• Past Event Highlights
• Article

AUDIENCEXSCIENCE 2024

The ARF’s annual AUDIENCExSCIENCE conference highlighted the most critical audience measurement issues. Through keynotes, panels, debates and rigorously peer-reviewed research presentations, attendees learned about a wide array of new and evergreen industry topics, endemic to our industry changes. World-class thinkers joined us in NYC to share their perspectives on the future of advertising research and measurement, and how tomorrow’s technologies and data trends will impact advertising and media.

• Ad Effectiveness & ROI
• Article

Does Advertising Affect a Company’s Stock Price?

In this thought-provoking analysis, researchers from Boston University and UCLA delve into over 250 journal studies to decode the intricate relationship between advertising and corporate stock prices. Their findings illuminate how strategic advertising efforts not only captivate consumers but also sway investor sentiment, bolstering stock market valuations.

• Creative & Branded Content
• Article

How Implied Explosions Boost Perfume Ads’ Appeal

This study investigates how the concept of “implied explosion” in advertisements can significantly enhance consumers' perception of a perfume's intensity and persistence, leading to higher purchase intentions. Discover how both visual and textual cues can be leveraged to create a more impactful consumer experience.

• Creative & Branded Content
• Article

Generative AI Can Make Ad Creative Better Than Humans Alone

Have we reached the John Henry moment in ad creative where the machine can outperform a human in creating visuals for ads? Not quite. Generative AI does have a place in creative, however. This Marketing Science Institute (MSI) working paper found that GenAI when trained on ads which were rated the most effective by consumers can create ad visuals and text that outperform the originals in KPIs related to the purchase funnel and brand associations. Yet, the human element has not been cut out just yet. In fact, it might be pivotal to the process. The human AI combo saved time and effort and created pleasing visuals while maintaining a brand’s distinctive positioning.

• Past Event Highlights
• Article

Authentic Representation – Where We Are and How the Audience Perceives it

• By Danielle Zito, Ipsos, Young Pros Officer

This March 7th event, curated by the ARF Cultural Effectiveness Council, explored the topic of authentic representation by sharing research on the current landscape and audience perceptions, as well as research to improve authentic representation in media and advertising.

• Article

How to Balance Consumer Response to “Skimpflation”

Rising costs are an important issue for businesses. Many wonder how they should respond and how customers will react if they say, reduce product quality. Such “skimpflation” can be harder for consumers to detect. However, this Marketing Science Institute (MSI) working paper finds that those who do realize it consider the practice deceptive and unfair. Consumers, it seems, prefer reduced product size (shrinkflation) or increased prices to skimpflation, with price increases the most popular/least unpopular of these options.