Articles tagged with Advertising
A crisis communication study reveals Ticketmaster's inadequate response to technical failures and public backlash, leading to a political scandal and antitrust lawsuit. The company's lack of transparency, avoidance of responsibility, and failure to issue a full apology further damaged its reputation.
A new report from the University of East Anglia warns that charities using AI-generated images risk breaking the fundamental bond of trust with the public. The study found that when AI images are used, the humanitarian cause disappears from the conversation, and the public engages with charity rather than the cause itself.
Researchers find that personalized digital marketing can evoke a powerful emotional response, leading consumers to feel uncomfortable and less likely to make purchases. To mitigate this 'creepiness,' brands can focus on prevention by designing personalization practices that minimize ambiguity and avoid signals of intrusive surveillance.
A new study from the University of East Anglia found that the human brain continues to respond to tempting food cues even after eating enough. The research used EEG brain scans to monitor volunteers' brain activity as they played a reward-based learning game with food.
A study of 382 adolescents aged 15–17 found that zero-alcohol advertisements significantly increased their intentions to try full-strength versions. Teenagers who liked the ads showed more positive attitudes toward the brands and clearer intentions to drink.
A study from Florida International University finds that claiming a business page on review platforms like Yelp can lead to a significant drop in average ratings, with a 10% decrease in five-star reviews and a 9.5% rise in one-star reviews. The study also reveals that these lowest-rated reviews become substantially longer and more crit...
Nolo drinks have potential to improve public health, especially for heavier drinkers and those in lower socioeconomic groups. However, experts warn of risks such as marketing tactics and encroachment on alcohol-free spaces, calling for a precautionary approach to balance benefits and harms.
A new study from the University of British Columbia found that the way marketers express time can change how people experience the past and future, influencing real consumer decisions. The 'year-length effect' shows that when time is described as a length, people tend to perceive it as longer than when using years.
A new study by Di Yuan of Auburn University and co-authors found that equal treatment policies may boost ad platform revenues while improving fairness outcomes. In contrast, an Equal Exposure with Equal Treatment policy can increase competition among advertisers, leading to increased total advertising revenue.
A comprehensive review highlights the urgent need to transform unsustainable food systems, which drive both obesity and environmental harms. The authors recommend subsidies for healthy foods, taxes on unhealthy products, and restrictions on aggressive marketing to address these twin crises.
A major review in Frontiers in Science highlights how unsustainable food systems contribute to both health and climate crises. Experts examine evidence-based strategies to tackle industrial food systems promoting overconsumption and environmental pressures.
A pioneering study by UPF found that lower-class young people, especially boys, receive twice as many ads about risky financial products as their upper-class peers. The study also reveals marked gender differences in online advertising, with girls receiving more fashion and beauty ads than boys.
The ARU symposium delves into the effects of consuming mass-produced low-quality content, reshaping art, media, politics, and the internet. Dr Tina Kendall discusses the psychological and societal implications of AI-generated material, including its environmental costs.
A new study by Florida International University found that self-improvement gifts can unintentionally trigger negative online reviews due to emotional sting. Recipients who received these gifts often felt judged rather than appreciated, leading to lower ratings and negative word of mouth.
Researchers found high-engagement social media posts lack essential risk information and promotional elements, potentially eroding patient decision-making. The study highlights the need for fair balance in online advertising to maintain informed consent.
Researchers identified three types of online brand defenders: promoters (emotionally attached), justice promoters (fairness driven), and self-promoters (ego-driven). Companies can encourage promoters by acknowledging them, while justice promoters require a sense of fairness. Self-promoters are motivated by attention and rewards.
A new study by Yifan Yu offers guidance on how to deploy emotion AI in various scenarios, emphasizing the importance of balancing human involvement with AI's emotional detection capabilities. The analysis showed that emotion AI works best when integrated with human employees, and some scenarios are better handled by humans alone.
A new study found that safety-related reviews on Airbnb can reduce bookings and lower nightly prices, with a significant impact from personal experiences. The study suggests increasing transparency to balance financial incentives with customer welfare, providing the greatest long-term benefits.
A new study finds that direct-to-consumer advertising for prescription smoking-cessation drugs reduces cigarette use, while OTC nicotine products do not. The research highlights the importance of accessibility and affordability in promoting public health benefits from advertising.
Individuals with psychosis reported a large increase in current cannabis use following legalization, exceeding previous estimates for the general population. This finding highlights the need for policymakers to consider the potential health impacts of cannabis use on individuals with psychosis.
A new strategy to increase low-emission food consumption has been found effective in controlled choice experiments with 3,000 participants. The 'nudge by proxy' approach highlights consumer motivations rather than environmental impacts, significantly outperforming traditional carbon footprint labelling.
A UK study found broad support for regulating advertisements for high-carbon products and services, with citizens' jury and large poll results indicating a strong public mandate. The findings suggest policymakers should consider stricter regulations to address climate change concerns.
Researchers warn that dynamic pricing can erode customer loyalty and face regulatory scrutiny, highlighting the need for careful planning and human oversight in algorithmic pricing decisions. Companies must balance profit optimization with marketing strategy and customer sentiment to avoid backlash.
Scientists discovered that people struggle to recognize ads on social media due to their ability to blend in with organic content. When participants realized an ad was sponsored, dwell time dropped significantly, indicating a loss of engagement.
A new MSU study explores the perceptions of consumers regarding 'Made in USA' labels, finding that confusion exists and reality often exceeds or falls short of expectations. Researchers analyzed survey data from 131 adult respondents to better understand consumer attitudes towards domestic production and labeling.
Researchers found that individuals from vulnerable groups who felt discriminated against may actually show increased preference for brands that insult their group. This 'paradoxical phenomenon' aligns with theories of disidentification, which suggests long-term consequences of harm to groups include reduced self-esteem and group-esteem.
A new study from NYU Tandon School of Engineering found that users of Adblock Plus's Acceptable Ads feature encounter 13.6% more problematic advertisements compared to those without ad blockers, highlighting systematic failures in preventing inappropriate advertising from reaching children.
A new study from the University of Georgia found that labels on news articles, such as 'most shared' versus 'most read', influence audience engagement. Respondents interpreted 'most read' stories as more informative, while 'most shared' articles were seen as less serious and more entertainment-based.
A USF study reveals that consumers tend to believe fake online reviews, even when told they are fabricated, due to a psychological phenomenon called truth bias. The researchers argue that platforms should prioritize identifying and mitigating fake negative reviews and labeling potentially fraudulent content.
US-market disposable e-cigarettes contain the artificial sweetener neotame, which is 35-65 times sweeter than aspartame. Neotame was ubiquitous in nicotine-free and nicotine-containing e-cigs.
A randomized crossover trial found that 5 minutes of exposure to junk food adverts resulted in children consuming significantly more calories during the day. The study found that 7–15 year-olds consumed an average of 130 kcals extra, equivalent to two slices of bread.
A new study finds that individuals generally prefer firms to take an apolitical stance on polarizing issues, rather than taking a partisan or silent approach. The research highlights the importance of firms staying neutral and avoiding perceived biases.
Researchers found that nearly 10% of compliant websites still run non-compliant ads, violating the Acceptable Ads Standard. Flaws in ad-filtering rules allow advertisers to bypass size and format restrictions, putting user privacy at risk.
A recent investigation reveals how the advertising industry is targeting councils with warnings of financial losses if they restrict junk food ads, leading to some councils shelving their plans. Experts are urging a national ban on out-of-home HFSS advertising to combat childhood obesity rates projected to increase by 50% by 2050.
Research from the University of Bath, King's College London, and Freie Universität Berlin reveals how club selectors assess social fit by weighing 'fitted' vs. 'standout' qualities, while curating a diverse crowd. Excessive alcohol consumption and aggression are clear red flags.
A recent study published in the BMJ reveals that the UK gambling industry is employing similar tactics used by Big Tobacco to downplay the harms of gambling. The authors call for urgent action to protect public health from the devastating effects of gambling addiction, including financial distress, family breakdown, and even suicide.
A cross-sectional study found that TV football game food ads are often high in sodium, calories, and fat content. This can pose a risk to adults with pre-existing heart conditions, who may be vulnerable to dietary deviations due to frequent exposure to advertising.
A study led by Swansea University found that showing people a counter-advertising video increased their resistance to gambling advertisements. The video, which used the gambling industry's own tactics against it, resulted in significant skepticism towards ads and reduced engagement with 'free' offers.
A field experiment found that offline promotional coupons resulted in higher redemption rates and greater sales compared to online-only coupons. Cognitive engagement was a key factor in the coupon redemption behavior of consumers. The study highlights the importance of designing targeted promotional strategies for marketers.
A recent Washington State University-led study reveals that forestalgia-focused destination ads are more effective at enticing travelers to book vacations than nostalgia-based ads. The research found that travelers respond more favorably to future-focused messages, tapping into a natural human tendency to idealize what's ahead.
A new Edith Cowan University study found that anti-junk food advertisements during Australian national sporting broadcasts reduced both cravings and consumption intentions, particularly in healthy BMI participants. In contrast, junk food advertisements were largely unregulated and had minimal to no impact on inclinations to eat junk food.
A cross-sectional study found that websites selling compounded glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists often misinformed potential consumers about the medications' safety, efficacy, and FDA approval status. The study highlights the need for increased transparency and regulation in the online advertising of these medications.
CEOs innovate based on stock recommendations and analyst feedback, which can foster explorative activities like R&D. However, many sacrifice long-term sustainability for immediate returns, incentivized by their compensation packages.
A new study by Lancaster University reveals that language in job ads can unintentionally reinforce or disrupt labour force gender/racial composition. Workforces with more women tend to use family-friendly policies in ads, while racial minority workers' ads lack impact, the research shows.
A recent study found that combining informative and persuasive cues, especially monetary incentives, boosts opt-ins. However, purely informative messages don't necessarily increase opt-ins. Firms with significant offline presence tend to use more persuasive strategies.
A study published in Nature Cities analyzed textile waste in various cities, finding that most donated clothes are exported or thrown away. Experts call for a change in how cities handle fashion waste, suggesting the need for local recycling and reuse facilities.
A groundbreaking study from Queen Mary University of London uncovers the role of music and soundscapes in toy advertising, revealing how they convey and reinforce gender stereotypes. The research highlights the need for more comprehensive regulation to address the societal implications of these messages.
A new study led by Dr. Jim Swaffield challenges the assumption that conspicuous consumption is irrational, instead showing it's driven by an interaction between environmental conditions and one's evolved biology. The researchers found that financial and physical safety conditions can affect the desire for signalling products.
Researchers from China, UK, and US formed the World Urine Project to explore urine's potential as an early warning system for diseases. The initiative establishes a shared database for accurate and personalized diagnosis, aiming to transform reactive medicine.
A new study by Boston University researchers found that the majority of social media posts from e-cigarette brands left out health warnings, despite a federal requirement to include them. The study used AI to analyze over 2,000 Instagram posts and discovered that only 13% complied with FDA health warning requirements.
A cross-sectional study found that 87% of Instagram posts from synthetic nicotine brand accounts failed to comply with FDA health warning requirements. This non-compliance may contribute to increased youth engagement with tobacco marketing.
A new study from the University of Notre Dame finds that Big Tech privacy policies can decrease consumer engagement and satisfaction with ads, leading to reduced performance and revenue. The study explores how data minimization and other policies affect ad variety and consumer behavior.
Monthly gamblers in Massachusetts report increased gambling intensity and harms, as well as negative attitudes towards gambling. The proportion of those experiencing problem gambling jumps to 25.6% from 12.7% in 2014.
Researchers in China used a scenario experiment to test messaging strategies on COVID-19 vaccine uptake. The study found that emphasizing personal risk rather than personal gain or community benefits was most effective in persuading people to get vaccinated.
A study found that most TV ads seen by children are still for unhealthy products, highlighting the need for better government regulations. Exposure to such ads remained substantial even after a decrease in children's programming time.
A study found that 46% of advertising complaints were due to concerns about the wellbeing of children, while graphic portrayals accounted for 20%. Researchers call on advertisers to test their ads with vulnerable groups and regulators to consider different management strategies. Charities had the most complained-about adverts, followed...
A new study by University of Essex's Dr Alexandros Antoniou exposes dark arts used by rogue influencers, including promo-masquerade, risk-fluence, mone-trapment, and stereo-scripting. He calls for a new regulatory framework and certification scheme to ensure clear expectations and boundaries in the influencer industry.
A recent study found significant biases in media coverage of Philip Morris International's IQOS heated tobacco product among different demographic groups in Israel. Arab and Ultra-Orthodox media portray IQOS more positively than mainstream media, often relying on PMI as a primary information source.
New Edith Cowan University research shows that exposure to alcohol advertisements during national sports broadcasts significantly increases cravings in people with risky drinking behaviors. The study found a significant increase in alcohol cravings among risky drinkers, particularly those with a preference for the advertised beverage.
A genomic analysis overturned the leading hypothesis on firefly light origin, revealing that lucibufagins, a toxic compound, evolved after bioluminescence development. Fireflies' ancestors diversified during a period of rising atmospheric oxygen levels, suggesting a similar path to glowing millipedes.