OF ADVERTISING RESEARCH

For many college-age consumers, the tingles and relaxing sensations that come from experiencing autonomous sensory meridian response (ASMR) can be weird and fun, but off-putting when, say, an endorser is too chatty and loud in the video. New research uses these insights to guide marketers and suggest that ASMR ads, typically aired on YouTube and other, non-traditional channels, are more effective at gaining attention than on traditional media.