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.
New research from Lehigh University and other institutions found that consumers are willing to pay up to 10% more for goods and services produced with high production enjoyment. Sellers can capitalize on this cue by pricing their products at a slight premium, according to associate professor Danny Zane.
Researchers found that advertising on misinformation websites is pervasive among companies across several industries and amplifies the financing of misinformation. Consumers also face substantial backlash when ads appear on such websites, switching away from companies whose products are advertised on misinformation outlets.
A study found that consumers prefer products with interrelated features, which are easier to use and perform well. Companies can increase sales by highlighting these connections, while reducing dissimilar features. Product developers should focus on adding value through functional connectivity rather than numerous new features.
Research found that 50.4% of TikTok videos advertised popular vaping brands and 45% included cannabis products. Vendors evade age restrictions by creating 'puffbundles' with non-vaping items, making it easy for minors to purchase e-cigarettes.
Food and drink advertisements on videogame livestreaming platforms (VGLSPs) like Twitch are associated with more positive attitudes towards and purchases of unhealthy foods. Researchers call for stronger regulations to protect young viewers from the potential harms of digital food marketing.
A study by the University of South Florida found that consumers perceive a 3.5-rated product as higher and better when the score is illustrated in shapes like stars, circles, and bars, versus numbers. This phenomenon, known as left-digit anchoring, affects consumer behavior in online marketplaces. Researchers recommend using visual rat...
Rutgers Health researcher found that lesbian/gay and bisexual women are more receptive to tobacco marketing and have a harder time quitting. The study also discovered that bisexual women smoke at higher rates and struggle with nicotine addiction.
A recent study suggests that cultural similarity, measured through food and drink interests on Facebook, plays a significant role in predicting international migration flows. The researchers found that similarities in daily life aspects are dynamic and asymmetric measures of country similarity, adding value to traditional gravity models.
A new study reveals that gun manufacturers have shifted their marketing strategy to appeal to women, portraying them as responsible and capable gun owners. The study found that the 'serious student' framing became popular between 2016 and 2020, depicting armed American women as pursuing expertise with firearms through focused training.
A UMass Amherst study found that government vaccine recommendations can benefit drugmakers like Pfizer, while also increasing vaccine uptake among seniors. However, the study suggests that direct-to-consumer advertising did not lead to a significant reduction in infection and mortality rates from pneumococcal disease.
A new study from Binghamton University finds that preannouncement marketing can positively impact stock market reactions, especially when it comes to costless approaches. The researchers analyzed 149 product launch events and found that surprise effects and information asymmetry can also play a role in shaping market expectations.
A study by WVU researcher Nancy McIntyre reveals that individuals with ADHD tend to use routines and patterns to store stimuli from their environment, allowing them to make connections and file away resources for future use. This helps entrepreneurs with ADHD excel in qualities such as alertness, adaptability, and entrepreneurial intent.
Researchers studied newspaper ads from Dust Bowl states in 1934 to understand how businesses and companies reached consumers during a dual crisis. The study found that essential services used informational approaches while nonessential services relied on sensory appeals, offering valuable lessons for current mass media during emergencies.
A Washington State University study found that job ads with very wide pay ranges evoked less favorable impressions of employers. Participants viewed these ads as less trustworthy and doubted the organization would offer high salaries to employees. However, some saw the large range as a positive sign of possible 'room for growth',
A new study evaluates effective short video concepts for tobacco control during the Chinese Lunar New Year, finding that certain designs can change behavioral intentions and cultural appropriateness. The most suitable design was a 'Gamified couple at home' style video, while another option showed promise in personal motivation but was ...
Researchers found that AI-generated content is perceived as higher quality than human-created content, but reveals the source of production can reduce the gap. Human oversight is still necessary to ensure AI-generated content is appropriate in sensitive contexts.
New research from the University of South Australia found that images are more effective at signaling product variety than colors, with only 56% of color choices matching customer expectations. The study analyzed consumer perceptions of 576 products and recommended using images to convey variety and protecting master brand colors.
Researchers found that more young adults are starting to vape than use traditional cigarettes, with 56% of regular vapers having never smoked cigarettes. The trend is particularly concerning among young women, who have seen a slight increase in vaping popularity over time.
A recent study found that emphasizing financial benefits in advertising messages significantly increases demand for solar panels, with a 40% increase in customer queries. The research suggests that effective communication is a cost-effective and scalable method for promoting green technologies.
A new study by the University of Notre Dame found that viewers tend to tip less and chat more when they see others receiving higher tips, leading to a 'crowding-out' effect. This behavior is driven by the pursuit of social status and can be mitigated by splitting crowded livestreams into smaller virtual sessions.
Researchers at CU Anschutz Medical Campus and Johns Hopkins University found that hundreds of ketamine clinics make false or misleading statements about their treatments. The study highlights the need for accurate and balanced information about potential risks and benefits of these therapies, especially given the high financial costs i...
A meta-analysis of studies found guilt has only a small persuasive effect, making it less effective than previously thought. Existential guilt appeals better for broader issues like environmental and educational topics, while personal responsibility-based guilt is less effective in health communications.
A new study found that social media platforms restrict user-generated content and advertising related to illegal muscle-building drugs but offer few restrictions on legal dietary supplements. This has raised concerns about the potential negative effects of these products on young people's health and behavior.
A study by University of Nebraska-Lincoln researchers found that crowdfunding platforms create a sense of democracy, but backers often come from similar groups and give to projects they find cool. This limits the democratizing potential of crowdfunding.
Researchers found sponsored content decreases consumer engagement, but prior disclosure offsets this effect. Micro-influencers are more affected by sponsorship than macro/meso-influencers.
A team of Japanese researchers created a big data-driven model that accurately forecasts key economic indicators in real time, eliminating the need for aggregated semi-macroeconomic data. The approach leverages search engine query data to identify highly correlated queries and provides timely insights into economic trends.
Alcohol promotion detracted from the success of the record-breaking Women's World Cup tournament, say researchers. The 'thorny issue of alcohol' was highlighted in a broadcast of the final match between England and Spain, where a fan celebrating with beer was featured.
A recent study published in Journal of Advertising sheds light on the effects of in-stream video advertising on ad information encoding. The research found that mid-roll ads elicit negative emotions but do not affect viewers' purchase intention. In contrast, pre- and post-roll ads have a significant impact on memory formation, highligh...
Thousands of online advertisements for prohibited weeds were discovered through web scraping technology, posing a threat to Australia's environment and agriculture. The study highlights the need for regulation and public awareness to combat this growing problem.
New research from The George Institute for Global Health suggests applying Google's nutrition advertising policy in the US market could reduce products eligible for online marketing to children, leading to significant health gains. Only 18% of products would be allowed under this policy.
A new study by City University of London researchers found that lower perceptions of gender equality and workplace sexual harassment significantly impact job satisfaction in newsrooms globally. The study highlights the need for structural changes to combat inequalities affecting women in the industry, including policies to address all ...
Research found that e-cigarette manufacturers use psychographic targeting to appeal to new users based on lifestyles and attitudes, particularly among low-risk young adults. The study suggests that stricter marketing regulations are needed to reduce exposure to these advertisements and minimize the risk of initiation.
Researchers found that subscription channels have greater source credibility and content control, leading to higher conversion rates despite perceived ad intrusiveness. In contrast, AI-recommended channels elicit more clicks but with smaller proportions of genuine interest and purchases.