Targets & Segments

What AI Recommends—and Why: Inside the Logic of “Best” Product Choices

What AI Recommends—and Why: Inside the Logic of “Best” Product Choices

  • Psychology of Gen AI
  • ARF; MSI

As generative AI tools increasingly shape how consumers search, shop, compare and evaluate products, understanding how they make recommendations has become critical for marketers. This seventh experiment in our ongoing Psychology of Gen AI series, is the first phase in a study that examines how large language models (LLMs), like ChatGPT and Claude, determine what qualifies as the “best” product—and reveals that their recommendations are far from neutral. Instead, they tend to rely on narrow, repetitive sets of familiar brands and structured response patterns that may reinforce existing market leaders. The findings highlight important implications for brand visibility, competitive dynamics and how marketers should position their products in AI-driven environments.

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When Style Becomes Signal: How Gendered Language Shapes Generative AI Output

When Style Becomes Signal: How Gendered Language Shapes Generative AI Output

  • Psychology of Gen AI
  • ARF; MSI; Iris Flex

As generative AI tools become embedded in advertising and marketing research workflows, questions about bias increasingly extend beyond outputs to the interaction itself. This experiment, the first phase of the sixth study in the Psychology of Gen AI series, examines whether gendered patterns can enter AI through subtle differences in how prompts are phrased. By systematically varying linguistic styles using psychologically grounded traits, the research shows that implicit, style-based, gender cues shape AI prompt construction more strongly than explicit, gender labels, with important implications for how bias may propagate upstream in AI-assisted marketing and research applications.    

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When Language Becomes Targeting: How Gender Cues Shape AI Recommendations

When Language Becomes Targeting: How Gender Cues Shape AI Recommendations

  • Psychology of Gen AI
  • ARF; MSI; Iris Flex

As generative AI tools increasingly influence product discovery and decision-making, subtle cues in user language can shape what consumers are shown—and how options are framed. This second phase of the sixth study in the Psychology of Gen AI series examines how implicit and explicit gender signals affect AI-generated product recommendations, revealing systematic differences in categories, brand repetition, descriptive language and price information. The findings raise important questions for advertisers and researchers about bias, brand visibility and the growing cultural role of AI in shaping consumer norms.

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Privacy, Trust & AI: How U.S. Consumers Are Rewriting the Rules of Advertising

Privacy, Trust & AI: How U.S. Consumers Are Rewriting the Rules of Advertising

  • ARF Original Research

The ARF’s latest privacy study shows that U.S. consumers are more informed, more trusting and more engaged with artificial intelligence than ever before—yet still cautious about how it and other technologies use their data. Drawing on responses from more than 1,200 adults, the 2025 study reveals rising openness to data sharing when clear benefits exist, persistent skepticism toward certain targeting practices and growing expectations for transparency, especially around AI. For advertising researchers, the findings highlight a shifting privacy landscape where relevance, trust and first-party data strategies are increasingly intertwined.

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Beyond Representation: The Future of Inclusive Marketing

Beyond Representation: The Future of Inclusive Marketing

  • By Sarah Fahim and Agustina Perez Blua, Young Pros Officers, Cultural Effectiveness Council

On October 8, 2025, representatives from three organizations – Dyanta (Council member Nicole Mitchell), Kantar (Valeria Piaggio), and the GLAAD Media Institute (Megan Bartley) -- presented research on the current state of consumer attitudes towards diversity and inclusion in the U.S., particularly with respect to advertising.  Dynata's and Kantar’s presentations included trend data from 2023 and 2025, and Kantar’s included data from a neuroscience study.  IPG and Mintel collaborated with GLAAD on their research.  The speakers agreed that in spite of loud opposition to DEI, data shows a "silent majority" of consumers still supports inclusion efforts. The speakers also acknowledged a significant generational divide, with younger consumers being far more supportive of DEI initiatives.  The presentations were followed by a discussion with Mitchell, Piaggio, and Carol Hayneworth of IPG, moderated by Cultural Effectiveness Council Young Pros Officer Danielle Zito.

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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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A Peek Behind the Curtain: Setting Up Your Creator/Influencer Initiative for Success

A Peek Behind the Curtain: Setting Up Your Creator/Influencer Initiative for Success

  • By Sydney Angove (Kantar), Young Pros Officer
  • ARF CREATIVE COUNCIL

On December 3, the ARF Creative Council pulled back the curtain on how leading brands navigate the evolving creator and influencer landscape. This roundtable discussion offered a candid, client-side look at the creator/influencer economy and provided attendees with real-world examples of how leading brands strategically deploy creators, select the right partners, brief them effectively, and measure their performance.

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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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