As AI assistants become fully embedded within e-commerce platforms, the question becomes: how are consumers actually using them? This MSI working paper analyzes the behavior of over 31 million users on a major travel platform to uncover who adopts shopping AI, when it is used in the purchase journey, and what consumers rely on it for. The findings reveal that AI assistants complement—not replace—traditional search, helping consumers navigate complex, exploratory decisions and reshaping how discovery happens online.
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What makes consumers more likely to buy during a livestream shopping event? This Journal of Advertising Research study finds that benefit-focused messaging—where influencers emphasize how a product improves consumers' lives—significantly increases sales. Analyzing real-world TikTok livestreams and validating the findings through controlled experiments, the researchers also show that customer engagement, facial attractiveness and expressive body movement amplify the effectiveness of these benefit appeals. The findings provide practical guidance for brands and creators looking to improve livestream performance.
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As marketers invest more heavily in short-form and social video platforms, understanding how Gen Z allocates attention has become increasingly important. This literature review examines what current research reveals about Gen Z’s attention across social feeds, short-form video, creator content, streaming and emerging formats. The evidence suggests that Gen Z attention is not necessarily shorter, but faster, more selective and highly dependent on platform context, creative execution and brand familiarity.
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Generative AI makes it possible to tailor an ad to every individual exposed to it. But does extreme personalization work? And is there a point where it backfires? On May 20, the ARF Cognition Council held an event where industry leaders from VML, Screenvision Media, RMT, and Iris Flex discussed the implications of personalization in advertising. The discussion emphasized the complexities of personalization and highlighted the importance of balance between individual targeting and broader, shared motivations or experiences. The speakers – all members of the Cognition Council — highlighted several research studies and practical insights to convey how personalized advertising can be successful and where impact may be limited.
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