Articles tagged with Marketing Research
A study by Duke University researchers found that products in clear packaging are vulnerable to negative properties being transferred from nearby products. This phenomenon, called 'product contagion,' can lead consumers to perceive affected products as less appealing.
Researchers discovered that ceiling height influences consumer thinking, with higher ceilings promoting abstract thought and lower ceilings encouraging detailed processing. This finding has important implications for retailers seeking to optimize sales persuasion strategies.
A former drug rep reveals how sales forces use tactics like finely-tuned doses of friendship, free samples, and lavish gifts to manipulate physicians into selling their drugs. This manipulation can lead to increased prescribing of targeted medications, often at the expense of more effective alternatives.
The Institute for Operations Research and the Management Sciences (INFORMS) has introduced a new bi-monthly feature called OR Forum, which highlights important research in operations research. The first article in OR Forum examines how auction theory fails in practice, specifically combinatorial auctions.
Research suggests that superfluous choices at early stages of purchase can lead to increased customer satisfaction, as consumers perceive greater deliberation and fluency in decision-making. This results in higher repeat business rates and brand loyalty.
Researchers at the University of Missouri-Columbia found that investing in news quality directly impacts a newspaper's profitability. The study, which analyzed financial data from small- to medium-sized newspapers, revealed that spending more on news content leads to increased circulation and advertising revenues.
A group setting exposes individuals to brand information, making them forget competitors and their own preferences. The study found a stronger effect on familiar brands, where the exposure to other group members' mentions amplifies the disruption.
A new study by Aparna A. Labroo and Suresh Ramanathan challenges the common assumption that happy endings in advertising are always better. Emotionally involved viewers actually prefer narratives with a negative-to-positive arc, as it allows them to cope with subsequent negativity.
Researchers found that consumers who didn't understand the joke often preferred clever slogans with multiple meanings. A new scale measures how quickly people grasp additional meanings, showing that degree of understanding has little impact on response.
Researchers found that soft drink ads in schools were linked to lower participation in school lunch programs, suggesting these ads compete with school lunches for students' attention. Schools' wellness policies provide opportunities to examine advertising that might conflict with their goals for a healthy climate.
A Cornell study finds that people, especially those who are overweight, consume up to 50% more calories when eating low-fat versions of snack foods compared to regular versions. Larger serving sizes on low-fat snacks may help reduce overeating.
A weeklong intervention in schools reduced adolescents' inclination to drink by teaching them critical thinking skills and strategies to question alcohol ads. The program, led by Penn State's Marvin E. Goldberg, equipped students with persuasion knowledge and processed advertising messages.
Research by University of Minnesota professor Kathleen Vohs finds that exposure to money motivates individuals to achieve their own goals, leading to increased self-sufficiency. Conversely, it also negatively impacts behavior towards others, causing people to become less helpful and more stand-offish.
According to a UGA study, most people consider spam more intrusive and irritating than direct mail. The researchers found that spam's inability to separate wanted messages from unwanted content makes it more frustrating.
Researchers found that articulating the connection between a sponsor and event increases recall for incongruent sponsor-event pairings. The study suggests marketing managers can improve brand recognition by clearly explaining their relationship with an event.
A study found that direct-to-consumer advertising of Vioxx increased the proportion of osteoarthritis patient visits for which a prescription was written for Vioxx. However, Celebrex ads were associated with higher rates of Vioxx prescribing, but not significant changes in Celebrex prescriptions.
The winning entry analyzed automobile manufacturers' sales data to optimize promotional activity, resulting in $2 billion savings. The prize recognizes outstanding implementation of marketing science concepts and methods in real-world applications.
A new study by Cornell University reveals that small businesses adopting good HR practices experience significant growth, including 22% more revenue and 23% more profit. The study found that companies focusing on company culture, employee autonomy, and a family-like environment outperform those with stricter controls.
Research suggests that online surveys can yield different results compared to phone surveys, as typing and speaking activate distinct cognitive and motor systems. This can compromise the validity of attitude changes over time, making it crucial for researchers to match response modes.
Researchers Jing Wang and Bobby Calder found that ads can have both negative and positive effects on advertising. Ads appearing after a story has ended can actually enhance their effect. The study suggests that the timing of ad placement is crucial in determining its impact.
A study found that consumers are less likely to buy a product if they believe it has been touched by someone else, with the value of the product being perceived as diminished. The researchers determined that disgust is the underlying reason for this phenomenon, and that its level increases with the perception of touch or use.
A study found that marketing products as remedies can actually increase risky behavior among those who are most at risk. The authors argue that remedy messages can have a boomerang effect on the people they intend to help, creating a serious problem for individuals and society.
The study refutes existing assumptions about inherent meaning in visuals, showing that creative directors and consumers share a similar understanding of white space. The researchers connect this to the minimalist movement and corporate art, highlighting the importance of socially agreed rules of language.
Women are taking control of their feminine health, but many remain embarrassed about discussing sensitive topics. The survey found that one in four women admit to not being honest with their gynecologists about their habits, with specific issues including smoking and exercise.
A Kansas State University marketing professor studied the relationship between product characteristics and consumer behavior in online shopping. He found that a superior website experience enhances customer satisfaction, especially for female consumers who value convenience and organization.
A new study reveals that ads comparing two brands are effective when people use analytical processing, but not as effective when they use imagery processing. The authors found that comparative ads provide explicit comparisons among brands and encourage consumers to compare product characteristics across brands.
Research by Patti Williams and Aimee Drolet found that older adults generally favor emotional appeals, while younger adults prefer more rational messages. This understanding is crucial for marketers seeking to create products and services relevant to the growing older population of consumers.
A new study found that asking consumers to imagine their future experience with a product may decrease purchasing likelihood, especially for those with low imagery abilities. The use of imagery appeals can be detrimental to marketers' bottom lines in certain cases.
Researchers analyze structural constraints in codeswitched advertising to determine what makes a message linguistically correct. The study highlights the significance of grammatical accuracy and provides insights into the rules that govern mixed language marketing.
Researchers found that emotional ads were more effective than informational ads in persuading both highly and non-skeptical consumers. Skeptical consumers responded better to emotional appeals, which bypassed their skepticism filters.
A study published in Journal of Consumer Research found that consumers tend to buy past winners and sell past losers in the stock market, violating the normative rule of buying low and selling high. This bias may make it easier for advertisers to negatively influence consumer decisions.
The human brain employs complex responses for recollection, making it challenging to optimize advertising effectiveness. Research suggests that varying spacing repetitions can strengthen memory traces and improve recall.
Research found that children can recognize and discount self-interested statements by age 7, yet struggle to grasp unintentional biases. By age 11, they better understand situational bias as a possible explanation for what people say.
This study examines how consumers respond to visual images in advertising, revealing that subtle properties of ad pictures can significantly impact product impressions. Consistency between picture and ad copy is key to positive consumer perceptions.
A study by Elizabeth Miller and Barbara Kahn found that consumers prefer atypical and unspecific names to common descriptives. The results suggest that color names can impact purchase propensity, with more ambiguous names leading to increased consumer appeal.
Research reveals that consumerism is a social practice of identity maintenance and management, driving low-literate individuals to employ coping strategies. The study identifies the importance of developing consumers' confidence and abilities to engage socially when needs are denied or thwarted.
A Dartmouth professor studied two US-air drug ads from 1999 to examine how effectively prescription drug ads convey their messages. The study found that de-integrating risk information improved recall of general information and led to a perception of greater informational content, but no increase in knowledge about the drug's risks.
Researchers discovered that yellow-beaked cleaner shrimp perform a specialized dance, the 'rocking dance,' to attract hungry client fish. This signaling allows both species to benefit from non-predatory cleaning interactions.
A study by Fisher and Dubé finds that men exhibit significant emotional responses to ads when alone, contrary to the stereotype of women being more 'emotional'. The research reveals that males are sensitive to specific types of emotions in social environments, leading to profound implications for advertisers approaching male customers.
A recent study found that advertisers who switched from a majority to a minority language (typically English to Spanish) elicited more negative thoughts and lower product evaluations than those switching in reverse. This suggests that consumers perceive minority languages as having less prestige, affecting persuasion.
A new study explores the structural elements that make TV ads funny, finding a dramatic range in perceived humor. Understanding this variation can help marketers adjust their intended messages and improve downstream variables like message credibility and recall.
Research by Susan Jung Grant and colleagues found that consumers process negative messages more slowly than positive ones, focusing on the root of the message rather than the negation. This leads to a specific sequence of processing, where affirmations are elaborated first and then negators are incorporated in judgment.
Researchers found that consumers exhibit two main strategies: goal seekers aim to utilize marketing agents for personal goals, while persuasion sentries guard against unwanted influence. By understanding these consumer behaviors, marketers can develop more effective and personalized approaches.
Research reveals that waiting increases consumption enjoyment for indulgent treats like chocolate, but decreases anticipation for non-pleasurable items. Consumers who wait longer tend to experience more satisfaction upon actual consumption.
Researchers at the University of Warwick analyzed French trade cards to understand consumer habits, social values, and advertising techniques during the 18th century. The study revealed how trade cards seduced people into buying goods by showing beautiful displays and suggesting exclusivity.
A study by Brian Wansink found that adults offered six colored flavors of jellybeans ate 69% more than when the colors were each placed in separate bowls. The perception of variety stimulates how much people consume. Consumers can curb overeating by avoiding multiple bowls of the same food and arranging foods into organized patterns.
The University of Cincinnati researcher explores how the baseball industry's ties to tobacco date back to the 1840s, influencing societal attitudes and advertising strategies. The use of baseball imagery in cigarette ads was a key factor in normalizing smoking among young men.
A study by Purdue University found that consumers are willing to pay a premium for genetically modified foods that provide direct benefits, such as golden rice with enhanced vitamin A content. The research also identified a technique called 'cheap talk' that can help reduce consumer bias in marketing surveys.
Researchers found that consumers' psychological state changes even if their economic state doesn't, with the magnitude of this 'order effect' increasing over time. The study has practical implications for marketers and regulators, who can influence consumer perceptions by altering the sequence of information presentation.
A study published in the American Journal of Public Health found that tobacco industry youth anti-smoking programs were designed to serve the industry's political aims, rather than reducing smoking rates. The programs aimed to gather information on youth behavior and attitudes to inform marketing strategies.
Researchers have developed an edible film made from strawberry puree, broccoli, oranges, carrots, and other fruits and vegetables. The films can significantly extend the shelf life of fresh-cut produce, such as apples, while keeping them fresh and flavorful.
A new study led by UCSF researchers suggests that prescribing beta-blockers to most people who have had heart attacks could save seven times more years of life than mammography screening over 20 years. The study projects 4,000 lives saved and 3,500 averted heart attacks at a reasonable cost.
The Virginia Tech IREN program will provide fellowships for graduate students in engineering, computer science, economics, and business, focusing on broadband wireless access, mobile internet, and network security. The program aims to make the Internet accessible globally, with the goal of revolutionizing networking.
According to the report, Indiana's forests have expanded significantly since the 1960s, with 85% of timberlands in private ownership. The number of trees has increased to 2 billion, providing habitat and food for wildlife.
A Harvard study challenges conventional wisdom, suggesting that online retailers can charge higher prices due to reduced price competition. The study reveals that consumer loyalty and convenience of the internet enable firms to increase prices, leading to higher profits.
A team of researchers at the University of Toronto has discovered a crucial link between coxsackievirus B and heart failure, identifying the key gene p56Ick as the trigger for this deadly disease. The finding may lead to new treatment strategies and more targeted predictions of who is at risk of developing heart disease.
A new study from the Society of Actuaries found no direct link between managed care plan ratings and enrollment. The researchers suggest that ratings may be valuable in refining the rating process and increasing its usage by consumers, but more research is needed.
Researchers at Princess Margaret Hospital and AMGEN identify the role of T cells in bone destruction characteristic of many inflammatory diseases. The study reveals that T cells produce a substance that triggers bone loss, leading to severe osteoporosis and joint damage.
Research reveals striking increase in CD8 memory cells among HIV-positive teens, highlighting differences between male and female populations. The study provides a foundation for understanding adolescent immunity during HIV infection.
Researchers at Georgia Tech have designed 'Quiet Curtains' that combine audio privacy and aesthetics to reduce nocturnal noise in nursing homes. The high-tech drapes can block unwanted decibels by up to 12 dB, providing a significant improvement in patients' rest and quality of life.