tag:theconversation.com,2011:/ca-fr/topics/marketing-13/articlesMarketing – La Conversation2024-03-19T00:41:15Ztag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2260102024-03-19T00:41:15Z2024-03-19T00:41:15ZDevil in the details: breaking down the branding of the AFL’s newest team<p>After months of debate and intrigue, the AFL’s 19th and newest team, the Tasmania Devils, finally launched its <a href="https://www.afl.com.au/news/1086666/watch-live-tasmanias-afl-team-revealed">jumper, logo and colours in Devonport</a> this week. </p>
<p>The Devils will wear green, yellow and red, and their guernsey will feature a map of Tasmania with a central red “T”. The club’s logo features a profile of a Tasmanian devil, which chair Grant O’Brien said represented the state’s “proud, tough, determined” characters.</p>
<p>Were there any surprises in the branding? None. Perfectly on brand and what has largely been seen already from Tasmania’s junior state teams. </p>
<p>The difference though was this was the official AFL launch. No turning back. And it had cleared some fairly big hurdles such as <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-05-07/why-the-afl-is-fighting-for-tassie-to-be-the-devils/102310490">reaching an agreement with global entertainment giant Warner Bros</a> over the use of the name, colours and logo. </p>
<p>But why was this day so important?</p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/the-case-for-a-tasmanian-afl-team-from-an-economists-point-of-view-163166">The case for a Tasmanian AFL team, from an economist's point of view</a>
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<h2>Building the (sports) brand</h2>
<p>Sport has always been the original crowd funding model. Without fans, there is no team, really. So it was great to see the Devils have been saintly with their marketing to their base – <a href="https://membership.tasmaniafc.com/">namely the $10 foundation membership</a>. </p>
<p>Within two hours of the launch, the Devils had sold more than 40,000 foundation memberships at $10 a pop. For comparison, the AFL’s most recent expansion clubs, Gold Coast and Greater Western Sydney, totalled 23,359 and 33,036 members respectively at the end of 2023.</p>
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<p>Selling cheap foundation memberships several years ahead of the team’s first game was smart, as it gets some nice hard cash rolling in until match-day revenue and sponsorships arrive. </p>
<p>Next, they gain access to a large database, so critical in breaking down members into different segments, and then tailoring an offering to each. </p>
<p>And of course there is the engagement aspect, which for the Devils is particularly important as both the stadium and team are several years away from AFL action - the club is set to enter the national competition in 2028.</p>
<p>They need to keep these foundation members, these key supporters, <a href="https://www.inderscienceonline.com/doi/abs/10.1504/IJSMM.2009.026756">engaged to keep word of mouth high</a>. And these members aren’t just in Tasmania – they are going to be found everywhere. The team will only play half its games at home, so it is <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/pdf/10.1080/02640410400021567">going to need supporters at games played outside the state</a>. The AFL needs this as well. </p>
<p>It helps that these supporters can call themselves foundation members forever. Powerful word of mouth and nice branding. And 50,000+ in a few short hours says the market agrees. </p>
<p>The Devils though must focus on <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/pdf/10.1080/16184742.2014.944199">retaining those initial members</a> during what will be a long journey before they play their first game at Macquarie Point. </p>
<h2>Why is branding so crucial for sports teams?</h2>
<p>Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo are the benchmarks in world sport for why details matter in sports marketing. Think “CR7” and you think of only one person. And what kid would say no to a Messi number 10 jersey? </p>
<p>Both bring in <a href="https://www.sportskeeda.com/football/news-lionel-messi-vs-cristiano-ronaldo-jersey-sales-which-superstar-s-jersey-sold-more">tens of millions per year for their franchise in merchandise and ticket sales</a>. </p>
<p>The biggest sporting brands on earth, such as Barcelona FC, <a href="https://www.fcbarcelona.com/en/news/1601557/barcas-digital-strategy-creates-new-relationship-with-fans-in-order-to-adapt-to-changing-consumer-habits">manage every single detail of their brand image</a> down to the actual colour shade on all brand offerings. </p>
<p>It’s the same for the Devils, not least because of Warner Bros, but also to avoid the <a href="https://footyology.com.au/black-and-white-debate-has-a-colourful-history/">Port Adelaide v Collingwood jersey issue</a>. </p>
<p>The Devils offering had to be unique to every other brand in the AFL, but also use colours in the logo and character which would deepen resonance between team, supporters, and community. </p>
<p>The <strong>colours</strong> of myrtle green, primrose yellow, and rose red do exactly that. That mix and variations are all theirs. They are representative of the colours of Tasmania, and have been used extensively by many other sporting teams from the state. Consistency is so important in sports marketing and this was great to see. </p>
<p>These colours will help drive deeper emotional responses to the brand, and keep supporters engaged at the highest level, thereby helping to attract sponsors. </p>
<p>As for the <strong>brand logo,</strong> there was no other choice than the Tasmanian devil, and it’s a great one. Nearly every other AFL team builds much of their branding around their character and this is something the Devils need to do sooner and not later. </p>
<p>The initial public reaction was almost overwhelmingly positive, and allows the Devils to build that core base of supporters who will fill 23,000 seats every home game. </p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/job-creation-isnt-always-a-good-thing-hobarts-new-stadium-can-only-make-tasmanias-housing-crisis-worse-204806">Job creation isn't always a good thing. Hobart's new stadium can only make Tasmania's housing crisis worse</a>
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<h2>Challenges and next steps for ‘brand Tasmania’</h2>
<p>There will be challenges the brand can’t control, such as the <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2023/apr/26/afl-does-not-regret-past-concussion-management-but-says-understanding-of-brain-injury-has-changed-inquiry-hears">rising concern over concussion</a> and the growth of competitors such as basketball, e-sports and soccer. These may impact the brand but overall will be handled by the AFL itself. </p>
<p>Locally, the brand has to focus on providing as many touch-point experiences as possible, such as meet and greets or merchandise days. Tangibility adds value to sports brands in ways most other brands envy. </p>
<p>And this will help keep the brand community active and vocal, which will help deflect any <a href="https://theconversation.com/how-the-tasmanian-afl-team-turned-into-a-political-football-205846">political challenges to the covered stadium</a>, but also attract other supporters, sponsors and community to the team the closer the start date gets. </p>
<p>With the Devil out of the bag, the challenge for the club will now be to ensure it doesn’t veer too much out of its territory and lose sight of just how hard and long it is going to take before its real prey: that one day in September at the MCG.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/226010/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Andrew Hughes does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>The AFL’s newest team, the Tasmania Devils, launched on Monday night, drawing on its rich football history in a blaze of myrtle green, primrose yellow and rose red.Andrew Hughes, Lecturer, Research School of Management, Australian National UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2257742024-03-14T05:54:48Z2024-03-14T05:54:48ZThe Jacqui Lambie Network is the latest victim of ‘cybersquatting’. It’s the tip of the iceberg of negative political ads online<p>Firebrand senator Jacqui Lambie is furious. Amid the Tasmanian election campaign (in which she’s running candidates), her party, the Jacqui Lambie Network, has fallen victim to one of the many pitfalls in the world of online political advertising.</p>
<p>Her party’s website is lambienetwork.com.au. You might understand her anger, then, after <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-03-14/jacqui-lambie-slams-liberals-over-website/103581992">finding out</a> the Tasmanian Liberal party created a website to campaign against her, called lambienetwork.com. It’s a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it difference.</p>
<p>This is a textbook example of what’s known as cybersquatting. It’s when internet domain names that are similar to existing trademarked material or the names of people or organisations are bought up by competitors to use against the original. In fact, the major parties have purchased <a href="https://www.crikey.com.au/2022/04/08/crikeys-australian-political-party-domain-register/">a heap</a> of domain names.</p>
<p>As political parties desperately battle for voters’ attention in a world full of distractions and <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-02-08/trust-slump-as-division-rules/101939406">dwindling trust in government</a>, cybersquatting is one of many online tools in the toolkit. But the toolkit is full of blunt instruments that may only be effective on a minority of people. The true damage is being done to the majority, who have less and less faith in politics and its institutions.</p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/all-governments-are-guilty-of-running-political-ads-on-the-public-purse-heres-how-to-stop-it-191766">All governments are guilty of running political ads on the public purse. Here's how to stop it</a>
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<h2>A crowded, manufactured landscape</h2>
<p>In commercial marketing, there’s a focus on long-term brand building. In political marketing, there’s just one goal: winning.</p>
<p>With such high pressure, and little time to hit objectives, parties and candidates use highly emotive messaging and narratives to drive rapid attention and engagement, and hopefully convince people to vote for them.</p>
<p>With markets splintered into ever-smaller segments, based at times on very specific needs, <a href="https://theconversation.com/facebook-videos-targeted-texts-and-clive-palmer-memes-how-digital-advertising-is-shaping-this-election-campaign-115629">social media</a> has helped move voters quickly and developed narratives around leaders’ personal brands. </p>
<p>Instagram was used successfully by former prime minister Scott Morrison with <a href="https://www.sbs.com.au/language/punjabi/en/article/prime-minister-scott-morrison-makes-scomosas-says-would-have-liked-to-share-them-with-narendra-modi/fzx9zmmkg">his Scomosas</a> and attempt at Bunnings DIY. </p>
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<p>His successor, Anthony Albanese, has replicated that strategy, letting us get a glimpse of who he really is, even having a <a href="https://twitter.com/TotoAlbanese?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1529271741683339264%7Ctwgr%5E2db6b443e67a568315e7a33f81e6cd31f916b63d%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.perthnow.com.au%2Fpolitics%2Fanthony-albanese%2Fanthony-albaneses-dog-toto-gains-huge-following-on-twitter-c-6934822">Twitter/X account for his dog Toto</a>. This is aimed at developing resonance and building up likeability for his brand. </p>
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<p>Of course, as any royal watcher or user of social media can tell you, <a href="https://theconversation.com/yes-kate-middletons-photo-was-doctored-but-so-are-a-lot-of-images-we-see-today-225553">curated images are exactly that</a>: manufactured, for us. So we are trusting this method less and less. This will only get worse the longer voters are exposed to it.</p>
<p>Stories such as that in the 2022 federal election of Labor-aligned groups <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-04-08/aec-investigating-union-tiktok-accounts-ahead-of-election/100969896">considering paying influencers</a> to post friendly content, doesn’t help either. </p>
<p>As a result, when we see content posted by an influencer, we’re now more likely to be sceptical. Do they really like this product, or are they just being paid to say they do?</p>
<h2>‘Angertainment’ is highly effective</h2>
<p>So it’s back to square one. Enter negativity, or “angertainment”.</p>
<p>Reality shows are full of it. One example is <a href="https://www.girlmuseum.org/media-analysis-the-villain-edit/#:%7E:text=When%20a%20participant%20is%20edited%20in%20a%20way,footage%20of%20someone%20is%20presented%20to%20the%20audience.">the villain edit</a>, where certain contestants are framed to be the antagonist for the sake of drama. There’s also the cued music to make us feel this is the “season-defining moment”. </p>
<p>They do this for the same reasons politicians have done it for decades. It works. It gets our attention. We get engaged. We change our vote. Ratings of these shows don’t lie. </p>
<p>In the past, this was called “wedge politics”, as it wedged one group of voters against others. A party or candidate could then become that group’s champion, and hello election victory. Simple narrative construction. </p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/we-tracked-election-ad-spending-for-4-000-facebook-pages-heres-what-theyre-posting-about-and-why-cybersecurity-is-the-bigger-concern-182286">We tracked election ad spending for 4,000 Facebook pages. Here's what they're posting about – and why cybersecurity is the bigger concern</a>
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<p>This was easy when competition for our attention was less fierce. John Howard’s 2001 election-opening “<a href="https://theconversation.com/issues-that-swung-elections-tampa-and-the-national-security-election-of-2001-115143">we decide</a>” statement about immigration was pure wedge politics. </p>
<p>The aim is still the same now, but in a competitive environment for our attention and retention, modern methods have allowed for new ways to reach the average voter. Having not seen them before, people are <a href="https://theconversation.com/why-scare-campaigns-like-mediscare-work-even-if-voters-hate-them-62279">more susceptible to believing</a> them. </p>
<p>Clive Palmer has used <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2021/sep/08/clive-palmer-and-craig-kelly-using-spam-text-messages-to-capture-rightwing-vote-ahead-of-election-expert-says">spam text messages</a> over the years to grab some attention, although it hasn’t necessarily translated into electoral success.</p>
<p>A more inventive use of the internet to campaign was Pauline Hanson’s <a href="https://www.onenation.org.au/please-explain">cartoon series</a>. The first three episodes racked up <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/culture/tv-and-radio/pauline-hanson-as-a-superhero-these-cartoons-could-be-the-future-20211123-p59b9u.html">750,000 views</a> in two weeks on YouTube. </p>
<p>Both Labor and Liberal have had a strong presence on Snapchat. In 2016, the Liberals were among the first to <a href="https://www.marketingmag.com.au/social-digital/liberal-party-makes-world-history-first-sponsored-snapchat-lens-political-advertising/">make a filter</a> on the app. Labor was the <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/technology/how-are-politicians-using-social-media-to-campaign-20220418-p5ae6q.html">only major party</a> to use it during the 2022 federal election campaign.</p>
<p>These are all new ways of communicating a party’s key messages, including scare or smear campaigns. </p>
<p>Think “Mediscare”, so well done by Labor in 2016 via SMS, and then the revenge sequel of <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2019/jun/08/it-felt-like-a-big-tide-how-the-death-tax-lie-infected-australias-election-campaign">death taxes</a> in 2019 by the Coalition. They used Facebook groups very well. </p>
<p>Angertainment is now seen as being more likely to get the message across, and thereby victory, than anything else. </p>
<p>A significant aspect of these campaigns was disinformation, including the misrepresentation or impersonation of candidates. Senator David Pocock was a key target in the ACT in 2022, but <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-04-27/david-pocock-lodges-complaint-over-advance-australia-corflutes/101016990">successfully ran a challenge</a> through the Australian Electoral Commission. </p>
<p>But this is 2024, and two years is an aeon in social media. The Jacqui Lambie Network (JLN) website trick we saw this week is an old-school one. Unlike some of the other strategies, it’s not effective. It is, however, childish. </p>
<p>So why bother? The attacking party would be obvious to most, if not by the authorised name as required by electoral laws. This dilutes the effect and it likely reinforces the reasons to vote for the JLN. </p>
<p>But political parties do it to capitalise on those who don’t realise they’re receiving a message in bad faith. Even if it’s a minority, it’s someone. In a tight political climate, it might be enough to tip the scales in their favour.</p>
<p>The collateral damage, of course, is the spread of misinformation and public disillusionment with politics and elections.</p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/few-restrictions-no-spending-limit-and-almost-no-oversight-welcome-to-political-advertising-in-australia-181248">Few restrictions, no spending limit, and almost no oversight: welcome to political advertising in Australia</a>
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<h2>Can we stop this?</h2>
<p>We can, easily. </p>
<p>Cybersquatting is in a grey area legally. There are gaps in the relevant legislation that make it very difficult for those affected to get websites taken down. They’re often managed by international organisations with laborious processes.</p>
<p>But the government can ban cyber hijacking or squatting of politicians or parties’ web addresses or social channels. It can restrict negative advertising, and bring in green ticks to verify truthful advertising. </p>
<p>Government can also ensure social media companies take more responsibility for content, and tolerate fewer excuses for poor behaviour. This isn’t restricting freedom of speech, only restricting disinformation. Some independents <a href="https://mumbrella.com.au/new-bill-tabled-to-bring-much-needed-accountability-to-political-advertising-806487">have already</a> introduced bills in parliament on this issue.</p>
<p>If it’s so easy, why hasn’t it been done? Because that requires political support. Considering politicians are the ones who benefit most from the existing framework, we don’t need a negative ad to tell us how unlikely they are to do anything about it anytime soon.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/225774/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Andrew Hughes does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>As political parties desperately battle for voters’ attention, cybersquatting is one of many online tools in the toolkit. It’s only effective at further diminishing trust in government.Andrew Hughes, Lecturer, Research School of Management, Australian National UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2234432024-02-22T19:20:38Z2024-02-22T19:20:38ZTeam Taylor – why Swift’s brand works so well and how it could come under threat<p>There is no escaping Taylor Swift. Even if you try to ignore the star, she is currently everywhere. On the airwaves, on playlists, streaming services, social media, in the news, on the big screen and <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/culture/music/what-we-ve-learned-so-far-from-taylor-swift-s-australian-shows-and-what-to-expect-next-20240218-p5f5su.html">at a mega-stadium</a> near you.</p>
<p>Devoted “Swifties” around the globe have their own lore, with the 34-year-old’s appeal crossing sex, age, class and cultural groups. </p>
<p>The largest US newspaper chain, Garnett, even appointed a dedicated <a href="https://variety.com/2023/music/news/taylor-swift-reporter-usa-today-gannett-hire-1235781178/">Taylor Swift Reporter</a> to cover her every move.</p>
<p>Arguably, we haven’t seen fan love (or media coverage) for a musical act on the scale of Taylor Swift since <a href="https://themusicnetwork.com/taylor-swift-mania/">The Beatles</a>. </p>
<p>What is it about her that drives unrelenting attention and adoration on such a grand scale? And could her current ubiquity actually turn out to be a threat?</p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/taylor-swift-didnt-just-update-the-lyrics-for-better-than-revenge-she-updated-her-public-image-209684">Taylor Swift didn't just update the lyrics for Better Than Revenge – she updated her public image</a>
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<h2>What defines the Taylor Swift brand?</h2>
<p>Swift’s talent as a songwriter, singer and performer cemented her as a multi-award winning artist . She has been nominated for <a href="https://people.com/taylor-swift-grammy-award-wins-8557898#:%7E:text=And%20at%20the%202024%20Grammy,and%20taken%20home%2014%20wins">52 Grammys</a> and won 14, and recently made history as the only artist to win Album of the Year four times. </p>
<p>She is both the girl next door and a mega-star with <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-02-18/why-are-so-many-taylor-swift-fans-middle-aged/103457252">cross-generational appeal</a>. </p>
<p>And she is also a global brand.</p>
<p>Almost anything (or anyone) can become a <a href="https://www.ama.org/topics/branding/">brand</a>, with its own distinctive name, term, design or symbol. But a successful brand is more than an identity: it exists solidly in the public consciousness, like Nike, Apple and Google. </p>
<p>To occupy such a position, the <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/theyec/2021/03/09/five-components-of-a-strong-brand/?sh=fd06e0f2fb79">keys to success</a> for strong brands include: consistent messaging, differentiation and brand experience. </p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/how-did-taylor-swift-get-so-popular-she-never-goes-out-of-style-213871">How did Taylor Swift get so popular? She never goes out of style</a>
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<p>Taylor has crafted the all-American girl next door image by sharing consistent messaging about her personal experiences through her lyrics. </p>
<p>She also differentiates her brand from those of other artists by encouraging an organic fan community, complete with its own look and feel. </p>
<p>Fans wear album-themed colours or <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/lifestyle/fashion/50-000-rhinestones-and-a-year-in-the-making-the-swifties-diy-ing-outfits-from-scratch-20240122-p5ez7n.html">costumes</a> and trade <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/music/2024/feb/07/taylor-swift-eras-tour-australia-friendship-bracelets-inspiration-beads-explained">friendship bracelets</a>. </p>
<p>The brand experience manifests through social media, surprise announcements, hidden “<a href="https://www.billboard.com/lists/taylor-swift-eras-tour-easter-eggs/">Easter eggs</a>”, concert tours, and even the Eras Tour film. Fans are never short of an opportunity to connect with the star.</p>
<p>The most successful brands form an emotional connection with consumers. </p>
<p>In this regard, Swift’s approach is pure genius. In the lead up to the release of her album 1989 she spent time scouring the internet and selecting 89 fans who were invited to her home for <a href="https://www.nylon.com/entertainment/oral-history-of-taylor-swifts-1989-secret-sessions">exclusive listening sessions</a> – now referred to as the 1989 Secret Sessions.</p>
<p>Taylor treats fans as friends with whom she shares secrets. Her lyrics, albums, videos and even her <a href="https://www.teenvogue.com/story/taylor-swift-speaks-nyu-commencement">NYU honorary doctorate speech</a> are littered with hidden messages that fans can discover, decode and discuss. </p>
<p>This level of shared intimacy – albeit with millions of fans– keeps Swifties engaged in speculation and builds a community of “insiders”.</p>
<p>Brands are also susceptible to imminent threats and risks. </p>
<h2>The biggest threat is a moodshift</h2>
<p>One major risk for Swift is overexposure. Could her immense popularity start to work against her? </p>
<p>At present the answer is an unqualified “no”, as demand for show tickets <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/culture/music/lucky-taylor-swift-fans-nab-first-tickets-as-demand-crashes-ticketing-site-20230626-p5djg3.html">exceed supply</a>, and local economies in concert cities enjoy <a href="https://www.forbes.com.au/life/entertainment/taylor-swift-australian-eras-tour-sparks-558m-economy-boost/">soaring expenditure</a> on everything from accommodation to nail salons and sequins to cowboy boots. </p>
<p>But in the long term, there is always the possibility the public’s mood could shift, leaving Swift behind. </p>
<p>She has already drawn criticism for <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/music/2024/feb/06/taylor-swift-political-voting-election-influence">expressing political opinions</a>, for announcing the <a href="https://www.newsweek.com/taylor-swift-album-backlash-poets-society-1867644">release of her new album</a> during the Grammys, and for her private jet’s <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/danidiplacido/2024/02/09/is-the-tide-turning-against-taylor-swift/?sh=227adcae2a74">carbon emissions</a>.</p>
<h2>Measuring Brand Taylor</h2>
<p>How valuable a brand is can be measured by marketers using “brand equity”. How well is it recognised? How do consumers perceive it? Is it trusted? </p>
<p>Brands with strong equity have much higher customer loyalty and market share. </p>
<p>Swift has incredibly strong brand equity as demonstrated by the <a href="https://www.indaily.com.au/business/economy/2024/02/20/taylor-swift-made-a-big-impact-on-victorias-economy">economic impact</a> on Eras Tour stops, and stores selling out of the things that Swifties use to <a href="https://www.thenewdaily.com.au/life/entertainment/2024/02/16/swift-goldrush">make their tour outfits</a> including <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-02-14/bead-shelves-bare-thanks-to-taylormania/103463692">beads</a>, sequins, cowboy hats and sparkly boots. </p>
<p>Not to mention the cost of concert tickets and merchandise, and (for many fans) flights and accommodation.</p>
<p>We can also get a hint of Swift’s brand equity through endorsements from others. In December 2023, <a href="https://www.billboard.com/music/music-news/taylor-swift-most-powerful-woman-in-the-world-2023-list-1235534184/">Forbes</a> named Swift the world’s fifth most powerful woman, ranking her just after the European Commission President, the President of the European Central Bank and two politicians.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="Taylor Swift albums on shelves in music store" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/576650/original/file-20240220-16-18y1pk.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=102%2C114%2C3923%2C2879&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/576650/original/file-20240220-16-18y1pk.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=450&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/576650/original/file-20240220-16-18y1pk.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=450&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/576650/original/file-20240220-16-18y1pk.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=450&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/576650/original/file-20240220-16-18y1pk.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=566&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/576650/original/file-20240220-16-18y1pk.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=566&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/576650/original/file-20240220-16-18y1pk.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=566&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Brand equity is a measure of a brand’s value.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/minnetonka-minnesota-october-27-2022-kiosk-2222750293">melissamn/Shutterstock</a></span>
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<h2>Where to from here?</h2>
<p>Swift is currently riding sky high in popularity. She is well-known and well-liked, and she knows what she’s doing when it comes to marketing her brand. </p>
<p>The current Eras Tour and the announcement of her new album The Tortured Poets Department are continuing this momentum.</p>
<p>Many artists appeal to a specific generation and, as their fans age, their success and popularity usually wanes (<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bros_(British_band)">Bros</a> or <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hanson_(band)">Hanson</a> anyone?). </p>
<p>For the time being at least, Brand Taylor is going strong – though there is no doubt she is mindful of threats to her brand and will need to work hard to continue to bring her fans along with her.</p>
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<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/why-are-taylor-swift-tickets-so-hard-to-get-the-economics-are-complicated-208567">Why are Taylor Swift tickets so hard to get? The economics are complicated</a>
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<img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/223443/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Louise Grimmer does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>Taylor Swift is everywhere right now – but could that dent her popularity?Louise Grimmer, Senior Lecturer in Retail Marketing, University of TasmaniaLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2238062024-02-21T19:44:30Z2024-02-21T19:44:30ZOpenAI’s new generative tool Sora could revolutionize marketing and content creation<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/576885/original/file-20240220-21-7jmy8i.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=17%2C35%2C3912%2C2580&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Sora could serve as a tool that enhances the capabilities of content creators, allowing them to produce higher-quality content more efficiently. </span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">(Shutterstock)</span></span></figcaption></figure><p><a href="https://openai.com/sora">OpenAI’s new generative Sora tool</a> has <a href="https://www.cbc.ca/news/business/open-ai-sora-text-to-video-1.7117312">sparked lively technology discussions over the past week</a>, generating both enthusiasm and concern among fans and critics.</p>
<p><a href="https://openai.com/sora">Sora</a> is a text-to-video model that significantly advances the integration of <a href="https://doi.org/10.1038/nature14539">deep learning</a>, <a href="https://rdcu.be/dyUpH">natural language processing</a> and <a href="https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-34372-9">computer vision</a> to transform textual prompts into detailed and coherent life-like video content.</p>
<p>In contrast to previous text-to-video technologies, like <a href="https://makeavideo.studio">Meta’s Make-A-Video</a>, Sora is able to overcome limitations related to <a href="https://www.theverge.com/2022/9/29/23378210/meta-text-to-video-ai-generation-make-a-video-model-dall-e">the type of visual data it can interpret, video length and resolution</a>. </p>
<p>From what OpenAI has demonstrated, Sora can generate videos of various lengths, from short clips to full-minute narratives, and in high definition, accommodating a wide range of creative needs.</p>
<p>Although no official release date has been announced, Sora will likely be available to the public in the coming months, judging by OpenAI’s typical pattern of public releases. For now, it’s <a href="https://www.ccn.com/news/openai-sora-general-release-date/">only available to experts and a few artists and filmmakers</a>.</p>
<h2>How Sora works</h2>
<p>At the heart of Sora’s innovation is a <a href="https://openai.com/research/video-generation-models-as-world-simulators">technique that transforms visual data into a format it can easily understand and manipulate</a>, similar to how words are broken down into tokens for AI processing by text-based applications. </p>
<p>This process involves compressing video data into a more manageable form and breaking it down into patches or segments. These segments act like building blocks that Sora can rearrange to create new videos.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/what-is-sora-a-new-generative-ai-tool-could-transform-video-production-and-amplify-disinformation-risks-223850">What is Sora? A new generative AI tool could transform video production and amplify disinformation risks</a>
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</em>
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<p>Sora uses a combination of <a href="https://doi.org/10.1038/nature14539">deep learning</a>, natural language processing and <a href="https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-34372-9">computer vision</a> to achieve its capabilities. </p>
<p>Deep learning helps it understand and generate complex patterns in data, natural language processing interprets text prompts to create videos, and computer vision allows it to understand and generate visual content accurately. </p>
<p><div data-react-class="Tweet" data-react-props="{"tweetId":"1758192957386342435"}"></div></p>
<p>By employing <a href="https://doi.org/10.1109/TPAMI.2023.3261988">a diffusion model</a> — a type of model that’s particularly good at generating high-quality images and videos — Sora can take noisy, incomplete data and transform it into clear, coherent video content.</p>
<p>Sora’s approach differs from <a href="https://www.thecut.com/2018/05/lil-miquela-digital-avatar-instagram-influencer.html">CGI character creation</a>, which requires extensive manual effort, and from traditional <a href="https://theconversation.com/the-disturbing-trend-of-state-media-use-of-deepfakes-203368">deepfake technologies</a>, which often lack ethical safeguards, by offering a scalable and adaptable method for generating video content based on textual input.</p>
<h2>What does this mean for businesses?</h2>
<p>One of the most noteworthy aspects of Sora is its flexibility, as it supports various video formats and sizes, enhances framing and composition for a professional finish, and accepts text, images or videos as prompts for animating images or extending videos.</p>
<p>The emergence of Sora presents key opportunities for businesses across different sectors. In the near future, there are two key areas that may have significant applications.</p>
<p>The first area is in marketing and advertising. Just as ChatGPT has become a <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/gilpress/2023/07/18/making-chatgpt-a-highly-targeted-marketing-tool-anyword-predicts-its-performance/">marketing and content creation tool</a>, we can expect businesses to use Sora for similar reasons.</p>
<p>With the public release of Sora, brands and companies will be able to create highly engaging and <a href="https://www.atlantis-press.com/proceedings/mmetss-19/125919585">visually appealing video content</a> for marketing campaigns, social media and advertisements. </p>
<p>The ability to generate custom videos based on textual prompts will allow for greater creativity and personalization, possibly helping brands stand out in a crowded market.</p>
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<iframe width="440" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/5JiN_OARcuo?wmode=transparent&start=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe>
<figcaption><span class="caption">A video from OpenAI of an AI-generated video from Sora. The prompt was: ‘A beautiful homemade video showing the people of Lagos, Nigeria in the year 2056. Shot with a mobile phone camera.’</span></figcaption>
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<p>The second area Sora could impact is training and education. Companies could use Sora to develop educational and training videos that are tailored to specific topics or scenarios. <a href="https://digitalcommons.gardner-webb.edu/nursing-dnp/8/">This could enhance the learning experience for employees and customers</a>, making complex information more accessible and engaging.</p>
<p>Other sectors, such as e-commerce, also hold promising potential for the future application of Sora. Retailers could create dynamic product demonstrations that effectively showcase products in a more engaging and interactive manner. </p>
<p>This would be especially beneficial for companies that want to highlight specific aspects of products that might not be easily conveyed through static images or text, or for advertising products that <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tele.2017.07.002">require a detailed explanation</a>. </p>
<p>Sora could also significantly reduce the uncertainty associated with online shopping by facilitating virtual try-on experiences, allowing customers to visualize how a product, such as clothing or accessories, would look on them without the need for a physical fitting. This, in turn, could <a href="https://doi.org/10.1109/ACCESS.2020.3023040">result in a better return on investment</a>. </p>
<h2>What are the key challenges ahead?</h2>
<p>While there are key opportunities ahead, OpenAI, regulators and users need to carefully consider key factors that could pose challenges, including copyright issues, ethical concerns and the consequences of increased digital noise.</p>
<p>With Sora’s ability to generate lifelike video content, there’s a risk of inadvertently creating videos that infringe on existing copyrights. OpenAI has already been sued several times over copyright infringement and <a href="https://apnews.com/article/openai-new-york-times-chatgpt-lawsuit-grisham-nyt-69f78c404ace42c0070fdfb9dd4caeb7">intellectual property issues</a>.</p>
<p>OpenAI hasn’t disclosed where the data used to train Sora is from, but it did tell the <em>New York Times</em> it was training the system using <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2024/02/15/technology/openai-sora-videos.html">videos that were publicly available and licensed from copyright holders</a>.</p>
<p>The technology also raises ethical questions, particularly around the creation of <a href="https://www.newscientist.com/article/2417639-realism-of-openais-sora-video-generator-raises-security-concerns/">deepfake videos</a> or <a href="https://theconversation.com/artificial-intelligence-needs-to-be-trained-on-culturally-diverse-datasets-to-avoid-bias-222811">misleading content</a>. </p>
<p>Establishing guidelines and safeguards to prevent misuse will be essential for maintaining trust in the technology. In a post on its website, OpenAI stated it was <a href="https://openai.com/sora">working with experts to test the model before releasing it to the public</a>.</p>
<p>As more businesses and individuals gain access to Sora, there’s a potential for an increase in low-quality or irrelevant video content, leading to <a href="https://doi.org/10.1504/IJIMA.2023.10053472">increased “digital noise” that could overwhelm users</a>. Finding ways to filter and curate content will become increasingly important for businesses looking to maintain their edge.</p>
<p>Last, but certainly not least, is the question of how Sora will impact the job market for content creators. While Sora does have the potential to automate certain aspects of video production, <a href="https://theconversation.com/chatgpt-could-be-a-game-changer-for-marketers-but-it-wont-replace-humans-any-time-soon-198053">like ChatGPT, it’s unlikely to replace human creativity and insight</a> anytime soon.</p>
<p>Instead, Sora could serve as a tool that enhances the capabilities of content creators, allowing them to produce higher-quality content more efficiently. As with any technological advancement, the key will be for professionals to adapt and find ways to integrate Sora into their workflows, leveraging its strengths to complement their own skills and creativity.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/223806/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Omar H. Fares does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>As with any technological advancement, professionals will need to adapt and find ways to integrate Sora into their workflows, leveraging its strengths to complement their own skills and creativity.Omar H. Fares, Lecturer in the Ted Rogers School of Retail Management, Toronto Metropolitan UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2159982024-02-14T13:24:03Z2024-02-14T13:24:03ZDon’t let ‘FDA-approved’ or ‘patented’ in ads give you a false sense of security<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/557351/original/file-20231102-29-y77wkb.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=10%2C0%2C7156%2C4764&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Is that really a stamp of approval?</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/photo/approved-concept-rubber-stamp-with-fda-and-pills-on-royalty-free-image/1186545957">iStock/Getty Images Plus</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>If you’ve ever reached for a bottle of moisturizer labeled “patented” or “FDA approved,” you might want to think twice. In a <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.4366900">recent study</a> of hundreds of advertisements, I found that supplements and beauty products often misleadingly use these terms to suggest safety or efficacy.</p>
<p>As a <a href="https://law.indiana.edu/about/people/details/mattioli-michael.html">law professor</a>, I suspect this is confusing for consumers, maybe even dangerous. Having a patent means only that you can stop others from making, using, selling or importing your invention. It doesn’t mean the invention works or that it won’t blow up in your face.</p>
<p>“FDA approved,” meanwhile, means <a href="https://www.fda.gov/drugs/development-approval-process-drugs">a product’s benefits have been found to outweigh its risks</a> for a specific purpose – not that it’s of high quality or low risk in general.</p>
<h2>Led astray by the label</h2>
<p>I wanted to know whether companies exploit these sorts of misunderstandings, so I analyzed hundreds of ads from print, television and social media that mention patents or FDA approval. I found that advertisers throw these terms around in confusing ways. </p>
<p>For example, I found an ad for a probiotic supplement stating, “The proof is in the patent”; an ad for an earwax removal product stating its “patented formula is safe, effective, and clinically proven”; and an ad for a headache remedy that made the words “FDA approved” a bold visual focal point. </p>
<p><div data-react-class="Tweet" data-react-props="{"tweetId":"1312044681551917058"}"></div></p>
<p>Here’s the concerning part: I looked at all kinds of products and found that these terms appear most often in ads for things you eat or rub onto your skin, such as supplements, insecticides, toothpaste and lotions. </p>
<p>That’s probably no coincidence. Products like this aren’t tightly regulated, yet consumers want to know they’re safe. It seems likely that advertisers are name-dropping the government to make people think just that.</p>
<h2>Risks to consumers − and to innovation</h2>
<p>One danger is clear: Ads with vague references to government authorities could dupe consumers into thinking products are safer or more effective than they actually are. In fact, there’s some evidence <a href="https://doi.org/10.1001/archinternmed.2011.396">this is already happening</a>.</p>
<p>Another risk is that this creates perverse incentives for business. Companies could chose to forgo actual innovation, focusing instead on securing dubious patents or regulatory nods to <a href="https://www.voguebusiness.com/beauty/how-patents-became-the-beauty-industrys-secret-weapon">keep up in the advertising race</a>. </p>
<p>These practices could distort competition, burden government agencies with frivolous patent applications and deter new entrants from competing in markets where they can’t employ similar advertising tactics. </p>
<h2>Questions remain</h2>
<p>Even though my study has shed light on how often these tricky advertising methods are used, it leaves some big questions unanswered. What exactly makes consumers <a href="https://doi.org/10.1080/10810730.2016.1179367">respond so favorably</a> to terms like “patented” or “FDA approved”? And who is most likely to be confused by these tactics? </p>
<p>As a next step, I plan to conduct comprehensive surveys of consumers, along with in-depth interviews, to explore how these labels resonate emotionally. I hope to coordinate with researchers from psychology and media studies. Research along these lines could offer policymakers the robust evidence they need to make changes to the law.</p>
<p>What might those changes look like? For one thing, the law could make it easier for groups of consumers to sue in federal courts over misleading ads. The Federal Trade Commission could also place more of a burden on companies to prove their ads are honest. These changes could make a big difference in ensuring companies persuade shoppers without confusing them. </p>
<p>At a time when ads are everywhere and Americans are losing trust in institutions – and each other – the stakes for truthful product claims are high.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/215998/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Michael Mattioli does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>Most people don’t know what these labels really mean − and advertisers take advantage of that fact.Michael Mattioli, Professor of Law and Louis F. Niezer Faculty Fellow, Indiana UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2226472024-02-14T12:21:04Z2024-02-14T12:21:04ZKeeping a film’s identity as a musical secret is key for box office success – here’s why<p>This winter saw the back-to-back releases of three movie musicals: <a href="https://theconversation.com/wonka-timothee-chalamet-shines-in-an-otherwise-pedestrian-prequel-219249">Wonka</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/the-color-purple-is-an-emotional-joyful-exploration-of-black-womanhood-in-the-deep-south-222102">The Color Purple</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/if-mean-girls-was-part-of-your-teenage-years-you-might-not-like-the-new-one-221669">Mean Girls</a>. However, many cinema-goers would have been surprised to find these were musicals at all, considering the lack of any such suggestion in their marketing. </p>
<p>All three films are based on existing stories. Their slogans read “discover how Willy became Wonka”, “a bold new take on a beloved classic” and “not your mother’s Mean Girls”. Each indicates originality and change without specifying that the change in question is musical. But why have film studios chosen this strategy?</p>
<p><a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/jeetendrsehdev/2023/11/30/hiding-the-music-in-mean-girls-wonka-and-the-color-purple-is-a-missed-opportunity/?sh=4c0610906f7d">Writing for Forbes</a>, critic Jeetendr Sehdev called the “covert operation” “counterintuitive”, because it runs the risk of alienating a consumer culture that values transparency. </p>
<p>YouTube’s community of musical-themed content creators were also widely <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fL-MeqmPefE">disapproving</a>, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N3uIi0ytTEw">questioning</a> the implied antipathy towards musicals. If such antipathy exists, they ask, then why are film studios making musicals in the first place? Well, because the technique seems to work. </p>
<h2>Musicals at the box office</h2>
<p>According to Paramount’s president of marketing and distribution, <a href="https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/films/news/mean-girls-musical-movie-renee-rapp-b2479962.html">Marc Weinstock</a>, the word “musical” has “the potential to turn off audiences” – a sentiment supported by statistics.</p>
<p>YouTube documentary channel <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EvWSGGPfNEc">Wait in the Wings</a> has highlighted the stark contrast in box office figures between musical films that market themselves as “musicals” and those that don’t. </p>
<p>While <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U0CL-ZSuCrQ">In the Heights</a> (2021) and <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g_c_Jd-hP-s">Dear Evan Hansen</a> (2021) – films that proudly shared their musical chops in their trailers – lost money, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0pdqf4P9MB8">La La Land</a> (2016) and <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S3vO8E2e6G0">Rocket Man</a> (2019) – films that didn’t – made huge returns. The popularity of “secret musicals” suggests audiences do enjoy musicals, but perhaps reluctantly.</p>
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<figcaption><span class="caption">None of Wonka’s many musical numbers feature in the trailer.</span></figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Demographics are one factor. While musical theatre has long been stereotyped as predominately enjoyed by <a href="https://www.jstor.org/stable/10.1525/j.ctt1pp2wk">women and gay men</a>, Hollywood remains largely male dominated. In 2022, women accounted for just <a href="https://womenintvfilm.sdsu.edu/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/2022-celluloid-ceiling-report.pdf">18% of directors</a> working on the top 250 films of the year.</p>
<p>Saltburn director Emerald Fennell <a href="https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/films/features/carey-mulligan-emerald-fennell-interview-promising-young-woman-b1828987.html">has highlighted</a> a stigma around “the stuff that girls traditionally like”, challenging why they aren’t “taken seriously”. Musicals, which reside in this category, persistently challenge what it means to be “serious” by conveying dark themes and important social topics through the conventionally light methods of song and dance – Show Boat (1927), Cabaret (1966), and Spring Awakening (2006) come to mind. </p>
<p>If done well, the music does not dull the gravity of the themes, but transcribes them into (perhaps unexpected) words, tone and movement, creating a powerful and subversive spectacle.</p>
<p>No matter how much public and critical acclaim they might receive, “girl’s things” cannot seem to escape their terminal reputation of <a href="https://fortune.com/2023/07/17/barbie-movie-beauty-standards-patriarchy-queer-camp-femmephobia-feminism-scholar/">unseriousness</a>.</p>
<p>Such prejudices play a part in the musical’s taboo status, as well as the bad taste left by notable failures (sorry <a href="https://theconversation.com/cats-a-box-office-bomb-but-has-anyone-noticed-the-ethnic-stereotyping-130069">Cats</a>). However, I believe another reason lies in the “musical” label and its tendency to overpower and absorb a work’s identity. </p>
<h2>The power of the ‘musical label’</h2>
<p>For example, few would describe Sweeney Todd (1979) as a “horror” and leave it at that – arguably, the word “musical” is the first to come to mind. Perhaps this has the potential to cause lethargy for audiences, and undesirable limitations for directors who might want their work to encompass other genres. </p>
<p>Mean Girls (2004) and Mean Girls the Broadway musical (2017) are two distinctly different works. As the new musical Mean Girls film (2024) feels more like an exciting reimagining of the original film, with Tina Fey and Tim Meadows reprising their roles, than an adaptation of the stage play, it is left with little capacity to also embrace being a musical. Indeed, Weinstock calls the film a “broad comedy with music” that “could be considered a musical”, effectively hedging the film’s bets and attempting to shoo away the term “musical” as its defining identity. </p>
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<figcaption><span class="caption">None of Mean Girls’s many musical numbers feature in the trailer.</span></figcaption>
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<p>What about Wonka? Perhaps we must think back to The Greatest Showman (2017) and its disappointing opening weekend. It was the film’s soundtrack that saved it from being a box office flop. The songs were a hit, providing <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/scottmendelson/2018/07/19/box-office-greatest-showman-legs-hugh-jackman-zendaya-zac-efron-mamma-mia/">great slow-burn advertising</a> for the film, which grew in popularity with time. Maybe it was the success of this slow-burn tactic that inspired Wonka – a similarly spectacular story of an eccentric entrepreneur – to keep its music a secret. </p>
<p><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/film/2024/jan/27/the-color-purple-review-off-note-musical-take-on-alice-walker-novel-blitz-bazawule-fantasia-barrino-taraji-p-henson-danielle-brooks#:%7E:text=Review-,The%20Color%20Purple%20review%20%E2%80%93%20off%2Dnote%20musical,take%20on%20Alice%20Walker's%20novel&text=There%20are%20certain%20stories,is%20arguably%20one%20such%20story">Some critics</a> have struggled to reconcile The Color Purple’s story with the musical format, feeling the music undermines its heavy themes or diminishes its impact. </p>
<p>Similar criticisms surrounded <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/stage/theatreblog/2010/sep/21/les-miserables-25-year-anniversary">Les Misérables</a> when the stage show opened in London in 1985. Perhaps The Color Purple (2023) chose to downplay its musical identity in anticipation of such criticism. </p>
<p>However, among mixed reviews, <a href="https://theconversation.com/the-color-purple-is-an-emotional-joyful-exploration-of-black-womanhood-in-the-deep-south-222102">its champions</a> have applauded what the music brings. For them, the musical format allows audiences to witness Celie’s hope and imagination in vivid detail – to give her joy as much attention as her suffering. The musical number constitutes new realms of storytelling and deepened facets of character. It insists not everything has to be bleak to be taken seriously. </p>
<p>It’s been a strange time for musicals, with theatres still recovering from the pandemic and several prominent movies <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/film/2021/dec/17/movie-musical-flops-west-side-story-dear-evan-hansen-in-the-heights">underperforming</a>. The “secret musical” seems to further highlight the genre’s supposed unpopularity – however, it ultimately suggests its reputation can be teased away once viewers have been persuaded into cinemas. </p>
<p>Maybe as an audience, we don’t really know how we feel about musicals. Or maybe we’re overthinking it. Maybe Wonka simply wanted us to float into the unexpected and lose ourselves. Perhaps the “secret musical” is not a dig at the genre, but a helping hand – a provocative and necessary “bold new take”.</p>
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<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Jodie Passey does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>There is a stark contrast in box office figures between musical films that market themselves as ‘musicals’ and those that don’t.Jodie Passey, PhD Candidate, History of Musicals, Lancaster UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2225482024-02-09T16:50:30Z2024-02-09T16:50:30ZSuper Bowl: events like this are perfect for brand storytelling – unless companies get their messaging wrong<p>The <a href="https://www.britannica.com/sports/Super-Bowl">Super Bowl</a> – the championship game of America’s <a href="https://www.nfl.com/">National Football League</a> (NFL) – stands as one of the most lucrative annual showcases for big brands. With <a href="https://www.statista.com/statistics/216526/super-bowl-us-tv-viewership/#:%7E:text=The%202023%20edition%20of%20the,the%20U.S.%20Second%20most%20watched">115m viewers</a> watching the game last year in the US, 30-second ad spots go for a reported <a href="https://www.brandvm.com/post/super-bowl-2024-marketing#:%7E:text=The%2520highly%2520coveted%252030%252Dsecond,enthusiastic%2520about%2520the%2520Super%2520Bowl.">$7m</a> (£5.5m). These days, “Super Bowl ads” are highly anticipated in terms of creative, memorable storytelling that hits home.</p>
<p>For major corporations, getting the creative and messaging right is essential. Successful ads leverage the massive platform not just to grab eyeballs, but to reinforce brand values through authentic, engaging stories.</p>
<p>Goals range from sparking viral conversations to initiating loyal customer relationships to unveiling innovative offerings. Looking back, all-time great Super Bowl ads like Jeep’s iconic 2020 <a href="https://www.statista.com/statistics/216526/super-bowl-us-tv-viewership/#:%7E:text=The%202023%20edition%20of%20the,the%20U.S.%20Second%20most%20watched">Groundhog Day remake with Bill Murray</a>, cleverly appealed to audiences’ nostalgia while also pivoting towards the brand’s eco-friendly direction.</p>
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<p><a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbescommunicationscouncil/2021/03/15/how-and-why-to-build-brand-authenticity/?sh=7a35bac455b5">Brand authenticity</a> has become ever more important in our digitally connected world. Recent uproar involving brands like Peloton, whose <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/media/2019/dec/04/peloton-backlash-sexist-dystopian-exercise-bike-christmas-advert">much-derided Christmas ad</a> appeared to show a husband gift his very thin, nervy wife an exercise bike for which, a year later, she thanks him profusely for “changing her life”. </p>
<p>Media-literate audiences are adept at sensing falsehoods and can become cynical, diminishing brand trust and <a href="https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/EUM0000000006475/full/html">affecting loyalty</a>. </p>
<p>But it’s not just consumers; once employees lose trust, this can further damage the brand. Our <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s13162-018-0110-6">research</a> showed that employees who believe in the brand will go out of their way to do good. So when brands appear to “bang the social justice drum” publicly, but employees experience a lack of equality on the inside, this can lead to distrust.</p>
<p>This was the case with Wholefoods which, while telling the world they cared about black voices, was <a href="https://hbr.org/2020/07/woke-washing-your-company-wont-cut-it">accused of ignoring those very voices</a> among their own employees. </p>
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<h2>When brands don’t read the room</h2>
<p>Consumers prefer brands whose <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0148296321009462?fr=RR-2&ref=pdf_download&rr=84eacf091a6476ed">values align with their own</a>. Reducing environmental harm and standing up for social issues are two <a href="https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2021/12/people-prefer-brands-with-aligned-corporate-purpose-and-values/">examples of consumer expectations</a> of favoured brands, some of which may be tempted to jump on the bandwagon.</p>
<p>The widespread scorn over Kendall Jenner’s farcical <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2017/04/05/business/kendall-jenner-pepsi-ad.html">Pepsi ad</a> – which not only downplayed violence against black people but also glamourised it – should have been a salutary lesson for the sector.</p>
<p>But soon after, <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/charlesrtaylor/2019/01/15/why-gillettes-new-ad-campaign-is-toxic/?sh=6847bf725bc9">Gillette</a>, in its attempt to play the social activist card, launched its “is this the best a man can get?” campaign. In a dramatic two-minute ad, aspects of toxic masculinity, including bullying, sexism and sexual harassment post-#MeToo were addressed.</p>
<p>This fuelled anger amongst consumers sceptical of the brand’s motives. Others felt the ad was suggesting the majority of men engage in toxic behaviours, leading to significant backlash across social media, with pundits claiming offence at stereotyping and perceived virtue signalling.</p>
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<p>In April 2023, <a href="https://fortune.com/2023/06/07/brands-caught-up-iculture-wars-retail-customers-internet-richard-torrenzano/">Budweiser</a> turned the adage “there’s no such thing as bad publicity” on its head. Sales of Bud Light <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/business/2023/jun/14/bud-light-loses-top-us-beer-spot-after-promotion-with-transgender-influencer">plunged 25%</a> in response to its promotion featuring transgender influencer/actress Dylan Mulvaney. This led to a boycott by angry conservative consumers accusing the brand of <a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-66398296">going “woke”</a>.</p>
<p>Before the boycott, Bud Light marketing director Alissa Heinerscheid <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/article/bud-light-boycott.html#:%7E:text=Before%20the%20boycott%2C%20Alissa%20Heinerscheid,for%20a%20really%20long%20time.">said in an interview</a> that the brand was in decline and needed to be more inclusive. After the backlash, CEO Brendan Whitworth <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=85zvTMFv9Ck">said</a>: “We never intended to be part of a discussion that divides people – we’re in the business of bringing people together over a beer.” </p>
<p>When brands fail to align their behaviours with their espoused values, this can wreak havoc with a brand’s reputation. The consumer base ends up feeling alienated by the brand’s perceived hypocrisy and inauthenticity.</p>
<h2>Evolving narratives</h2>
<p>As the 2024 Super Bowl LVIII approaches, brands want to make sure they don’t go down as yet another big corporation chasing social causes to look good. Rather than disingenuously espousing values, or grasping at emotional connections without context, brands should use the power of <a href="https://hbr.org/podcast/2022/02/the-positives-and-perils-of-storytelling">storytelling</a> to convince viewers of their underlying purpose in a way that connects to their lives.</p>
<p><a href="https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-030-63614-2_6#:%7E:text=Although%2520transportation%2520is%2520distinct%2520from,or%2520actions%2520of%2520such%2520characters.">Research shows</a> that storytelling increases reader identification with characters, shifts attitudes and beliefs and creates more lasting memorability than straightforward delivery of information. Unlike explicit messaging which can feel inauthentic, getting lost in a story can inspire emotions and shape beliefs in a <a href="https://academic.oup.com/ct/article-abstract/14/4/311/4110790?redirectedFrom=PDF&casa_token=nueJDJ37xvEAAAAA:YDFDq8Dfqsr7BUGQ__E-dKX8NGQ7Sdz8Rd6uqu_aKNLEQloAHaklVqO0KIDccJqfE_0O5veQCsKwiQ">subtle, organic way</a>.</p>
<p>Look at <a href="https://youtu.be/2zfqw8nhUwA?si=rB1CVqNaIG5vZFwv">Apple’s 1984 commercial</a> introducing the Macintosh – it didn’t talk about the actual product, but rather created a hero narrative against conformity and totalitarianism. Or Coca-Cola’s famous 1971 “I’d like to buy the world a Coke” ad that united people at a time when America was <a href="https://www.historyoasis.com/post/things-go-better-with-coke">experiencing a dark period</a> during the Vietnam War. These are the storytelling ads that resonate rather than force-feed a supposed values-based message.</p>
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<h2>Digital immersive storytelling</h2>
<p>In our <a href="https://dosrhul.org/2024/01/26/meeting-net-zero-zero-sum-or-win-win-for-smes-a-novel-approach-to-marketing-a-brands-purpose-through-immersive-digital-storytelling/">research</a>, we go further. We propose using immersive digital storytelling techniques for brands to craft and validate the authenticity of their messaging. </p>
<p>Interactive digital media enables more participatory story experiences between brands and audiences. Working with a company to showcase their sustainability efforts, we created an immersive storytelling experience using extended reality technology. In this case, the founder of the company takes the audience on a walk through a forest purchased to help offset the operation’s carbon emissions.</p>
<p>This visceral storytelling immerses the viewers via a VR headset in the experience, emotionally engaging consumers with a positive real-life story, thus <a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-60248830">avoiding the allegations of greenwashing</a> that plague major brands like Google and Amazon.</p>
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<p>By showing rather than telling, this gives consumers a deeply authentic experience of the brand’s causes. They can see for themselves what the company is doing as opposed to being fed messages from traditional advertising.</p>
<p>Rather than indulging in virtue signalling to distinguish themselves, brands may find greater resonance in adopting more immersive and transparent approaches to connect their mission with real-world impact. Such strategies may prove more effective than preachy commercials that lack authenticity.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/222548/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>Preachy commercials do not go down well when big brands are suspected of disingenuous motives and virtue signalling.Lucy Gill-Simmen, Senior Lecturer in Marketing, School of Business and Management Marketing, Royal Holloway University of LondonLing Xiao, Senior Lecturer in Finance, Royal Holloway University of LondonLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2202132024-02-05T19:39:15Z2024-02-05T19:39:15ZFrom rebel to retail − inside Bob Marley’s posthumous musical and merchandising empire<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/571230/original/file-20240124-17-ohjhpd.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=456%2C130%2C4794%2C3343&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Bob Marley performs at a 'Viva Zimbabwe' independence celebration in April 1980.</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/news-photo/jamaican-reggae-musician-bob-marley-plays-guitar-as-he-news-photo/1369621696?adppopup=true">William F. Campbell/Getty Images</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>The long-awaited <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ajw425Kuvtw">Bob Marley biopic “One Love”</a> will highlight important moments in the musician’s life – his adolescence in Trench Town, his spiritual growth, <a href="https://www.rollingstone.com/feature/the-night-bob-marley-got-shot-203370/">the attempt on his life</a>. <a href="https://w1.mtsu.edu/media/scholar/profile/18">But as a music industry scholar</a>, I wonder if the film is yet another extension of the Marley marketing machine.</p>
<p><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/music/2011/apr/24/bob-marley-funeral-richard-williams">Marley died in 1981</a> at the age of 36. He’d achieved a level of mainstream success unrivaled by other reggae acts, and he did so while challenging global capitalism and speaking to the oppressed.</p>
<p>This image, however, is fundamentally at odds with what has happened to Marley’s name and likeness since his death. </p>
<p>Now you can buy <a href="https://shop.bobmarley.com/collections/bags/products/cannabis-print-backpack">Bob Marley backpacks</a>, <a href="https://shop.bobmarley.com/collections/accessories/products/bob-marley-collage-jigsaw-puzzle">Bob Marley jigsaw puzzles</a> – even <a href="https://shop.bobmarley.com/collections/misc/products/song-pattern-flip-flops">Bob Marley flip-flops</a>.</p>
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<p>The accusation of “<a href="https://theconversation.com/sellout-how-political-corruption-shaped-an-american-insult-220520">selling out</a>” could once seriously threaten an artist’s credibility; the insult <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/music/2021/jul/26/why-is-selling-out-ok-now">wields far less power</a> in an era when an artist’s survival <a href="https://www.gemtracks.com/guides/view.php?title=what-is-a-music-endorsement-deal&id=1011">often depends on sponsorship and licensing deals</a>. Meanwhile, a deceased artist’s ongoing earnings are left in the hands of others.</p>
<p>Nonetheless, when a musician as revered as Marley – and whose songs were suffused with messages of liberation, anti-imperialism and anti-capitalism – becomes so commercialized, it’s worth wondering how this happened and whether it threatens his artistic legacy.</p>
<h2>On and off the record</h2>
<p>In its 2023 list of highest-paid dead celebrities, <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/marisadellatto/2023/10/30/highest-paid-dead-celebrities-2023-michael-jackson-elvis-presley-whitney-houston/?sh=2f411dd1504b">Forbes placed Marley in the ninth slot</a>, right behind former Beatles front man John Lennon. According to the publication, Marley earned US$16 million – or rather, his estate did. </p>
<p>Marley’s business affairs are now <a href="https://www.dailystar.co.uk/showbiz/us-showbiz/inside-bob-marleys-fortune-huge-29112952">controlled by family members</a> – the estate – who have made deals with various merchandising and marketing partners, with all parties sharing in the profits. The commercial power of Bob Marley’s name generates the royalties earned by the estate, though precise percentages are not publicly available.</p>
<p>One posthumous musical release, in particular, has been a gold mine: Marley’s “<a href="https://open.spotify.com/album/4qsXcmAgPNSliu6oMQGOQ9">Legend</a>” compilation album. </p>
<p>Released in 1984 and featuring mainstays like “<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CRkfqH1r714">Could You Be Loved</a>” and “<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s7SYBk-nRiQ">Three Little Birds</a>,” it’s the most successful reggae album of all time. It has sold over 15 million copies in the U.S and has spent more than 800 nonconsecutive weeks on the <a href="https://www.billboard.com/charts/billboard-200/">Billboard 200</a>. Collectively, its tracks have accounted for well over <a href="https://worldmusicviews.com/bob-marley-the-wailers-lead-spotifys-most-streamed-reggae-artist-for-2023-three-years-in-a-row/">4 billion Spotify streams</a>, and its phenomenal success is a key reason that the private music publishing company Primary Wave, which is backed by investors such as BlackRock, <a href="https://www.billboard.com/music/music-news/primary-wave-acquires-share-bob-marley-publishing-catalog-blackrock-blue-mountain-music-8094231/">spent over $50 million</a> to buy a share of Marley’s publishing catalog in 2018. </p>
<p>A series of other albums have been released after Marley’s death. These include “Natural Mystic” (1995); the pop and hip-hop crossover “Chant Down Babylon” (1999); “Africa Unite” (2005); “Uprising Live!” (2014), which features his final concert appearance; the polarizing electronic mashup “Legend Remixed” (2013); “Easy Skanking in Boston ’78” (2015); and the curious “Bob Marley & the Chineke! Orchestra” (2022). </p>
<p>The “Legend” album has earned more than these later releases combined. But the material absent from that record speaks volumes.</p>
<p>In <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2022/06/09/arts/music/chris-blackwell-the-islander.html">his 2022 autobiography</a>, Chris Blackwell, the former head of Island Records, the label that brought Marley’s music to mainstream listeners, revealed that “Legend” had been carefully tailored for white mainstream audiences.</p>
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<img alt="A red, yellow and green record featuring the face of a contemplative man with dreadlocks." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/571216/original/file-20240124-27-7nwrye.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/571216/original/file-20240124-27-7nwrye.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/571216/original/file-20240124-27-7nwrye.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/571216/original/file-20240124-27-7nwrye.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/571216/original/file-20240124-27-7nwrye.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/571216/original/file-20240124-27-7nwrye.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/571216/original/file-20240124-27-7nwrye.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
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<span class="caption">‘Legend’ is the most successful reggae album of all time.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/news-photo/still-life-of-a-of-a-limited-edition-record-of-bob-marley-news-photo/78869226?adppopup=true">Bob Berg/Getty Images</a></span>
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<p>It achieved this by prioritizing songs centered on themes of love and peace, rather than those about Marley’s revolutionary Afrocentric politics and Rastafarian worldview, which appear on records such as 1979’s “<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Survival_(Bob_Marley_and_the_Wailers_album)">Survival</a>.”</p>
<p>On that album’s second track, “<a href="https://genius.com/Bob-marley-and-the-wailers-zimbabwe-lyrics">Zimbabwe</a>,” Marley commends the country’s freedom fighters in their battle against the oppressive Rhodesian regime, declaring, “Every man got a right to decide his own destiny”; he rails against the forces of exploitation and division in “<a href="https://genius.com/Bob-marley-and-the-wailers-top-rankin-lyrics">Top Rankin’</a>” and “<a href="https://genius.com/Bob-marley-and-the-wailers-babylon-system-lyrics">Babylon System</a>”; in “<a href="https://genius.com/Bob-marley-and-the-wailers-survival-lyrics">Survival</a>,” he hails the African world’s “hopes and dreams” and “ways and means”; and “<a href="https://genius.com/Bob-marley-and-the-wailers-wake-up-and-live-lyrics">Wake Up and Live</a>” is a clarion call to spiritual and political awakening.</p>
<p>These tracks don’t appear on “Legend.” In fact, none of the tracks from “Survival” do.</p>
<p>And so four decades after his death, Bob Marley remains the world’s top reggae artist. But it’s his lighter, less controversial fare that’s established him as a global superstar.</p>
<h2>Merchandising a mystic</h2>
<p><a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/arts-entertainment/2023/02/04/spotify-grammys-songwriters-payment-musicians/">In an era of minuscule music royalties</a>, a large portion of that $16 million in earnings also comes from merchandising, which has further watered down Marley’s revolutionary politics and spiritualism. </p>
<p>Thanks to what two writers called “<a href="https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/nov/22/marley-natural-legacy-marley-debate">the Disneyfication of all matters Marley</a>,” you can now buy <a href="https://marleycoffee.com/">Bob Marley-themed coffee</a>, <a href="https://www.foodandwine.com/news/ben-and-jerrys-one-love-ice-cream">ice cream</a> and <a href="https://www.vogue.com/article/bob-marley-marley-natural-beauty-botanicals-jamaica">body wash</a>. There’s <a href="https://www.thehouseofmarley.com/">sustainably sourced, Bob Marley-branded audio equipment</a>, in addition to <a href="https://primitiveskate.com/collections/bob-marley">a line of Bob Marley skateboard decks</a>.</p>
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<img alt="Colorful boxes featuring cartoon drawings of Black men smoking." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/571217/original/file-20240124-25-woxyjy.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/571217/original/file-20240124-25-woxyjy.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=401&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/571217/original/file-20240124-25-woxyjy.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=401&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/571217/original/file-20240124-25-woxyjy.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=401&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/571217/original/file-20240124-25-woxyjy.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=504&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/571217/original/file-20240124-25-woxyjy.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=504&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/571217/original/file-20240124-25-woxyjy.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=504&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
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<span class="caption">Marley-branded nicotine vape cartridges are displayed next to Snoop Dogg vape cartridges at the 2022 Vaper Expo in Birmingham, England.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/news-photo/disposable-flie-vapes-featuring-snoop-dogg-and-bob-marley-news-photo/1431608678?adppopup=true">John Keeble/Getty Images</a></span>
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<p>The cannabis brand <a href="https://www.billboard.com/music/music-news/marley-cannabis-brand-launch-6866955/#!">Marley Natural</a> shows how the Marley name has become commercially intertwined with corporate America.</p>
<p>It’s funded by the American private equity company <a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-latin-america-30110235">Privateer Holdings</a>, which the Marley family had approached to gauge their interest in collaboration for the product’s release. The creators of the Starbucks logo <a href="https://www.hecklerbranding.com/names-by-ha">were hired to design the logo</a> for Marley Natural, further underlining the venture’s commercial ties. </p>
<p>Aside from the obvious fact that these associations pay no heed to Bob Marley’s anti-capitalist messages, I find it bitterly ironic that the private equity firm calls itself “Privateer.” <a href="https://www.rmg.co.uk/stories/topics/golden-age-piracy">Privateers</a> were commissioned ships involved in plundering and murder across the Caribbean. They are among the “old pirates” Marley sang about in his mournful “<a href="https://www.lyrics.com/lyric/4003768/Bob+Marley/Redemption+Song">Redemption Song</a>.”</p>
<p>While the Marley family <a href="https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210607005453/en/Marley-Natural%C2%AE-Flagship-Cannabis-Retail-Store-to-Open-at-the-Bob-Marley-Museum-in-Jamaica">claims that Bob would have approved</a> of the cannabis enterprise, <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/nov/22/marley-natural-legacy-marley-debate">critics see indiscriminate mass-marketing</a>.</p>
<p>The artist’s popular songs and lyrics have also been adopted as marketing tools to sell products that bear little relation to Marley’s music and message. </p>
<p>In 2001, his daughter Cedella, who runs parts of the estate, released a fashion line called Catch a Fire. The name comes from the Wailers’ first international album, which the group released in 1973. On it, tracks like “Slave Driver,” “Concrete Jungle” and “400 Years” connect the poverty of the present to the injustices of the past.</p>
<p>Can T-shirts and other apparel help spread these messages? Perhaps. </p>
<p>But it’s hard to argue that Marley-themed <a href="https://www.cedellamarley.com/portfolio/2015/11/23/cedella-marley-launches-a-new-sauce-line">hot sauce</a> does.</p>
<h2>The reel situation of ‘One Love’</h2>
<p>Critiquing any aspect of Bob Marley’s legacy can elicit defensive responses. The estate <a href="https://www.billboard.com/music/music-news/bob-marley-75th-birthday-billboard-cover-story-interview-2020-9363748/#!">has long portrayed</a> the rampant commercialization of the Marley name and image as an important way to sustain and spread the artist’s ideals.</p>
<p>However, I think it’s important to ensure that the artistic and cultural values embedded in his music do not become clouded in a haze of consumerism. </p>
<p>While many of the commercial enterprises tied to his name reportedly raise <a href="https://bobmarleyfoundation.org/">money for Jamaican youth</a>, I’d hesitate to say that this serves as a complete counterbalance to the erosion of Marley’s messages.</p>
<p>The “One Love” movie backed by Paramount Pictures – <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt8521778/fullcredits/?ref_=tt_cl_sm">with four Marleys listed as producers</a> – will certainly extend the mythologies and harsh realities of Bob Marley’s all-too-brief life, which was <a href="https://www.skincancer.org/blog/bob-marley-should-not-have-died-from-melanoma">cut short by melanoma</a>. But it’s also a massive international marketing vehicle for the sale of even more officially branded merchandise.</p>
<p>On the one hand, the fact that people so eagerly buy products plastered with Marley’s face and words reflects the profound connection he continues to have with his listeners. But on the other hand, it’s difficult squaring Marley – a symbol of post-colonialism and anti-capitalism – with branding collaborations and private equity firms. </p>
<p>His music means so much more. And his anti-imperialist messages, as warmongers threaten basic human rights around the world, are perhaps needed now more than ever.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/220213/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Mike Alleyne does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>How did a musician whose songs were suffused with messages of anti-capitalism and anti-imperialism become so commercialized?Mike Alleyne, Professor Emeritus of Recording Industry (Popular Music Studies & Music Business), Middle Tennessee State UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2225032024-02-02T22:11:37Z2024-02-02T22:11:37ZElmo’s check-in: Iconic brands and influencer culture create a viral post<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/573153/original/file-20240202-23-l9jh9.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=24%2C30%2C4065%2C2268&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Elmo’s post went viral with social media users who resonate with his iconic branding.</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://twitter.com/elmo/status/1723346842862194909">(Twitter/Elmo)</a></span></figcaption></figure><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100px; border: none; position: relative; z-index: 1;" allowtransparency="" allow="clipboard-read; clipboard-write" src="https://narrations.ad-auris.com/widget/the-conversation-canada/elmos-check-in-iconic-brands-and-influencer-culture-create-a-viral-post" width="100%" height="400"></iframe>
<p><em>Sesame Street’s</em> Elmo recently checked in with users on X, asking: “How is everybody doing?” The post quickly went viral, with users sharing their personal issues ranging from stresses at work, the cost-of-living crisis to family problems. The post was also published at the end of January, which was <a href="https://wellbeingtrust.org/blogs/january-is-mental-wellness-month-its-the-perfect-time-to-shift-your-focus-from-the-holidays-to-your-own-personal-well-being/">Mental Wellness Month</a>. </p>
<p>Elmo’s post garnered over 200 million views, 18,000 replies and has been reposted by users over 58,000 times. Many users used memes and other visuals to add extra layers of comedy and sarcasm in their replies to Elmo. </p>
<p>Numerous <a href="https://www.buzzfeed.com/josephlongo/elmo-twiter-question-best-responses">celebrities, brands and public figures</a> engaged with Elmo’s post. It also captured the attention of news media, with outlets like the <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2024/01/30/style/elmo-x-question.html"><em>New York Times</em></a> reporting on the story.</p>
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<p>The <em><a href="https://twitter.com/freep/status/1752049374547386528">Detroit Free Press</a></em> commiserated over the Lions’s NFL post-season loss, and <a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS/status/1752518567239536821">U.S. President Joe Biden</a> joined the online conversation to share mental health resources.</p>
<p>Elmo’s post went viral because the character registers with platform users due to the power of <em>Sesame Street</em> as an iconic brand in popular culture. </p>
<p>The virality of Elmo’s X post showcases how fictional characters are turning into influencers. With a social media presence, characters like Elmo are well-suited to produce a viral, meme-fuelled moment that captures public attention. </p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/barbie-isnt-just-a-movie-star-now-shes-also-a-virtual-social-media-influencer-207885">Barbie isn't just a movie star now — she's also a virtual social media influencer</a>
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<h2>An iconic brand</h2>
<p>Elmo and <em>Sesame Street</em> are examples of what cultural branding and marketing expert Douglas Holt refers to as “<a href="https://hbr.org/2003/03/what-becomes-an-icon-most">iconic brands</a>.” These are companies that are cherished as major cultural symbols. They become iconic because we can connect on a personal level with them. They represent myths that help us construct our identities.</p>
<p>Since <a href="https://www.npr.org/2021/05/08/994738544/the-story-of-sesame-street-from-radical-experiment-to-beloved-tv-mainstay">debuting in 1969</a>, <em>Sesame Street</em> has grown into a major iconic brand. The show, along with its characters, merchandise, storybooks, video games, and now social media accounts, are woven into the everyday lives of many individuals. I myself learned to read with the <em>Sesame Street</em> storybook, <em><a href="https://muppet.fandom.com/wiki/Don%27t_Cry,_Big_Bird">Don’t Cry, Big Bird</a></em>.</p>
<p>In particular, Elmo has a special status as a cultural icon. He has appeared on <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0745617/">television programs</a> and <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0159421/">starred in movies</a>. During the late 1990s, the release of the plush <a href="https://www.cbc.ca/player/play/1102522435571">Tickle Me Elmo</a> toy became a cultural phenomenon. The 2011 documentary, <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/therootdc/post/movie-review-being-elmo-a-puppeteers-journey/2011/11/16/gIQADaiXRN_blog.html"><em>Being Elmo: A Puppeteer’s Journey</em></a>, highlighted the joy Elmo brought to terminally ill children. </p>
<p>All of these examples highlight Elmo and <em>Sesame Street’s</em> iconic brand that clearly still registers with social media users.</p>
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<h2>Elmo’s brand on social media</h2>
<p><a href="https://hbr.org/2016/03/branding-in-the-age-of-social-media">Holt explains</a> that in order for a brand to remain iconic, they need constant upkeep. Characters and brands like Elmo and <em>Sesame Street</em> now require a social media presence. </p>
<p>Elmo is not the only <em>Sesame Street</em> character to have an X account. <a href="https://twitter.com/OscarTheGrouch">Oscar the Grouch</a>, <a href="https://twitter.com/BigBird">Big Bird</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/MeCookieMonster">Cookie Monster</a> are just some of the other characters joining Elmo on X. </p>
<p>Elmo and his <em>Sesame Street</em> friends represent a growing trend of fictional characters being given human characteristics through social media accounts in a way similar to <a href="https://www.virtualhumans.org">virtual influencers</a>. </p>
<p>Like all fictional characters, Elmo’s X account is, of course, organized by a <a href="https://www.today.com/parents/family/elmo-social-media-manager-christina-vittas-rcna136605">social media manager.</a> But Elmo’s X account further grows his iconic personality, allowing the public to connect with him in new and unique ways. </p>
<p>This is the labour that iconic brands require to remain relevant in popular culture.</p>
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<h2>Memes and branding</h2>
<p>Iconic brands also require the participation of the public as part of their maintenance. The viral sensation of Elmo’s post demonstrates the power of <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2022/01/26/crosswords/what-is-a-meme.html">memetics</a>, a concept that explains how memes are created and why they circulate across social media. Memes are a powerful and very important tool of communication for internet users.</p>
<p>Memes give users a visual language that is easily relatable and replicated. This is why Elmo’s post incited platform users to reply to him with personal confessions about their well-being in the form of humour, satire and comedy. </p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/impersonation-and-parody-shitposters-satirically-mock-elon-musks-chaotic-twitter-takeover-194503">Impersonation and parody: Shitposters satirically mock Elon Musk’s chaotic Twitter takeover</a>
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<p>The virality of Elmo’s post would not have happened if the public did not relate to him and <em>Sesame Street</em> as an iconic brand. </p>
<p>Elmo’s social media accounts ultimately serve as digital marketing for <em>Sesame Street</em> — his current <a href="https://twitter.com/elmo?lang=en">X header photo</a>, for instance, promotes Sesame Street’s program on HBO. Brands are always trying to develop new ways of promoting their product to audiences as part of their upkeep. </p>
<p>In Elmo’s case, iconicity, memetics and influencer culture merged to create a truly viral post.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/222503/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Aidan Moir has previously received funding from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada. </span></em></p>The virality of Elmo’s X post showcases how fictional characters are turning into influencers.Aidan Moir, Assistant Professor, Department of Communication, Media and Film, University of WindsorLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2222692024-01-31T16:50:24Z2024-01-31T16:50:24ZSuper Bowl ads: It’s getting harder for commercials to score with consumers<p>With the Kansas City Chiefs and the San Francisco 49ers set to face off in the 2024 Super Bowl, another conversation now begins in earnest about the TV commercials that will run during one of the most-watched television events of the year. And while some of the usual suspects will once again advertise on-air to the <a href="https://www.billboard.com/culture/tv-film/super-bowl-2023-viewership-numbers-1235253521/">more than 110 million viewers</a> watching the game in the U.S., other regulars will be noticeably absent.</p>
<p>As professors who <a href="https://harbert.auburn.edu/directory/linda-ferrell.html">study marketing</a> and <a href="https://harbert.auburn.edu/directory/oc-ferrell.html">business ethics</a>, we’re keenly interested in Super Bowl advertising. So we looked at the roster of advertisers in search of trends. </p>
<p>The most interesting thing we found may be who’s not advertising. <a href="https://finance.yahoo.com/news/america-4-largest-car-makers-224356471.html">Gone are the Big Four automakers</a> – Ford, General Motors, Chrysler parent Stellantis and Toyota – which have chosen to dedicate their ad dollars to more tightly targeted marketing campaigns. Only Kia and BMW are stepping up to promote their new electric vehicles, while Volkswagen has advertising lined up to celebrate its 75th anniversary in the U.S.</p>
<p>Also missing this year will be GoDaddy, whose Super Bowl ads have generated buzz over the years. Its <a href="https://adage.com/article/ad-age-podcast/why-godaddy-still-sitting-out-super-bowl/2534516">management has indicated</a> that the company is exploring other marketing options that create more engagement for their target markets.</p>
<h2>Advertisers seeking a touchdown</h2>
<p>Super Bowl ads this year, which <a href="https://variety.com/2023/tv/news/super-bowl-commercials-sold-out-cbs-tv-advertising-1235777413">sold out by early November 2023</a>, are dominated by food and beverage brands. These products appeal to a broad target audience. First-time advertisers like Popeyes, Drumstick, Nerds, and Pepsi’s new lemon lime soda, Starry, will join perennial advertisers Reese’s, M&M’s, Pringles, Frito-Lay and Mountain Dew, among others.</p>
<p>The world’s largest brewer, Anheuser-Busch InBev, plans to <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/01/36779729/bud-light-to-make-a-comeback-at-super-bowl-2024-with-humorous-ad">run multiple ads</a> across its various brands, including <a href="https://thehill.com/opinion/finance/4155908-how-a-15k-bud-light-giveaway-needlessly-cost-ab-inbev-27-billion/">recently tarnished Bud Light</a>, hoping to add to its history of producing iconic Super Bowl commercials. </p>
<p>At a cost of <a href="https://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/nfl/cbs-reportedly-selling-super-bowl-lviii-ads-at-staggering-price-nearly-sold-out-before-2024/ar-AA1jtQs2">up to US$7 million</a> for a 30-second spot – the same as last year – this brief stint on the big stage doesn’t come cheap. And that’s before taking into account the <a href="https://finance.yahoo.com/news/most-expensive-super-bowl-commercials-130041725.html">cost to create the ads themselves</a>, often more than twice what they will spend to run them on game day. All together, one spot can cost companies more than $20 million.</p>
<p>What are these advertisers hoping to gain, and is it worth it? For some, it clearly can be.</p>
<p>To start, consider that the most effective ads – those that stand out above the crowd – are visible long before the game begins and for weeks and even years afterward. Teasers, trailers and sometimes the full ads themselves are typically released in the weeks prior to the Super Bowl and reviewed on TV, online and across social media.</p>
<p>That coverage also continues after the game, with polls and feature stories ranking which ads worked and which didn’t as Monday morning advertising quarterbacks weigh in. Some of the best Super Bowl ads even take on a life of their own that lasts long after they first ran. Who can forget the iconic 1980 <a href="https://davidjdeal.medium.com/hey-kid-catch-how-coca-cola-and-mean-joe-greene-launched-a-legend-ab7b9492c84d%23:%7E:text=The%252520Reinvention%252520of%252520a%252520Football%252520Legend&text=NBC%252520turned%252520the%252520commercial%252520into,of%252520the%252520ad%252520for%252520Downy.">Coca-Cola commercial</a> featuring Pittsburgh’s Mean Joe Greene tossing a young fan his jersey? While the ad originally aired in late 1979, it reached a much broader audience during the game a few months later.</p>
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<figcaption><span class="caption">The classic Super Bowl ad ‘Have a Coke and a Mean Joe Greene.’</span></figcaption>
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<p>That ad has remained so popular that it was remade as a commercial for Coke Zero 30 years later featuring fellow Steelers player Troy Polamalu. Pre- and post-Super Bowl coverage in recent years often revives them both, as well as other iconic ads – decades later.</p>
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<figcaption><span class="caption">A 2009 Super Bowl ad inspired by ‘Have a Coke and a Mean Joe Greene.’</span></figcaption>
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<h2>The TV tide is turning — a little</h2>
<p>So why are the Big Four automakers, GoDaddy and other former Super Bowl advertisers forsaking the big game? Gen Z, in particular, is <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/petersuciu/2023/02/08/super-bowl-ads-may-need-to-evolve-to-target-gen-z--that-will-include-a-social-media-component/?sh=4e70a3162b3e">not impressed by Super Bowl ads</a>, and complicating the matter is their lack of interest in broadcast TV. </p>
<p>Marketers know TikTok and other social sites are <a href="https://www.shopify.com/blog/tiktok-marketing">better platforms</a> for delivering messages to targeted demographics. The return on investment for advertising is far easier to track in these venues, and the ad spend is easier to justify – especially considering how often these ads will be shared with family and friends in a matter of seconds with just a few keystrokes.</p>
<p>Still, in today’s fractured media landscape, the Super Bowl is a rare event with truly mass appeal: <a href="https://www.nfl.com/news/super-bowl-lvii-total-viewing-audience-estimated-at-200-million">More than 60% of Americans</a> tuned into last year’s game, according to the NFL. That’s a lot of eyeballs.</p>
<p>In the end, today’s marketing executives recognize that Super Bowl TV commercials work best when they promote mass market products – <a href="https://doi.org/10.1080/13527266.2011.581302">through humor, use of animals, nostalgia and celebrities</a> – as well as social causes that resonate with consumers. Linking a brand with memorable and creative storytelling is also an effective way to <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2020/02/03/perspectives/super-bowl-ads-google-loretta/index.html">boost overall brand</a> visibility.</p>
<p>That’s the formula for success in this year’s Super Bowl.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/222269/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>Marketers are increasingly focused on reaching narrow audiences – but when it comes to mass appeal, the Super Bowl doesn’t miss.Linda Ferrell, Professor of Marketing, Auburn UniversityO.C. Ferrell, Professor of Ethics, Auburn UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2194292024-01-24T14:37:01Z2024-01-24T14:37:01Z‘Tryvertising’: testing new products in holiday homes could be a win for local brands and cautious customers<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/570386/original/file-20240119-19-9xz0mb.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=98%2C120%2C7201%2C4749&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/espresso-machine-making-coffee-capsules-on-433268935">Davizro Photography/Shutterstock</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>After a recent city break to Paris, one of our colleagues told us about how much she’d enjoyed some excellent coffee during her trip. But it hadn’t been served in a restaurant or a cafe – she had made it herself at the apartment she was staying in using one of those capsule coffee machines. </p>
<p>When she returned home, she genuinely missed the quality of the drink she had been able to make so effortlessly. So she ended up buying the machine for her own home – same brand, same model, same colour as the one she had been using on holiday. </p>
<p>Her experience illustrates the effectiveness of a concept known as “<a href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/331982590_Tryvertising_What_Makes_Consumers_Share_Product_Innovations_With_Others">tryvertising</a>”. Over the course of her weekend away, she had become familiar with – and extremely fond of – a new product by having the freedom to try it out repeatedly in her temporary holiday apartment. </p>
<p>As a marketing strategy, tryvertising is quite familiar in hotels, where extra comfy pillows or a particular fragrance or shampoo may be available for guests to use during their stay – and then offered for sale to take home. </p>
<p>Overall, it’s an easy win for manufacturers and hotel owners – as well as the customers who get the chance to take a piece of their holiday home with them.</p>
<h2>Feelings of ownership</h2>
<p>But our <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0160738323000683">research</a> suggests that tryvertising is actually more effective in self-catering accommodation than it is in hotels. This is partly because renting an apartment or cottage for a break provides a more natural environment for customers than the more unusual setting of a hotel. </p>
<p>They are able to feel more at home and in control – what we refer to as a heightened sense of “<a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/social-sciences/territoriality">territoriality</a>” – and are more likely to fully immerse themselves in their surroundings and the products at their disposal. Overall, self-catered accommodation elicits stronger feelings of ownership towards the accommodation space, and potential ownership of the the amenities it contains.</p>
<p>This means tryvertising through self-catered holiday accommodation could provide an excellent opportunity for companies. </p>
<p>Those companies – which could be everything from electronic manufacturers to local artisan businesses – could select suitable hosts with whom to place their products, either for free or with a discount. A QR code could then be attached to the tryvertised goods, directing customers to extra information and purchasing details. </p>
<p>Those businesses could even issue discount codes to those guests. The accommodation platforms themselves wouldn’t need to be involved (they may wish to be at some level, but their input would not be necessary). It would mainly be a beneficial arrangement directly between manufacturers and hosts.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="Woman relaxing in hammock in garden." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/570387/original/file-20240119-15-azef2l.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/570387/original/file-20240119-15-azef2l.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/570387/original/file-20240119-15-azef2l.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/570387/original/file-20240119-15-azef2l.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/570387/original/file-20240119-15-azef2l.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/570387/original/file-20240119-15-azef2l.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/570387/original/file-20240119-15-azef2l.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Try hammock, buy hammock.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/booking-airbnb-pleace-rest-lake-forest-2376758765">Mateusz_Kaminski_Foto/Shutterstock</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>For consumers too, tryvertising makes perfect sense. Rather than looking at images on online, or observing an item in person at a store, they get a real-life user experience before they commit to a purchase. </p>
<h2>Mutual benefits</h2>
<p>Of course, it can work the other way too. One person told us that he had decided against buying a gadget after having the opportunity to use one on holiday.</p>
<p>He recalled:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>The presence of the AI assistant in my last Airbnb getaway really made the entire stay overwhelming. I didn’t understand how to use it effectively. It kept misinterpreting our commands, and falsely activating due to background noise. This really made us [feel] stressful and uncomfortable. We had considered buying a similar AI assisted smart speaker at home before, but now we would definitely postpone the decision.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>But again, that was beneficial. That particular client was given a chance to try something, and decided it wasn’t for him. He saved money.</p>
<p>Meanwhile, our colleague decided to spend her money on a machine she had enjoyed using, and which now provides her with delicious coffee on a daily basis.</p>
<p>But it’s not only about buying things for your home. Tryvertising can also enhance a traveller’s experience by allowing them to get an authentic taste of the culture through products sponsored by local businesses. And it could contribute to sustainable tourism by encouraging both hosts and visitors to engage with their community and the produce on offer. </p>
<p>Overall, our research suggests that everyone stands to benefit. Hosts, local businesses and travellers should all give it a try.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/219429/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>Your next holiday could be a chance for some retail research.Jialin (Snow) Wu, Reader in Sustainable and Digitalised Service Economy, University of HuddersfieldChen Zheng, Senior Lecturer at School of Event, Tourism and Hospitality Management, Leeds Beckett UniversityHongbo (Daisy) Liu, Senior Lecturer, University of SurreyLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2208152024-01-16T14:55:35Z2024-01-16T14:55:35ZFlashy isn’t always fabulous: why luxury brands should reconsider displaying their logos too prominently<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/568856/original/file-20240111-17-to18ug.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=194%2C0%2C5124%2C3684&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/milan-italy-september-22-2018-woman-1212011566">andersphoto/Shutterstock</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>More than <a href="https://techreport.com/statistics/logo-design-statistics/#:%7E:text=Regarding%20brand%20recognition%2C%2075%25%20of,prefer%20a%20unique%20brand%20voice.">75% of customers</a> in the US say that a brand’s logo is the most important identifier of a company. This is even more true for luxury brands as their logos are some of the most recognised symbols globally. </p>
<p>So, luxury brands should prominently display their logo, shouldn’t they? Our <a href="https://doi.org/10.1108/EJM-01-2022-0038">recent research</a> suggests otherwise.</p>
<p>In 2023, fashion’s biggest influencers and brands took to the “<a href="https://www.vogue.co.uk/fashion/article/quiet-luxury-trend">quiet luxury</a>” trend. This trend refers to a more low-key approach to luxury where people favour subtlety and quality over prominent brand display.</p>
<p>For visual reference, consider the billionaires featured in the popular HBO series, <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/fashion/2023/jun/19/succession-quiet-luxury-look-milan-fashion-week">Succession</a>. They opt for tailored, functional attire that is devoid of conspicuous logos and excessive brand names.</p>
<hr>
<figure class="align-right ">
<img alt="Quarter life, a series by The Conversation" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/451343/original/file-20220310-13-1bj6csd.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=237&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/451343/original/file-20220310-13-1bj6csd.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=600&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/451343/original/file-20220310-13-1bj6csd.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=600&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/451343/original/file-20220310-13-1bj6csd.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=600&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/451343/original/file-20220310-13-1bj6csd.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=754&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/451343/original/file-20220310-13-1bj6csd.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=754&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/451343/original/file-20220310-13-1bj6csd.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=754&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption"></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p><strong><a href="https://theconversation.com/uk/topics/quarter-life-117947?utm_source=TCUK&utm_medium=linkback&utm_campaign=UK+YP2022&utm_content=InArticleTop">This article is part of Quarter Life</a></strong>, a series about issues affecting those of us in our twenties and thirties. From the challenges of beginning a career and taking care of our mental health, to the excitement of starting a family, adopting a pet or just making friends as an adult. The articles in this series explore the questions and bring answers as we navigate this turbulent period of life.</p>
<p><em>You may be interested in:</em></p>
<p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/four-ways-to-tell-the-designer-fashion-items-worth-investing-in-from-the-ones-that-arent-215831">Four ways to tell the designer fashion items worth investing in from the ones that aren’t</a></em></p>
<p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/is-someone-using-your-pictures-to-catfish-your-rights-when-it-comes-to-fake-profiles-and-social-media-stalking-214418">Is someone using your pictures to catfish? Your rights when it comes to fake profiles and social media stalking</a></em></p>
<p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/how-to-make-your-clothes-last-longer-its-good-for-your-bank-account-and-the-environment-too-201823">How to make your clothes last longer – it’s good for your bank account and the environment too</a></em></p>
<hr>
<p>Succession has been influential in amplifying the quiet luxury trend. But the luxury market has been undergoing change for some years, partly as millennials and gen-Z become the main customers of luxury brands. These consumers demand that luxury brands are <a href="https://fortune.com/europe/2023/05/12/gen-zers-are-redefining-the-values-of-the-luxury-market-status-and-prestige-are-out-sustainability-and-inclusivity-are-in/">more sustainable and inclusive</a>, contributing to the resurgence of quiet luxury.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/can-luxury-fashion-brands-ever-really-be-inclusive-165187">Can luxury fashion brands ever really be inclusive?</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p>The shift towards quiet luxury presents a dilemma for the luxury fashion sector. Some brands, such as Balenciaga, Burberry and Louis Vuitton, flaunt their logos conspicuously on almost every product. Other brands, including Hermes and Bottega Veneta, instead opt for muted prestige. </p>
<p>But what is the right strategy for luxury brands when it comes to displaying their logos? Our findings suggest that prominent logo displays often backfire, making brands seem inauthentic and less cool. This strategy turns fans of the brand away, potentially reducing its market share. </p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/568587/original/file-20240110-23-55rkxz.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="The logos of various luxury brands." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/568587/original/file-20240110-23-55rkxz.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/568587/original/file-20240110-23-55rkxz.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=442&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/568587/original/file-20240110-23-55rkxz.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=442&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/568587/original/file-20240110-23-55rkxz.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=442&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/568587/original/file-20240110-23-55rkxz.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=556&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/568587/original/file-20240110-23-55rkxz.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=556&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/568587/original/file-20240110-23-55rkxz.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=556&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Do you recognise these logos?</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://miro.medium.com/v2/resize:fit:4800/format:webp/1*6Pu4uTn2SMs0YpFU_sjydA.png">Leandro Fernández/Medium</a>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/">CC BY-NC-SA</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>Prominent brand display</h2>
<p>We found that prominent logo display discourages consumers both from buying items from luxury brands and from sharing images of these luxury items on social media. </p>
<p>These findings held true in three distinctly different cultural contexts – for customers in the UK, Turkey and China. On average, purchase intentions decreased by almost 19% and social media sharing reduced by 17% when logos were displayed prominently.</p>
<p>Many customers considered luxury items from brands that use big logos as not genuine or true to their roots. They also thought that prominent logo display reduced exclusivity, glamour and the brand’s sophistication. Our results show that UK customers’ perceptions of authenticity and coolness reduced by more than 10% when a luxury brand decided to use prominent logos.</p>
<p>Our study also uncovered another unique insight. In the past, research has shown that customers who are strongly connected to a luxury brand tend to <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusres.2017.05.032">defend the brand</a> when it is rejected by social peers. However, we found that those same consumers react negatively when the brand uses loud displays. </p>
<p>Luxury brands are often used to signal social class, prestige and upward mobility. Buyers of luxury fashion thus seek to express their identities through these brands. But when logos are too prominent, they undermine the brand’s coolness and authenticity, diminishing the fan’s desired image of being genuine and original.</p>
<h2>The quiet luxury revolution</h2>
<p><a href="https://doi.org/10.1086/655445">Research</a> shows that the relationship between price and brand prominence is an inverted U-shape. Brands with lower prices use smaller logos and, as the price increases, logos become bigger and more visible. Beyond a certain price point the logo’s presence decreases and gradually becomes quiet. </p>
<p>But major shifts are underway in the luxury fashion industry. And minimalist, logoless style is making a comeback. </p>
<p>Experts suggest that the quiet luxury trend is almost always connected with <a href="https://www.luxurytribune.com/en/quiet-luxury-the-eternal-comeback">financial crises</a>. The global financial crisis of 2007/2008, for example, led to a shift towards understated luxury in the fashion industry. Quiet, subtle designs came to the forefront rather than loud, ostentatious displays of wealth. </p>
<p>As people struggle to make ends meet during the current cost-of-living crisis, quiet luxury is re-emerging on the scene. </p>
<h2>The brand prominence dilemma</h2>
<p>Prominent brand displays are, however, not shunned by everyone. Greater brand prominence is preferred by wealthy newcomers to the upper class, who are known as “parvenus”. </p>
<p><a href="https://doi.org/10.1509/jmkg.74.4.015">Research</a> suggests that these people prefer more visible logos to signal their status and align themselves with the old money elite. A parvenu could be an artist or musician who has suddenly struck gold with their work. </p>
<p><div data-react-class="InstagramEmbed" data-react-props="{"url":"https://www.instagram.com/p/BzoZ9gfJwNY/?igshid=1ohuhryy74vl5\u0026epik=dj0yJnU9b2p5aFY2bnlCbzdnWm5sVnotTFRjRGF6YmtSN2JPeC0mcD0wJm49bW9ZOEJTRGF1QnhGcElSTXJSR2hZQSZ0PUFBQUFBR1dlZkdJ","accessToken":"127105130696839|b4b75090c9688d81dfd245afe6052f20"}"></div></p>
<p>People who are not rich but want to climb the social ladder (“poseurs”) also opt for more prominent brand displays. These people resemble struggling social media influencers who fake their wealth.</p>
<p>So, what should luxury brands do? They should carefully consider prominent logo display strategy and its implications for their brand’s authenticity and coolness – especially among the brand’s most loyal customers. Their carefully crafted image of a luxury brand may otherwise suffer.</p>
<p>As it turns out, a whisper can speak louder than a shout.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/220815/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>Should luxury brands display their logo on everything?Paurav Shukla, Professor of Marketing, University of SouthamptonDina Khalifa, Senior Lecturer in Marketing, University of RoehamptonLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2096632024-01-09T13:26:26Z2024-01-09T13:26:26ZTake laughter, add tears − the secret recipe for the most-liked Super Bowl ads<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/545127/original/file-20230828-254480-xdlb1f.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=0%2C15%2C5207%2C3445&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Emotions often run high during the Super Bowl -- and that includes during the commercial breaks.</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/SuperBowlPhiladelphiaReaxFootball/592cb6e493034287be3e6e2a58eed36e/photo?Query=fans%20watch%20football%20on%20TV&mediaType=photo&sortBy=creationdatetime:desc&dateRange=Anytime&totalCount=649&currentItemNo=14&vs=true">Nathan Howard/Associated Press</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>Viewers gravitate toward Super Bowl commercials that incorporate both happiness and sadness, <a href="https://doi.org/10.1080/00913367.2023.2218896">our 2023 study shows</a>. </p>
<p>On the other hand, advertisements that blend happiness and fear turn people off.</p>
<p>And people are indifferent to ads that pair happiness with either anger or disgust.</p>
<p>As researchers with <a href="https://www.boisestate.edu/cobe-marketing/niusha-jones-ph-d/">extensive experience</a> in <a href="https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=LTR4szEAAAAJ&hl=en&oi=ao">consumer behavior</a>, we’ve had the opportunity to delve into the compelling emotional narratives television advertisers try to portray in less than 30 seconds. </p>
<p>Heartwarming ads that also have moments of fear or sadness are quite common, we’ve learned, especially during the Super Bowl. </p>
<h2>Why it matters</h2>
<p>Our research reveals part of the secret sauce behind what makes an advertisement loved or disliked. This finding could help advertisers craft ads that resonate more effectively with their audience. </p>
<p>Raising awareness of what works in advertising also helps viewers understand how they are being manipulated by what they see on the screen.</p>
<h2>How we did our work</h2>
<p>Using <a href="https://www.noldus.com/facereader">technology that reads viewers’ expressions</a>, our research team scrutinized the emotional layers of 296 ads aired during Super Bowls from 2018 to 2022. </p>
<p>This annual NFL championship game draws a <a href="https://www.statista.com/statistics/216526/super-bowl-us-tv-viewership/">huge audience on TV</a>. The costs to broadcast an ad – and the financial stakes for brands paying for air time – are high. For example, a <a href="https://www.statista.com/statistics/217134/total-advertisement-revenue-of-super-bowls/">30-second ad during the 2023 Super Bowl cost US$7 million</a>. </p>
<p>Our analysis wasn’t just a superficial look at the commericial’s storyline. Instead, we delved into the emotions displayed by the actors throughout the ad and measured their effects on how much the audience liked what they saw.</p>
<p>The blend of emotions you witness in commercials during the big game isn’t a coincidence. It’s part of advertisers’ calculated strategy. Combinations of emotions are meticulously orchestrated <a href="https://doi.org/10.1007/s11747-017-0551-8">to capture viewers’ attention and get them shopping</a> – sometimes even before the ad has finished airing.</p>
<p>Happiness was the most common emotion portrayed, but we were surprised to learn that 80% of these ads featured at least one negative emotion in addition to happiness. For example, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aBDKM_qfCMk">a clip reel of U.S. Olympian skier Lindsey Vonn</a> evoked both sadness and happiness and deeply resonated with viewers.</p>
<figure>
<iframe width="440" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/aBDKM_qfCMk?wmode=transparent&start=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe>
<figcaption><span class="caption">This 2018 Super Bowl commercial featuring Olympic skier Lindsey Vonn skillfully combines happiness and sadness, a winning combination.</span></figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>What’s next</h2>
<p>There is still a big question mark on why certain emotional mixtures work while others don’t. It is also not clear whether the popularity of an advertisement is directly linked to its effectiveness as a sales tool.</p>
<p><em>The <a href="https://theconversation.com/us/topics/research-brief-83231">Research Brief</a> is a short take about interesting academic work.</em></p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/209663/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>Researchers examined the emotional content of nearly 300 Super Bowl ads that aired from 2018 to 2022.Niusha Jones, Assistant Professor of Marketing, Boise State UniversityAnne Hamby, Associate Professor of Marketing, Boise State UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2168702024-01-04T13:45:55Z2024-01-04T13:45:55ZFocus on right now, not the distant future, to stay motivated and on track to your long-term health goals<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/564976/original/file-20231211-26-io2vdz.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=342%2C201%2C6367%2C4265&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">The fresh flavors taste good now – a here-and-now reward that's more motivating than potentially avoiding health problems in the future.</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/photo/fresh-fruit-salad-royalty-free-image/811628388">kajakiki/E+ via Getty Images</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>It’s a familiar start-of-the-year scene. You’ve committed to a healthier lifestyle and are determined that this time is going to be different. Your refrigerator is stocked with fruits and veggies, you’ve tossed out processed foods, and your workout routine is written in pen in your daily planner.</p>
<p>Yet, as you head out one morning, the tantalizing aroma of fresh doughnuts wafts through the air. How can you resist the call of this sugary treat and stick with your healthy choices?</p>
<p>Conventional wisdom, <a href="https://doi.org/10.1037/0033-295X.106.1.3">grounded in years of research</a>, suggests that the best way to resist unhealthy choices is to think about the long-term consequences. For example, you could consider how the added sugar from eating too many doughnuts can lead to <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/nutrition/data-statistics/added-sugars.html">diabetes and obesity</a>. Thinking about these long-term consequences, the argument goes, should help you avoid indulging right now and better stick to your goals. </p>
<p>However, in our <a href="https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=axoPTvwAAAAJ&hl=en&oi=ao">combined 25 years of experience investigating</a> <a href="https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=ZJA5R0QAAAAJ&hl=en&oi=ao">people’s self-control behavior and motivation</a>, we have learned that, in the heat of the moment, people often overlook distant outcomes, diminishing the effectiveness of strategies focused on the long term. </p>
<p>In response, we propose three approaches, backed by recent research, to help you stick to healthier habits.</p>
<h2>To resist temptation, think short term</h2>
<p>One strategy to avoid indulging is to consider the short-term consequences of unhealthy behavior. We tested this approach in <a href="https://doi.org/10.1093/jcr/ucad004">seven studies</a> with over 4,000 participants. </p>
<p>In one study, we invited university students to view one of two <a href="https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/career-development/what-is-a-public-service-announcement">public service announcements</a> detailing reasons to avoid energy drinks. One message emphasized long-term costs of drinking high-sugar energy drinks, such as diabetes and obesity. The other stressed short-term costs, such as anxiety and a sugar and caffeine crash.</p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/561685/original/file-20231126-23-8s8mzp.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="two PSAs with similar graphic of a drink but different effects highlighted" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/561685/original/file-20231126-23-8s8mzp.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/561685/original/file-20231126-23-8s8mzp.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=362&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/561685/original/file-20231126-23-8s8mzp.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=362&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/561685/original/file-20231126-23-8s8mzp.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=362&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/561685/original/file-20231126-23-8s8mzp.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=455&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/561685/original/file-20231126-23-8s8mzp.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=455&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/561685/original/file-20231126-23-8s8mzp.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=455&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">PSAs about unhealthy energy drinks: One highlights the long-term health costs, and the other highlights the short-term costs – 61.7% of participants chose the energy drink over another prize if they only saw the long-term PSA vs. 46.4% of participants who saw the short-term PSA.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Lilia Fromm</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Students then had a choice between receiving an energy drink or another attractive prize. Those who read about the short-term costs were 25% less likely to choose the energy drink than those who read about the long-term costs.</p>
<p>In another study with a similar setup, participants read about either the short-term costs of eating sugar, the long-term costs of eating sugar, or they did not read about any downsides. Everyone then had to choose a delivery of cookies or a tote bag. Those who read about the short-term costs were 30% less likely to choose the cookies than those who read about the long-term costs and 45% less likely than those who didn’t read about any detriments to sugar.</p>
<p>We found that emphasizing short-term costs can also help you avoid other temptations. For alcohol, think about how excessive drinking can lead to poor sleep and hangovers. For fast food, think about how it can make you feel bloated or give you indigestion.</p>
<p>In our studies, immediate effects were a stronger motivator than long-term consequences that could take decades to occur. The takeaway is simple: To avoid indulging, think short term.</p>
<h2>Focus on the fun of healthy options</h2>
<p>Avoiding unhealthy foods is one thing. On the flip side, can you nudge yourself toward consuming more healthy foods? </p>
<p>Research that one of us (Kaitlin) conducted with behavioral scientist <a href="https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=-vIQsasAAAAJ&hl=en&oi=ao">Ayelet Fishbach</a> found that <a href="https://doi.org/10.1093/jcr/ucv098">prompting people to focus on the good taste</a> – rather than the health benefits – of foods such as apples and carrots increased consumption in the lab and the real world. These findings were independently replicated in an intervention at <a href="https://doi.org/10.1177/0956797619872191">five university dining halls</a> that used food labels focused on either tastiness or healthfulness.</p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/564978/original/file-20231211-15-fr0nd4.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="smiling man outside in jacket with small hand weights" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/564978/original/file-20231211-15-fr0nd4.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/564978/original/file-20231211-15-fr0nd4.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=374&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/564978/original/file-20231211-15-fr0nd4.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=374&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/564978/original/file-20231211-15-fr0nd4.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=374&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/564978/original/file-20231211-15-fr0nd4.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=469&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/564978/original/file-20231211-15-fr0nd4.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=469&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/564978/original/file-20231211-15-fr0nd4.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=469&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Picking a more enjoyable exercise routine can mean sticking with it longer.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/photo/mature-african-american-man-exercising-royalty-free-image/991036038">kali9/E+ via Getty Images</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>This strategy can also promote other healthy behaviors, such as exercise. In one study, Kaitlin asked gymgoers to choose a weightlifting workout from a list of similarly difficult routines. The participants who were instructed to select a <a href="https://doi.org/10.1093/jcr/ucv098">fun exercise completed more reps</a> than those told to pick an exercise most useful for their long-term fitness goals. </p>
<p>Immediate rewards that result from pursuing long-term goals improve your experience right now, although they often go unnoticed. For this reason, focusing on the immediate versus delayed benefits of behaviors such as healthy eating and exercise can increase <a href="https://doi.org/10.1037/rev0000095">intrinsic motivation</a>, making a behavior feel like its own reward and resulting in the immersed-in-an-activity feeling called “<a href="https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-022-29742-2">flow</a>.”</p>
<h2>Timing the reward sweet spot</h2>
<p>Starting healthy behaviors is one important piece of the puzzle; another is sticking with these behaviors over time. One strategy for persistence is to use rewards to stay committed.</p>
<p>Research led by marketing professor <a href="https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=VNKNZfMAAAAJ&hl=en&oi=ao">Marissa Sharif</a>, along with Kaitlin, involving over 5,000 people across eight experiments found that <a href="https://doi.org/10.1093/jcr/ucac007">small, regular rewards were more effective</a> for cultivating long-term commitment to healthy behavior such as exercising and flossing than were large, occasional rewards. Think watching 20 minutes of a guilty pleasure TV show each day you work out, rather than waiting to the end of the week to watch 80 minutes of TV to reward yourself for those four workouts.</p>
<p>But there’s a twist: Rewarding yourself too early may backfire. It seems rewards are most effective when people have to work to unlock them, after which they become regular. In other words, putting in initial effort while not being rewarded, followed by small, continual perks, is the most effective way to structure rewards.</p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/564981/original/file-20231211-25-3gd4.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="calendar with red X's crossing off days and one date circled" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/564981/original/file-20231211-25-3gd4.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/564981/original/file-20231211-25-3gd4.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/564981/original/file-20231211-25-3gd4.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/564981/original/file-20231211-25-3gd4.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/564981/original/file-20231211-25-3gd4.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/564981/original/file-20231211-25-3gd4.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/564981/original/file-20231211-25-3gd4.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Rewards are less effective when they’re set too far off in the future.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/photo/deadline-royalty-free-image/172704039">JLGutierrez/E+ via Getty Images</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>In a study on exercise, Marissa and Kaitlin followed exercisers as they engaged in <a href="https://doi.org/10.1093/jcr/ucac007">four initial workouts that came with no rewards</a>. Then a work-to-unlock-rewards group began to receive small, continual rewards for each subsequent workout. They ended up persisting longer and completing more workouts than people in a lump-sum group who received a larger, occasional reward for every four workouts they finished.</p>
<p>A similar effect was evident in a <a href="https://doi.org/10.1093/jcr/ucac007">12-day study on tooth flossing</a>. People in the work-to-unlock-rewards group – three days of flossing without rewards followed by daily rewards – flossed for more days than those who received continual rewards right way. Those who had to commit extra effort to unlock the rewards flossed 15% more days.</p>
<p>These studies suggest people can strategically incorporate rewards – with a short initial period without any rewards – into their routine to help them stick with healthy behaviors over time.</p>
<h2>Resistance, enjoyment and persistence</h2>
<p>Our research highlights three effective strategies to help you achieve your goals: prioritizing short-term consequences to resist temptation, finding enjoyment in long-term choices, and continually rewarding yourself for sustained persistence.</p>
<p>What’s great about these strategies is that you can adapt them to any personal goal you hold. For instance, if you’re finding it hard to swap social media for a book, consider reflecting on negative short-term consequences of endless scrolling. Or if carving out time for relaxation feels like a challenge, focus on the immediate benefits of engaging in meditative exercises.</p>
<p>By incorporating these evidence-based approaches, you can empower yourself to follow through on your long-term goals.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/216870/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>Long-term goals can be hard to stick to if the benefits are only way off in the future. Research suggests ways to focus on the here and now to help you ultimately achieve your more far-off targets.Kaitlin Woolley, Associate Professor of Marketing, Cornell UniversityPaul Stillman, Assistant Professor of Marketing, San Diego State UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2197252024-01-04T12:51:30Z2024-01-04T12:51:30ZHow subtle forms of misinformation affect what we buy and how much we trust brands<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/566367/original/file-20231218-18-bq4prp.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=42%2C0%2C4700%2C3123&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Both direct and indirect misinformation influence brand trust. </span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/motion-escalators-modern-shopping-mall-201174746">estherpoon/Shutterstock</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>Misinformation isn’t just blurring political lines anymore. It’s quietly infiltrating our shopping trolleys in subtle ways, shaping our decisions about what we buy and who we trust, as my research shows. </p>
<p>Spurred by political events, misinformation has garnered widespread media coverage and academic research. But most of the attention has been in the fields of <a href="https://www.aeaweb.org/articles?id=10.1257%2Fjep.31.2.211&fbclid=IwAR04My3aiycypMJKSI58e84gDvdrodsB9fqCycH9YfepWDDDwT--fZnVPvo;%20https://www.nyu.edu/about/news-publications/news/2019/january/fake-news-shared-by-very-few--but-those-over-65-more-likely-to-p.html">political science</a>, <a href="https://www.cell.com/trends/cognitive-sciences/fulltext/S1364-6613(21)00051-6?dgcid=raven_jbs_etoc_email">social psychology</a>, <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0306457318306794">information technology</a> and <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/21670811.2017.1360143">journalism studies</a>. </p>
<p>More recently though, misinformation has also gained traction among <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0148296320307852">marketing</a> and <a href="https://myscp.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/jcpy.1288">consumer</a> experts. Much of that research has focused on the direct impacts of misinformation on brands and consumer attitudes, but a new perspective on the topic is now emerging.</p>
<p>What if the influence of misinformation extends beyond explicit attacks on brands? What if our choices as consumers are shaped not only by deliberate misinformation campaigns but also by subtle, indirect false information? </p>
<p>My own research has explored the dynamics of misinformation from a consumer standpoint. I have looked at how misinformation <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0148296320307852">spreads</a>, why people find it <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/07439156221103860">credible</a> and what we can do to try to <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/mar.21479">mitigate its spreading</a>. </p>
<p>However, my latest <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2352250X23001616">study</a> looks at direct and indirect forms of misinformation and their consequences for brands and consumers. I have found that one of the major consequences of these types of misinformation is the erosion of trust.</p>
<h2>Direct and indirect misinformation</h2>
<p>Misinformation comes in direct and indirect forms. It can be direct when it purposefully targets brands or their products. Examples of direct misinformation include fabricated customer reviews or fake news campaigns targeting brands. </p>
<p>It was fake news that led to the <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2016/12/10/business/media/pizzagate.html">“pizzagate” scandal</a> in 2016, for example. This involved unsubstantiated accusations of child abuse against prominent individuals linked to a Washington DC pizzeria. While last year, the brand Target was <a href="https://www.reuters.com/article/idUSL1N37S2U1/">falsely accused</a> of selling “satanic” children’s clothes on social media. </p>
<p>The consequences of direct misinformation can be far reaching, leading to a breakdown in brand trust. This erosion is particularly pronounced when misinformation originates from seemingly trustworthy sources, forcing brands into crisis management mode. </p>
<p>For example, in late 2022, Eli Lilly’s stock price fell by 4.37% after a <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2022/11/14/twitter-fake-eli-lilly/">fake Twitter</a> account impersonating the pharmaceutical company falsely announced that insulin would be given away for free. Investors were misled and the company was forced to issue multiple statements to regain their trust. </p>
<p>But beyond the realm of blatant brand attacks lies a subtler, less understood territory I call “indirect misinformation”. This type of misinformation doesn’t zero in on specific companies, but instead cloaks itself in issues like politics, social affairs or health issues.</p>
<p>The constant exposure to misinformation around issues like COVID-19 and politics can have a ripple effect. And my research, which reviewed the academic marketing literature on direct and indirect misinformation, argues that this constant barrage has the potential to impact consumer choices. </p>
<p>Consider the two distinct levels where these effects unfold for a company. At the brand level, reputable names may unwittingly find themselves entangled in disreputable fake news sites through <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/0276146718755869">programmatic advertising</a>, in which automated technology is used to buy ad space on these websites. And while the misinformation itself might not directly impact brand trust, the association with dubious websites can cast a shadow over attitudes to brands. It can also <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1016/j.intmar.2018.09.001">impair</a> consumers’ intentions towards the brand. </p>
<p>Simultaneously, at the consumer level, the impact of indirect misinformation is profound. It breeds confusion, doubt and a general sense of vulnerability. Continuous exposure to misinformation is linked to <a href="https://misinforeview.hks.harvard.edu/article/misinformation-in-action-fake-news-exposure-is-linked-to-lower-trust-in-media-higher-trust-in-government-when-your-side-is-in-power/">decreased trust</a> in mainstream and traditional media brands, for example. </p>
<p>Consequently, people might become wary of all information sources and even fellow consumers. Subconsciously influenced by misinformation, they may make different purchase decisions and hold <a href="https://www.journals.uchicago.edu/doi/full/10.1086/708035">altered views</a> of brands and products.</p>
<h2>What can brands do?</h2>
<p>While the negative repercussions of direct misinformation on brand trust have been well documented, shining a light on the subtler impacts of indirect misinformation marks a crucial step forward. It not only opens new avenues for researchers but also serves as a warning to brands. It urges them to be more proactive in their approach to misinformation. </p>
<p>If indirect misinformation makes consumers mistrustful and sceptical, brands could take preemptive measures. Tailoring specific marketing communications to instil trust in brands, products and offers becomes paramount in a world where trust is continually under siege. Building and maintaining a reputation for trustworthiness is essential for companies.</p>
<p>As we navigate this terrain of hidden influences, the call for a more comprehensive understanding of misinformation’s multifaceted impacts also becomes clearer. Researchers, brands and consumers alike need to decode the hidden messages of misinformation. This could help to fortify the foundations of trust in an era where it has become a precious commodity.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/219725/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Giandomenico Di Domenico is affiliated with the International Panel on the Information Environment. </span></em></p>Trust in brands may be eroded as awareness of misinformation increases according to new research.Giandomenico Di Domenico, Lecturer in Marketing & Strategy, Cardiff UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2191982023-12-26T19:41:19Z2023-12-26T19:41:19ZKeeping a streak alive can be strong motivation to stick with a chosen activity<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/566590/original/file-20231219-17-i2u80d.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=1379%2C248%2C3881%2C2980&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Neither rain, nor snow, nor sleet, nor hail shall keep a streaker from their self-appointed activity.</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/photo/athletic-man-jogging-in-extreme-weather-condition-royalty-free-image/1184153812">janiecbros/E+ via Getty Images</a></span></figcaption></figure><p><a href="https://ftw.usatoday.com/2013/06/alabama-fan-attended-781-consecutive-games-before-passing-away">Dick Coffee</a> attended 781 consecutive University of Alabama football games. <a href="https://www.mensjournal.com/adventure/meg-roh-celebrates-7-years-of-surfing-every-day-by-going-surfing">Meg Roh</a> surfed through illness, storms and nightfall to maintain a seven-year daily surfing streak. <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2022/01/01/sports/running-streak-rise.html">Jon Sutherland</a> ran at least 1 mile every day for over 52 years. </p>
<p>An activity streak has the power to compel behavior, and marketers have taken note. Marketing researchers <a href="https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=irJyTtAAAAAJ&hl=en&oi=ao">Jackie Silverman</a> and <a href="https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=Lb3D24EAAAAJ&hl=en&oi=ao">Alixandra Barasch</a> recently documented 101 unique instances, including Snapchat, Candy Crush Saga, Wordle and the Duolingo language learning platform, of apps that have <a href="https://doi.org/10.1093/jcr/ucac029">incorporated streaks into their architecture</a> by tracking the number of consecutive days users complete a task. There are even <a href="https://www.thestreakingapp.com/">apps dedicated solely to tracking streaks</a>.</p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/566406/original/file-20231218-15-fcjdpq.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="statistics for wins and streak with a guess distribution chart" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/566406/original/file-20231218-15-fcjdpq.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/566406/original/file-20231218-15-fcjdpq.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=310&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/566406/original/file-20231218-15-fcjdpq.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=310&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/566406/original/file-20231218-15-fcjdpq.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=310&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/566406/original/file-20231218-15-fcjdpq.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=389&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/566406/original/file-20231218-15-fcjdpq.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=389&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/566406/original/file-20231218-15-fcjdpq.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=389&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">One user’s Wordle streak of more than a month’s worth of wins.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Screenshot from Wordle on New York Times</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>What is it about streaks that makes them so compelling? <a href="https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=5yNBAfIAAAAJ&hl=en&oi=ao">I’m interested in consumer behavior and decision making</a>. For insight into streaks and their motivating influence, I conducted research, recently <a href="https://doi.org/10.1007/s11747-023-00944-4">published in the Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science</a>, on the phenomenon.</p>
<h2>What is a streak?</h2>
<p>Because there’s no generally accepted definition of what a streak is, I started by trying to define the phenomenon. Based on input from people maintaining streaks and how streaks are described in the popular media, I suggest they have four underlying characteristics.</p>
<p>First, streaks require unchanging performance and temporal parameters. In other words, rules, established by the streaker or others, define what it means to successfully complete the activity and the schedule for doing so. For example, a streak may involve completing a session of 50 pushups every calendar day.</p>
<p>Second, the streak-holder largely attributes completing the activity to his or her resolve.</p>
<p>Third, a streak is a series of the same completed activity that the person maintaining the streak considers to be uninterrupted.</p>
<p>Fourth, the streaker quantifies the series’ duration. For instance, a streak-holder can tell you exactly how many consecutive workdays they’ve biked in to the office, or they can tell you the precise date the streak began.</p>
<p>This definition distinguishes an activity streak from winning streaks and lucky streaks. Unlike activity streaks, winning streaks depend on the performance of others – an opponent – while lucky streaks involve outcomes that are not under the control of the person executing the streak.</p>
<p>My definition also highlights that streaks are perceptual. Some people who have completed an objectively uninterrupted series of an activity may not view that as a streak. Others who have not completed the activity every time the opportunity arises may believe they have a streak.</p>
<h2>Is it a streak, habit or collection?</h2>
<p>People often engage in behavior patterns, or a recurring way of acting in a given situation. A streak is a form of patterned behavior, but there are others. Most people have habits, which are <a href="https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1559-1816.1998.tb01681.x">reflexlike and triggered by the context</a>. For example, many people mindlessly fasten their seat belts upon getting in a car.</p>
<p>That automatic aspect sets a habit apart from a streak. A streak often requires the actor to have a strategy for completing the activity <a href="https://doi.org/10.2307/1252098">in various situations or contexts</a>. For example, someone with a streak of running at least 1 mile every calendar day may need to carefully plan a run when traveling across time zones.</p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/566591/original/file-20231219-27-q90dyb.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="man looking anxiously out airplane window" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/566591/original/file-20231219-27-q90dyb.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/566591/original/file-20231219-27-q90dyb.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/566591/original/file-20231219-27-q90dyb.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/566591/original/file-20231219-27-q90dyb.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/566591/original/file-20231219-27-q90dyb.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/566591/original/file-20231219-27-q90dyb.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/566591/original/file-20231219-27-q90dyb.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">A streaker can get stressed when circumstances outside their control prevent them from doing the activity.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/photo/scared-male-passenger-looking-out-the-window-of-an-royalty-free-image/1439979538">urbazon/E+ via Getty Images</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>While developing a habit may be appealing because it <a href="https://www.springerprofessional.de/en/customer-inertia-marketing/18347036">minimizes thinking</a>, I discovered that the challenge of finding a way to complete the behavior can motivate many streak-holders.</p>
<p>Failing to perform a habitual behavior on occasion will have little impact on the <a href="https://doi.org/10.1037/0033-295X.114.4.843">likelihood of the person performing the behavior in the future</a>. Conversely, failing to perform a behavior that is part of a streak ends the streak.</p>
<p>For some people, ending a streak discouraged the behavior in the future: “The streak is over. Why bother?” For others, it hardened their resolve: “The streak is over. I’ve got to start another streak as soon as possible.”</p>
<p><a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/0167-4870(95)98956-X">Creating a collection</a> is another form of patterned behavior. Collections typically involve dissimilar objects connected by a common meaning. For example, Jay Leno is known for his <a href="https://cars.usnews.com/cars-trucks/features/jay-lenos-car-collection">collection of antique and exotic cars</a>. But unlike a streak, a collection does not end if someone fails to add to it every time the opportunity arises. I found that a collection of experiences or stories is often a byproduct of maintaining a streak. </p>
<h2>Why do streaks motivate behavior?</h2>
<p>By tapping into various psychological drivers of behavior, streaks can motivate people in several ways.</p>
<p>In general, a streak adds a higher-level goal (keeping the streak alive) to a lower-level goal (completing an individual activity). Streaks also add structure to an activity, and structure can <a href="https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-3514.65.1.113">simplify thinking and decision making</a>. The extent to which goal achievement or structure is important to you would influence your commitment to a streak.</p>
<p>I also found the way a streak is structured can affect the streak-holder’s commitment to it. For example, a streak of meditating at least 20 minutes each day may be more appealing, and lead to more commitment, than a streak of meditating at least 140 minutes each week. While the amount of meditating is the same in both cases, a daily streak adds structure, thus simplifying decision making, and encourages the person to regularly engage in a beneficial behavior.</p>
<p>Streaks can serve to <a href="https://doi.org/10.1007/s12599-013-0273-5">gamify</a> the underlying activity by <a href="https://theconversation.com/gamification-harnesses-the-power-of-games-to-motivate-37320">creating rules and quantifying the outcome</a>, and many people enjoy the challenge of a game.</p>
<p>Finally, I found that activities that are more relevant to one’s identity are more likely to generate commitment to a streak. If someone identifies as religious, a daily streak of praying may be more appealing than a daily streak of playing Wordle because a praying streak can provide a way of demonstrating one’s desired identity to others.</p>
<p>While streaks can compel behavior, they do not motivate all people for all situations. They can even have the opposite effect. Some people are turned off by the prospect of a streak because they’re concerned about being obligated to it, as reflected in the <a href="https://www.runeveryday.com/news/archive/newsletterV17N4.pdf">comments of a former streak runner</a>: “I realized that, if I let it, the streak could become a ‘thing’ that controlled my life, my travel, and those around me.”</p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/566593/original/file-20231219-15-e39aqx.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="January calendar page with 'Let's go!' sticky note on the first of the month" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/566593/original/file-20231219-15-e39aqx.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/566593/original/file-20231219-15-e39aqx.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/566593/original/file-20231219-15-e39aqx.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/566593/original/file-20231219-15-e39aqx.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/566593/original/file-20231219-15-e39aqx.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/566593/original/file-20231219-15-e39aqx.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/566593/original/file-20231219-15-e39aqx.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">A new page on the calendar can feel like it offers a fresh start.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/photo/calendar-indicating-lets-go-on-1st-january-royalty-free-image/1080219424">Isabel Pavia/Moment via Getty Images</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>Streaks and the new year</h2>
<p>As the calendar turns to a new year, many people resolve to engage in self-improving behaviors that facilitate better mental or physical health. People often begin streaks on Jan. 1 or other important dates, such as holidays, birthdays or anniversaries of noteworthy events. Such temporal landmarks add meaning and structure to the streak and create a “<a href="https://doi.org/10.1287/mnsc.2014.1901">fresh start effect</a>.”</p>
<p>While many people make New Year’s resolutions, <a href="https://fisher.osu.edu/blogs/leadreadtoday/why-most-new-years-resolutions-fail#:%7E:text=Researchers%20suggest%20that%20only%209,fail%20at%20New%20Year's%20resolutions.">only a small percentage of people complete them</a>. My research suggests that structuring a resolution as a streak may be the nudge that some people need to stick with it further into the new year – and maybe far beyond.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/219198/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Danny Weathers does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>A streak can motivate you to keep on keeping on with behaviors ranging from praying to running to sharing pictures on social media. Here’s what goes into making them so compelling.Danny Weathers, Professor of Marketing, Clemson UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2199952023-12-19T19:40:04Z2023-12-19T19:40:04ZTesla recalls over two million vehicles, but it needs to address confusing marketing<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/566150/original/file-20231217-29-ey0s6c.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=0%2C7%2C4992%2C2986&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Drivers often believe that semi-autonomous systems are more autonomous than they are designed to be.</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">(Shutterstock)</span></span></figcaption></figure><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100px; border: none; position: relative; z-index: 1;" allowtransparency="" allow="clipboard-read; clipboard-write" src="https://narrations.ad-auris.com/widget/the-conversation-canada/tesla-recalls-over-two-million-vehicles-but-it-needs-to-address-confusing-marketing" width="100%" height="400"></iframe>
<p>On Dec. 12, the U.S. Department of Transportation issued a recall regarding Autosteer, a feature included in Tesla’s semi-autonomous suite Autopilot, because “<a href="https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/rcl/2023/RCLRPT-23V838-8276.PDF">there may be an increased risk of a collision</a>.”</p>
<p>The recall, which affects over two million vehicles in the United States, is a watershed moment in modern automotive history, as it affects <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2023/12/16/tesla-autopilot-recall-timeline/">nearly every Tesla on the road in the U.S.</a> </p>
<p><a href="https://recalls-rappels.canada.ca/en/alert-recall/transport-canada-recall-2023657-tesla">Transport Canada</a> extended the recall to <a href="https://www.cbc.ca/news/business/tesla-major-recall-us-1.7057694">193,000 Tesla vehicles in Canada</a>.</p>
<p>Tesla says <a href="https://www.tesla.com/en_ca/support/vehicle-firmware-prevent-autosteer-misuse">only vehicles in the U.S. and Canada</a> are affected by the recall.</p>
<p>Unlike technologies that can be defined as fully autonomous — like elevators where a user steps in and pushes a button — Autosteer is not an autonomous system, despite what drivers may think.</p>
<p>A 2018 study found that <a href="https://news.thatcham.org/automated-driving-hype-is-dangerously-confusing-drivers-study-reveals/">40 per cent of drivers believed Tesla vehicles are capable of being fully self-driving</a>. A similar study concluded that participants “<a href="https://doi.org/10.1177/1541931218621430">rated [Autopilot] as entailing less responsibility for the human for steering than ‘high automation,’ and it was not different from ‘autonomous’ or ‘self-driving’</a>.”</p>
<p>Instead, Tesla Autopilot falls into the category of <a href="https://www.sae.org/standards/content/j3016_202104/">level 2, or semi-autonomous, systems</a>. These system can handle vehicle steering and accelerating but the human driver must stay vigilant at all times.</p>
<figure>
<iframe width="440" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/RuOwHclH2OY?wmode=transparent&start=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe>
<figcaption><span class="caption">PBS covers the safety issues that led to the December recall of Tesla vehicles in the United States and Canada.</span></figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>Confusing communication</h2>
<p>In <a href="https://www.uwindsor.ca/kinesiology/human-factors-and-ergonomics">human factors research</a>, believing that a system can do something it can’t is referred to as <a href="https://doi.org/10.1177/1555343417695197"><em>mode confusion</em></a>. Mode confusion not only misleads the user, but also has direct safety implications, as in the <a href="https://www.faa.gov/lessons_learned/transport_airplane/accidents/F-GGED">1992 Air Inter Flight 148 plane crash in France</a>. That situation was the direct result of the pilot operating the aircraft system in a mode different from its original design.</p>
<p>Safety researchers have sounded the alarm about <a href="https://doi.org/10.1080/10447318.2018.1561792">risks inherent to semi-autonomous systems</a>. In fully manual and fully autonomous modes, it is clear who’s responsible for driving: the human and the robot driver, respectively. </p>
<p>Semi-autonomous systems represent a grey area. The human driver believes the system is responsible for driving but, <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2023/10/31/tesla-not-guilty-autopilot-crash-trial/">as lawyers representing Tesla have already successfully argued</a>, it is not.</p>
<p>A second important factor is also the role of misleading information. The automotive industry as a whole has, for years, tiptoed around the actual capabilities of autonomous vehicle technology. In 2016, <a href="https://time.com/4431956/mercedes-benz-ad-confusion-self-driving/">Mercedes Benz pulled a TV commercial off the air after criticism that it portrayed unrealistic self-driving capabilities</a>. </p>
<p>More recently, Ashok Elluswamy, director of Autopilot software at Tesla, said <a href="https://techcrunch.com/2023/01/17/tesla-engineer-testifies-that-2016-video-promoting-self-driving-was-faked/">the 2016 video promoting its self-driving technology was faked</a>. </p>
<h2>False sense of security</h2>
<p>Thinking that a system is fully autonomous creates a false sense of security that drivers may act on by losing vigilance or disengaging from the task of supervising the system’s functioning. Investigations on prior accidents involving Tesla Autopilot showed that <a href="https://www.ntsb.gov/news/press-releases/Pages/NR20200225.aspx">drivers’ overrelience on the semi-autonomous system indeed contributed to some reported crashes</a>.</p>
<p>The recall is a logical, albeit long-awaited, effort by transportation agencies to regulate a problem that researchers have attempted to draw attention to for years.</p>
<p>In her 2016 study, Mica Endsley, a pioneer in the research field on user automation, highlighted some <a href="https://doi.org/10.1177/0018720816681350">potential safety risks of these systems</a>. A more recent study published by my research group also shows <a href="https://redcap.uwindsor.ca/surveys/?__file=Qqg7hnv2gVUqdycyHgfRoTPkG2pDFkAVb527vx5C3bgcv3AzkrRRIktdafb9F5MxDremWhRMZThpXGa8QVfeqxTfEpL4CVg9yNcH&_gl=1*1x3mupb*_ga*MjE2ODQ3OTQ3LjE2OTAzODUzMDY.*_ga_TMHVD0679R*MTcwMjY2NDAyMC4zMy4wLjE3MDI2NjQwMjAuNjAuMC4w">the dangers that operating semi-autonomous systems pose to drivers’ attention</a>.</p>
<p>With the recall, Tesla will be releasing <a href="https://www.tesla.com/en_ca/support/vehicle-firmware-prevent-autosteer-misuse">over-the-air software updates</a> that are meant to “further encourage the driver to adhere to their continuous supervisory responsibility whenever Autosteer is engaged.” These may include additional “visual alerts” and other additions to the system to help drivers stay vigilant while Autosteer is engaged. </p>
<p>In all, although this may be the first time regulators strike a direct, concrete blow at Tesla and its marketing, it won’t be the last.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/219995/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Francesco Biondi receives funding from the Ontario Ministry of Transportation. He consults on Human Factors issues of vehicle automation.</span></em></p>Tesla’s recall of over two million vehicles in the U.S. and Canada is meant to address driver overreliance on the semi-autonomous Autopilot feature.Francesco Biondi, Associate Professor, Human Systems Labs, University of WindsorLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2187692023-12-18T13:21:18Z2023-12-18T13:21:18ZA bottle of scotch recently sold for $2.7 million – what’s behind such outrageous prices?<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/565866/original/file-20231214-17-d6ucfb.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=164%2C82%2C3965%2C2734&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">In November 2023, a bottle of Macallan Scotch whisky fetched the highest price of all time for a bottle of wine or spirits.</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/news-photo/sothebys-global-head-of-spirits-jonny-fowle-poses-with-a-news-photo/1733842929?adppopup=true">Wiktor Szymanowicz/Future Publishing via Getty Images</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>When a rare bottle of Scotch whisky <a href="https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/scotch-whisky-auction-record-180983299/">sold for US$2.7 million</a> in November 2023, I was stunned, but I wasn’t surprised.</p>
<p>The whiskey market has been booming for some time.</p>
<p>Bourbon brands like Pappy Van Winkle from Buffalo Trace distillery <a href="https://www.thebourbonflight.com/why-is-pappy-van-winkle-so-expensive/">are selling for astronomical prices in the secondary market</a>. <a href="https://www.foodandwine.com/cocktails-spirits/japanese-whisky-prices">Japanese whiskies</a>, which have become popular over the past decade, <a href="https://www.vinovest.co/blog/expensive-japanese-whiskey">now fetch prices up to 50 times higher what they did a decade ago</a>.</p>
<p>And in July 2022, a single Ardbeg whisky barrel, aged since 1975, with enough liquid for about 500 bottles, <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2022/jul/09/cask-scotch-whisky-world-record-sale-ardbeg-distillery">sold at auction for around $19 million</a>. In 1997, the entire Ardbeg distillery had been purchased by Glenmorangie Distillery <a href="https://www.heraldscotland.com/news/12074010.glenmorangie-pays-7m-for-ardbeg-distillery/">for roughly $11 million</a>.</p>
<p>How could a single cask of Scotch whisky sell for nearly twice the value of an entire distillery purchased just over two decades earlier?</p>
<p><a href="https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=nghJ8UEAAAAJ&hl=en">I’ve been studying specialty markets</a> for a decade, and I see at least two stories to unpack. </p>
<p>One is economic, where items in low supply, like rare bottles or barrels, sell for high prices. And prices in the whiskey market have been rising rapidly <a href="https://nobleandcompany.com/whisky-intelligence-2023/">over the last two decades</a>, fueled in part by investors. Some investors see luxury collectibles, such as high-end whiskey bottles or casks, <a href="https://www.businessexpert.co.uk/investing/whisky-investments/">as an alternative to other assets</a> like stocks and bonds. (There are, however, signs that the luxury market <a href="https://whiskymag.com/articles/where-does-the-whisky-cask-investment-market-stand-in-2023/">is softening</a> due to oversupply.)</p>
<p>But a second, overlooked – and arguably more interesting – explanation is social. It revolves around <a href="https://press.princeton.edu/books/hardcover/9780691165493/masters-of-craft">the increasing focus on the purported authenticity of craft products</a> – especially ones like Scotch whisky, which trade on their heritage as much as their flavor.</p>
<h2>A ‘brown spirit’ boom</h2>
<p>The history of whiskey is one of booms and busts.</p>
<p>Whiskey has been produced in Scotland and Ireland <a href="https://scotchwhisky.com/magazine/latest-news/26580/earliest-whisky-still-mention-found/">since at least the late 1400s</a>. The spirit spread to the rest of Europe in the mid-to-late 1700s. The late 1800s and early 1900s were boom years, especially for Irish whiskey. The period also witnessed innovations such as aging the spirit in oak barrels, which enhances its flavor. (Scotch, Japanese, Canadian and Indian whisky is spelled without the “e,” and Irish and American whiskey is spelled with the “e.” Whiskey is the general category label.)</p>
<p>In the U.S., Prohibition <a href="https://theconversation.com/the-prohibition-era-origins-of-the-modern-craft-cocktail-movement-109623">moved distilling underground</a> until it made a midcentury comeback. Famously, the advent of “white spirits” like vodka and gin <a href="https://www.wineenthusiast.com/culture/spirits/pappy-van-winkle-expensive/">pushed down prices</a> of “brown spirits” like whiskey starting in the 1970s. This led to what Scotch distillers call the “<a href="https://www.whiskyinvestdirect.com/whisky-news/whisky-loch-092320221">whisky loch</a>,” or “lake” – the accumulation of large stores of matured whisky and the resulting shuttering of many whisky producers.</p>
<p>But whiskey has made a comeback since 2000. Prices of some bottles, including highly prized single-malt whiskies produced at a single distillery, have risen <a href="https://www.knightfrank.com/research/article/2020-04-16-knight-frank-luxury-investment-index-update-rare-whisky">by almost 600% over the last decade</a>. American bourbon has also seen a spike in interest – and prices – <a href="https://robbreport.com/food-drink/spirits/bourbon-rye-price-increase-1234790092/">since at least 2016</a>.</p>
<p>Long perceived as an inferior knockoff of Scotch whisky, Japanese whiskies have also experienced price surges. The House of Suntory, the oldest Japanese distiller, <a href="https://asia.nikkei.com/Business/Food-Beverage/Japanese-whisky-continues-to-get-pricier-amid-solid-popularity">recently announced</a> its own substantial price increases in the primary market, in some cases <a href="https://japantoday.com/category/business/suntory-announces-massive-price-spike-for-its-whisky-some-types-more-than-double-in-price">by as much as 100%</a>. And India, long the largest consumer of Scotch whisky, is also seeing its distilleries produce their own single-malt whiskies and <a href="https://www.theiwsr.com/the-volatility-of-indian-whisky-markets/">gradually move up-market</a>.</p>
<p>While these increases have largely been confined <a href="https://www.ft.com/content/541735f0-cacd-4a45-aaa6-f80933889a27">to the higher end of the market</a>, prices of affordable bottles have gone up, too.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="Man with white gloves arranges bottles of amber-colored whisky on a table." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/565870/original/file-20231214-15-tnmarg.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/565870/original/file-20231214-15-tnmarg.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/565870/original/file-20231214-15-tnmarg.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/565870/original/file-20231214-15-tnmarg.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/565870/original/file-20231214-15-tnmarg.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/565870/original/file-20231214-15-tnmarg.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/565870/original/file-20231214-15-tnmarg.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Japanese whiskies have become more popular in the 21st century.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/news-photo/jonny-fowle-sothebys-global-head-of-spirits-unveils-a-news-photo/1793160447?adppopup=true">Tristan Fewings/Getty Images</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>Craving real connections</h2>
<p>Not long after the sale of the 1926 Macallan for $2.7 million, Merriam-Webster named “<a href="https://theconversation.com/merriam-websters-word-of-the-year-authentic-reflects-growing-concerns-over-ais-ability-to-deceive-and-dehumanize-217171">authentic</a>” its 2023 word of the year.</p>
<p>The term’s popularity can be attributed to advances in artificial intelligence – and, with it, misinformation. But much of the focus on authenticity is also the result of <a href="https://www.harpercollins.com/products/the-substance-of-style-virginia-postrel">the longing for more in-person connections</a> in an increasingly virtual world. People want authentic experiences – <a href="https://doi.org/10.1287/orsc.2018.1253">or what look like authentic experiences</a>. And that includes the products that they buy.</p>
<p>Authenticity is a notoriously <a href="https://doi.org/10.1177/1089268019829469">difficult concept to define</a>. <a href="https://doi.org/10.5465/annals.2017.0047">But it tends to revolve</a> around following a set of internal or external standards. That might mean following your values or your heart in order to cultivate your best, most real or most authentic self. When it comes to products – think vintage cars, artisanal foods or craft beer – it could mean those products must meet certain criteria to be considered authentic. For example, <a href="https://eh.net/encyclopedia/a-concise-history-of-americas-brewing-industry/">according to standards defined by the microbrewery movement</a>, in order for craft beer to be considered authentic, it must be produced in-house in small batches.</p>
<p>These sorts of distinctions can be difficult for the average consumer to grasp, and authenticity can be easy to fake. The beer brand Samuel Adams, for instance, attempts to signal its authenticity by associating itself with the people, places and events of the American Revolution. But <a href="https://doi.org/10.1287/mnsc.2016.2517">the brewery also got in trouble</a> for marketing itself as a craft beer without making its beer in-house.</p>
<h2>Putting a price on authenticity</h2>
<p>Intangible qualities make whiskey special – aspects such as the aroma, or “nose”; its complexity; and its lingering flavor, or “finish.” </p>
<p>But to boost whiskey’s value, purveyors of high-end whiskey convey the product’s heritage.</p>
<p>A whiskey’s unique locale – what wine enthusiasts call “<a href="https://www.jjbuckley.com/wine-knowledge/blog/defining-what-terroir-is-for-wine/1022">terroir</a>” – matters greatly to its perceived authenticity.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="Flush young man wearing green suit jacket sniffs a glass of whiskey." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/565320/original/file-20231212-20-egifje.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/565320/original/file-20231212-20-egifje.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=461&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/565320/original/file-20231212-20-egifje.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=461&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/565320/original/file-20231212-20-egifje.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=461&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/565320/original/file-20231212-20-egifje.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=579&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/565320/original/file-20231212-20-egifje.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=579&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/565320/original/file-20231212-20-egifje.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=579&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">King Charles III – then the Prince of Wales – sniffs a glass of whisky during a 1994 visit to a distillery on the Scottish island of Islay.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/news-photo/prince-of-wales-sniffs-a-glass-of-whisky-during-a-visit-to-news-photo/830078022?adppopup=true">Chris Bacon/PA Images via Getty Images</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>During and after the whisky loch, scotch producers realized they were sitting on large stocks of unsold whisky. Much of that whisky was produced and aged <a href="https://scotchwhisky.com/magazine/ask-the-professor/20868/why-was-scotch-whisky-better-in-the-1960s/">starting in the 1960s</a>, before the advent of automation, faster distilling and new ingredients. The desire to return to those more authentic, simpler times allowed distillers to rewrite the stories of those stores.</p>
<p>Scotch whisky has a long-standing reputation as more historically significant – and, therefore, more authentic. Despite research suggesting that <a href="https://flavourjournal.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s13411-017-0056-x">even most expert judges</a> can’t distinguish different categories of whisky, a Scotch whisky bottle can sell for as much as 100 times the price of a similarly aged – and similarly complex – Canadian whisky. </p>
<p><a href="https://doi.org/10.5465/amj.2020.0017">One recent study of Canadian whisky</a> showed how distilleries can even use their physical features and local character to enhance perceptions of their spirits’ authenticity. Bottles from older distilleries were deemed more authentic – and could sell for more. Those from newer, factorylike buildings had less appeal to consumers.</p>
<p>There’s a miragelike nature to all of this. A product can be considered authentic if everyone believes and acts like it is.</p>
<p>It should come as no surprise, then, that the history of whiskey is one of perception, not necessarily quality. And this perception helps drive its economic fortunes.</p>
<p>So the next time you search for a nice bottle of whiskey for yourself or as a gift, consider the story and history that’s amplifying its price.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/218769/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Hovig Tchalian does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>The history of whiskey is one of perception, not necessarily quality.Hovig Tchalian, Assistant Professor of Entrepreneurship, University of Southern CaliforniaLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2199452023-12-17T15:33:47Z2023-12-17T15:33:47ZJames Bond and Aston Martin’s DB5: behind the scenes of one of cinema’s most successful product placements<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/566088/original/file-20231215-29-4apoeo.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=0%2C20%2C1920%2C1256&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">James Bond (Daniel Craig) behind the wheel of an Aston Martin in 'Death Can Wait'.</span> </figcaption></figure><p>Ian Fleming’s most famed character, James Bond, first graced the screen in 1962, ushering in a cinematic obsession that has grossed more than 7 billion dollars since its creation.</p>
<p>Across 26 feature-length films, the James Bond saga has evolved through the ages and met the expectations of audiences. The saga’s latest films, which introduced Daniel Craig in the lead role in 2006, marked a break with the past. The protagonist appears both more robust and more fragile, more in line with the character as sketched out in the original novel, and the tone darkens. Action and espionage remain, while drama supersedes comedy. The films presented a different narrative archetype by following a common thread, each character beginning each film with the stigma (physical and psychological) of the previous one.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/364710/original/file-20201021-21-17gh2jy.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/364710/original/file-20201021-21-17gh2jy.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=272&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/364710/original/file-20201021-21-17gh2jy.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=272&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/364710/original/file-20201021-21-17gh2jy.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=272&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/364710/original/file-20201021-21-17gh2jy.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=341&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/364710/original/file-20201021-21-17gh2jy.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=341&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/364710/original/file-20201021-21-17gh2jy.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=341&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Craig-Bond marks a break in the saga.</span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>But there is another, less discussed success that has been delighting the particular crowd of ad agencies: that of product placement. As Aston Martin’s DB5 turns 60 this year and we get ready to enjoy a 007 flick or two during the festive period, I take a look at how the Aston Martin brand has become essential to the series.</p>
<h2>Bond-Craig earns his stripes</h2>
<p>For the first time in 1964’s <em>Goldfinger</em> (Hamilton), James Bond drives an Aston Martin – model DB5 – like his literary alter ego (<em>Goldfinger</em>, Ian Fleming, 1959). The DB5 appeared in eight Bond films – <em>Goldfinger</em>, <em>Thunderball</em> (Young, 1965), <em>Golden Eye</em> (Campbell, 1995), <em>Tomorrow Never Dies</em> (Spottiswoode, 1997), <em>Casino Royale</em>, <em>Skyfall</em>, <em>Spectre</em> and <em>No Time to Die</em> – and was driven by Sean Connery, Pierce Brosnan and Daniel Craig.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/364696/original/file-20201021-17-woen08.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/364696/original/file-20201021-17-woen08.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=283&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/364696/original/file-20201021-17-woen08.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=283&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/364696/original/file-20201021-17-woen08.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=283&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/364696/original/file-20201021-17-woen08.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=355&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/364696/original/file-20201021-17-woen08.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=355&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/364696/original/file-20201021-17-woen08.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=355&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Sean Connery, <em>Goldfinger</em>, 1964.</span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>In the prologue to <em>Casino Royale</em>, the British agent enters a room reserved for casino staff – the remote surveillance area. Bond scans the hotel’s cameras for the face of his enemy, who gets out of an Aston Martin DB5. This rookie, James Bond, catches a glimpse of the car via an interposed screen.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/364697/original/file-20201021-19-1bo9e18.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/364697/original/file-20201021-19-1bo9e18.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=263&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/364697/original/file-20201021-19-1bo9e18.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=263&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/364697/original/file-20201021-19-1bo9e18.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=263&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/364697/original/file-20201021-19-1bo9e18.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=331&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/364697/original/file-20201021-19-1bo9e18.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=331&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/364697/original/file-20201021-19-1bo9e18.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=331&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">The appearance of the Aston Martin DB5 in <em>Casino Royale</em>.</span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>By placing the character in the same situation as the cinema-goer, the director distances Daniel Craig from the character of James Bond. It’s a clever <em>mise en abyme</em> to show that the actor is not yet “in the game”. Nevertheless, the agent identifies the vehicle, a “magnificent 1964 Aston Martin”, which belongs to Dimitrios, a terrorist linked to the Cipher. Later, Bond is playing poker with his enemy. Dimitrios has three kings in his hand. To keep up, he bets his Aston Martin DB5. James Bond calls and wins the game with three aces. On leaving the Casino, Bond climbs into his new car – Bond-Craig has taken possession of his Aston Martin.</p>
<figure>
<iframe width="440" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/MTfx9bqc3fw?wmode=transparent&start=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe>
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<p>In this scene, the Aston Martin is not part of the kit provided by MI6. James Bond has to fight to win the right to be behind the wheel of his character’s mythical car. It’s a strategic battle: when Daniel Craig was unveiled as the next actor to wear the Bond suit, the media focused on his physique, which is far more athletic than his predecessors. We might have expected a muscular action scene, but Martin Campbell conceives instead a scene of psychological tension. It was a poker move for the production: imposing an actor very different from Bond standards and imagination, but also for the new hero who gradually becomes the character.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/364698/original/file-20201021-23-1psm3a4.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/364698/original/file-20201021-23-1psm3a4.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=337&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/364698/original/file-20201021-23-1psm3a4.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=337&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/364698/original/file-20201021-23-1psm3a4.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=337&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/364698/original/file-20201021-23-1psm3a4.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=423&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/364698/original/file-20201021-23-1psm3a4.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=423&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/364698/original/file-20201021-23-1psm3a4.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=423&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Bond-Craig for the first time at the wheel of the Aston Martin DB5 in <em>Casino Royale</em>.</span>
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<p>The prologue scene reveals how the protagonist becomes a Double-0. In the viewer’s mind, he is not yet established as James Bond. And by getting behind the wheel of the Aston Martin DB5, Daniel Craig takes a symbolic step toward his character. This product placement <a href="https://www.editions-harmattan.fr/index.asp?navig=catalogue&obj=livre&no=39871">can be described as narrative</a>, because it is in itself a major dramatic node and launches the plot. It can also be described as qualifying, as the Aston Martin inserted represents a primordial and fundamental attribute in the construction of James Bond’s identity and his coded universe.</p>
<h2>Aston Martin breaks records</h2>
<p>As proof, having won the confidence of “M”, later in the mission MI6 entrusted him with a new car: a latest-generation Aston Martin DBS. The new model is unveiled in the film. And if the new face of Bond has to convince by outdoing himself in his role (and in the economic revenues it should generate), his car seems to be in symbiosis, because it too breaks records: the Aston Martin DBS rolls over seven times at 120 km/h, the world record for the greatest number of rolls (according to the Guinness Book). The car was crushed, but managed to protect the agent, who emerged from this impressive stunt unscathed.</p>
<p>Like the armour of a modern-day knight, the car is inseparable from 007. The DBS also features in the opening sequence of <em>Quantum of Solace</em>. Bond-Craig begins his revenge at the wheel of this powerful model in a chase that showcases the car’s performance. The agent has bonded forever with Aston Martin and continues his association, not to say partnership, in subsequent opuses.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/364699/original/file-20201021-17-17u7h8g.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/364699/original/file-20201021-17-17u7h8g.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=337&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/364699/original/file-20201021-17-17u7h8g.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=337&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/364699/original/file-20201021-17-17u7h8g.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=337&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/364699/original/file-20201021-17-17u7h8g.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=423&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/364699/original/file-20201021-17-17u7h8g.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=423&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/364699/original/file-20201021-17-17u7h8g.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=423&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">The four Aston Martin models in the film <em>Dying Can Wait</em> (scheduled for release in April 2021).</span>
</figcaption>
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<p><em>No Time to Die</em> features four Aston Martin models: the DB5, the Aston Martin V8 (similar to the one in the 1987 film <em>The Living Daylights</em>), the DBS Supperleggera (driven by the new female agent 00 Nomi) and the mid-engined Valhalla.</p>
<h2>From rupture to return to tradition</h2>
<p>Although Bond-Craig drives an Aston Martin, the staging of the product breaks with that of the previous films: the car is just a car, and for once it is not accompanied by innovative gadgets. It wasn’t until <em>Skyfall</em> that the head of MI6’s “Q” section, who supplied 007 with his famous gadgets, returned. <em>Skyfall</em>, the 50th anniversary of the franchise, sounds like a tribute to the saga: the film echoes the past while wiping the slate clean.</p>
<p>Nevertheless, it and the films that followed retained what had been achieved over the previous six years: a serious spirit and a dark tone, without denying the saga’s heritage. The film marks the return of some of the traditional elements – such as gimmicky product placements – that had disappeared from previous films starring Craig.</p>
<p>In the film, “Q” warns Bond – and the audience: “Perhaps you were expecting an explosive pen? They don’t make gadgets like that much these days…” However, the Aston Martin featured in <em>Skyfall</em> reveals its assets once more. Like the original in <em>Goldfinger</em>, it is equipped with two machine guns in the front bumper, tyre-piercing screws in the rear axles, an ejector seat for hostile passengers, a bullet-proof plate that rises up behind the rear window and a device that disperses slippery oil to lose a pursuing car. If the pen no longer explodes, the car (re)becomes a weapon like in the early days of James Bond.</p>
<figure>
<iframe width="440" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/tbtdUOmAPbo?wmode=transparent&start=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe>
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<p>In the final part of the film, Silva’s men blow up the legendary car, provoking 007’s almost irrational anger. To destroy his Aston Martin is to touch him to the core.</p>
<p>In the next film, <em>Spectre</em>, the DB5 is just a carcass before being refurbished in the workshop of “Q”. At the end of the story, Bond chooses to leave MI6 rather than Madeleine. Before bidding farewell with his new love on his arm, he picks up his 1964 Aston Martin, the “last thing” he needs. And the story between Aston Martin and 007 isn’t over, as Bond-Craig and his famous steed will be back again in <em>No Time to Die</em>.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/364700/original/file-20201021-19-1ditknx.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/364700/original/file-20201021-19-1ditknx.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=318&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/364700/original/file-20201021-19-1ditknx.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=318&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/364700/original/file-20201021-19-1ditknx.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=318&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/364700/original/file-20201021-19-1ditknx.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=399&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/364700/original/file-20201021-19-1ditknx.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=399&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/364700/original/file-20201021-19-1ditknx.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=399&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">The explosion that destroys the mythical Aston Martin DB5 in <em>Skyfall</em>.</span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>The performative effect of product placement</h2>
<p>The release of <em>No Time to Die</em> coincided with Aston Martin’s decision to resume production of the DB5 after more than 50 years. Twenty-five units were manufactured and each sold for 3 million euros. This is no ordinary DB5, but the DB5 <em>of James Bond</em>. Created in partnership with the films’ producers, EON Productions, the car is called the “DB5 Goldfinger Continuation” and features some of the gadgets used in the films: the smoke generator, rotating number plate holders, retractable bumpers and the telephone in the driver’s door.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/364701/original/file-20201021-17-i2oln7.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/364701/original/file-20201021-17-i2oln7.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=331&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/364701/original/file-20201021-17-i2oln7.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=331&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/364701/original/file-20201021-17-i2oln7.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=331&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/364701/original/file-20201021-17-i2oln7.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=416&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/364701/original/file-20201021-17-i2oln7.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=416&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/364701/original/file-20201021-17-i2oln7.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=416&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
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<span class="caption">Aston Martin relaunches production of James Bond’s DB5.</span>
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<p>Aston Martin has built up a storytelling operation over several years by placing itself at the heart of the film saga. The brand blurs the boundaries between fiction and reality, between the identity of the actor and that of the character (as in the <a href="http://www.culturepub.fr/videos/heineken-daniel-craig-vs-james-bond/">“Daniel Craig VS James Bond”</a> commercial, produced by Heineken (United States, 2020), and between the fictional car and the one sold in dealerships.</p>
<p>The “DB5 Goldfinger Continuation” gives consumers the illusion of being a super agent or, failing that, a consumer-actor. The 007 films need the brand to immortalise the character. The brand needs the films to perpetuate its prestige and the fascination it inspires. James Bond and Aston Martin, or how product placement shapes an unbreakable alliance.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/219945/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Delphine Le Nozach ne travaille pas, ne conseille pas, ne possède pas de parts, ne reçoit pas de fonds d'une organisation qui pourrait tirer profit de cet article, et n'a déclaré aucune autre affiliation que son organisme de recherche.</span></em></p>The release of “No Time to Die”, scheduled for next spring, is an opportunity to analyse the role of the Aston Martin brand and the way it contributes to the construction of the character.Delphine Le Nozach, Maître de conférences en Sciences de l'information et de la communication, Université de LorraineLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2189222023-12-01T03:04:52Z2023-12-01T03:04:52ZSocial media ads are littered with ‘green’ claims. How are we supposed to know they’re true?<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/562864/original/file-20231130-27-pt75o2.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=0%2C361%2C6884%2C3932&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/handmade-soap-toothpaste-bamboo-toothbrushes-loofah-1992456326">Yuriy Golub/Shutterstock</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>Online platforms are awash with ads for so-called “green” products. Power companies are “carbon neutral”. Electronics are “for the planet”. Clothing is “circular” and travel is “sustainable”. Or are they?</p>
<p>Our study of more than 8,000 ads served more than 20,000 times in people’s Facebook feeds found many green claims are vague, meaningless or unsubstantiated and consumers are potentially being deceived.</p>
<p>This costs consumers, as products claiming to be greener are often more expensive. And it costs the planet, as false and exaggerated green claims – or “greenwashing” – make it seem more is being done to tackle climate change and other environmental crises than is really happening. </p>
<p>The widespread use of these claims could delay important action on tackling climate change, as it dilutes the sense of urgency around the issue.</p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/greenwashing-how-ads-get-you-to-think-brands-are-greener-than-they-are-and-how-to-avoid-falling-for-it-183169">Greenwashing: how ads get you to think brands are greener than they are – and how to avoid falling for it</a>
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<h2>The colours of environmental friendliness</h2>
<p>Our research is part of a <a href="https://cprc.org.au/seeing-green">newly published report</a> produced by the not-for-profit <a href="https://cprc.org.au/">Consumer Policy Research Centre</a>, researchers at Melbourne Law School and the <a href="https://www.admscentre.org.au/adobservatory/">Australian Ad Observatory</a>, a project of ADM+S (ARC Centre of Excellence for Automated Decision-Making and Society).</p>
<p>The Ad Observatory captures ads from the personal Facebook feeds of around 2,000 people who “donate” their ads to the project via a browser plugin. This lets us analyse <a href="https://fare.org.au/wp-content/uploads/Transparency-Report.pdf">otherwise unobservable</a> and ephemeral ads. </p>
<p><iframe id="1Kt1P" class="tc-infographic-datawrapper" src="https://datawrapper.dwcdn.net/1Kt1P/1/" height="400px" width="100%" style="border: none" frameborder="0"></iframe></p>
<p>We found the most common claims were “clean”, “green” and “sustainable”. Other popular terms were “bio”, “recycled” or “recyclable”, “pure” and “eco-friendly”, often with no explanation of what lay behind them. All are very general, undefined terms, yet they imply a more environmentally responsible choice.</p>
<p>Our report didn’t verify each claim nor analysed their accuracy. We intended to highlight the volume and breadth of the green claims consumers see in social media ads.</p>
<p>Many ads used colours and symbols to put a green “halo” around their products and business. These included green, blue and earthy beige tones, background nature imagery and emojis featuring leaves, planet Earth, the recycling symbol and the green tick, often with no context or specific information.</p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/562815/original/file-20231130-17-cju8jk.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/562815/original/file-20231130-17-cju8jk.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/562815/original/file-20231130-17-cju8jk.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=428&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/562815/original/file-20231130-17-cju8jk.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=428&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/562815/original/file-20231130-17-cju8jk.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=428&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/562815/original/file-20231130-17-cju8jk.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=538&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/562815/original/file-20231130-17-cju8jk.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=538&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/562815/original/file-20231130-17-cju8jk.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=538&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
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<span class="caption">A sample of green-coloured ads collected by our Ad Observer project. The claims in these ads may well be true, but consumers often need to ‘deep dive’ to verify this information.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">CPRC, Author provided</span></span>
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<p>The top five sectors making green claims were energy, household products, fashion, health and personal care, and travel. </p>
<p>This was consistent with a <a href="https://www.accc.gov.au/media-release/accc-greenwashing-internet-sweep-unearths-widespread-concerning-claims">recent internet sweep</a> by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC), which found 57% of the business websites checked were making concerning claims. The proportion was highest among the cosmetic, clothing and footwear, and food and drink packaging sectors.</p>
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<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/562858/original/file-20231130-17-j0iuxf.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/562858/original/file-20231130-17-j0iuxf.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/562858/original/file-20231130-17-j0iuxf.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=396&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/562858/original/file-20231130-17-j0iuxf.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=396&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/562858/original/file-20231130-17-j0iuxf.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=396&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/562858/original/file-20231130-17-j0iuxf.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=497&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/562858/original/file-20231130-17-j0iuxf.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=497&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/562858/original/file-20231130-17-j0iuxf.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=497&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
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<span class="caption">Examples of blue-coloured ads. The claims in these ads may well be true, but in many cases consumers need to ‘deep dive’ to verify this information.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">CPRC, Author provided</span></span>
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<h2>Strong incentives for greenwashing</h2>
<p>Recent Consumer Policy Research Centre <a href="https://cprc.org.au/green-claims/">research shows 45% percent</a> of Australians always or often consider sustainability as part of their purchasing decision-making. At least 50% of Australians say they are worried about green claim truthfulness across every sector.</p>
<p>Given consumer concern, businesses have a strong incentive to “green” their businesses. But that comes with a strong incentive to claim more than is justified.</p>
<p>Major Australian business regulators – the ACCC and Australian Securities and Investment Commission (ASIC) – are both prioritising enforcement action against greenwashing.</p>
<p>ASIC has issued <a href="https://asic.gov.au/about-asic/news-centre/find-a-media-release/2023-releases/23-121mr-update-on-asic-s-recent-greenwashing-actions/">dozens of interventions</a> against misleading and deceptive environmental disclosures by companies and super funds. The ACCC has issued <a href="https://www.accc.gov.au/consumers/advertising-and-promotions/environmental-and-sustainability-claims">draft guidance</a> for businesses on how to avoid greenwashing when making environmental and sustainability claims.</p>
<p>A <a href="https://www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_Business/Committees/Senate/Environment_and_Communications/Greenwashing">Senate inquiry into greenwashing</a> is expected to report in mid-2024 as to whether stricter regulation is necessary to protect consumers from misleading greenwashing. </p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/airlines-are-being-hit-by-anti-greenwashing-litigation-heres-what-makes-them-perfect-targets-214501">Airlines are being hit by anti-greenwashing litigation – here's what makes them perfect targets</a>
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<h2>What is ‘sustainable’, anyway?</h2>
<p>Our research highlights the plethora of green claims businesses make in social media advertising. Consumers are forced to choose between accepting claims at face value or committing to a deep dive to research each product they buy and the claims they make.</p>
<p>Many green claims come from the energy sector, with some energy companies claiming to be “greener” without any detail. Some claim carbon offsets or carbon neutrality – <a href="https://theconversation.com/worthless-forest-carbon-offsets-risk-exacerbating-climate-change-211862">highly contested terms</a>. </p>
<p>Ads for “sustainable” travel often showed destinations emphasising a connection with nature, but did not explain what aspect of the travel was sustainable. </p>
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<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/562860/original/file-20231130-27-uh0b8n.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/562860/original/file-20231130-27-uh0b8n.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/562860/original/file-20231130-27-uh0b8n.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=141&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/562860/original/file-20231130-27-uh0b8n.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=141&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/562860/original/file-20231130-27-uh0b8n.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=141&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/562860/original/file-20231130-27-uh0b8n.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=177&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/562860/original/file-20231130-27-uh0b8n.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=177&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/562860/original/file-20231130-27-uh0b8n.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=177&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
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<span class="caption">Examples of travel ads containing ‘green’ claims. The claims in these ads may well be true, but often consumers need to ‘deep dive’ to verify this information.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">CPRC, Author provided</span></span>
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<p>One personal care brand heavily advertised its “sustainable” packaging, but the fine print showed it related only to the boxes their products are shipped in, not the actual product packaging. A claim like this can create an undeserved green halo across a whole product range. </p>
<p>Claims that products are biodegradable, compostable or recyclable can be particularly problematic, since this is often technically true yet practically difficult. Some products labelled <a href="https://theconversation.com/do-you-toss-biodegradable-plastic-in-the-compost-bin-heres-why-it-might-not-break-down-178542">biodegradable</a> may need to be taken to a specific facility, but a consumer might assume they will biodegrade in their home compost bin.</p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/do-you-toss-biodegradable-plastic-in-the-compost-bin-heres-why-it-might-not-break-down-178542">Do you toss biodegradable plastic in the compost bin? Here’s why it might not break down</a>
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<h2>What can we do?</h2>
<p>Australians cannot wait years for enforcement action against potentially misleading green claims. The economy and the digital world is moving too fast and the need for sustainability is too urgent. Governments must enact laws now to ensure green terms are clearly defined and based on the truth.</p>
<p>The European Union is currently working on a “<a href="https://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegData/etudes/BRIE/2023/753958/EPRS_BRI(2023)753958_EN.pdf">Green claims” directive</a> that seeks to ban generic claims such as “eco-friendly”, “green”, “carbon positive” and “energy efficient”. Claims would have to be specific, meaningful and based on independently verified excellent environmental performance.</p>
<p>The United Kingdom has already issued similar <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/green-claims-code-making-environmental-claims">guidance via an environmental claims code</a> and is also considering <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2023/feb/19/greenwashing-firms-face-steep-new-uk-fines-for-misleading-claims">stricter legislation</a>. </p>
<p>Australian regulators should have the power to blacklist green terms that cannot be substantiated and are inherently meaningless or misleading.</p>
<p>Some high-polluting sectors should be banned from making any kind of green claim in advertising, due to the overwhelming negative environmental impact of their business models and practices, as the EU is considering. Fossil-fuel companies, for example, should not be permitted to use green claims in marketing.</p>
<p>Australian consumers deserve green choices that are clear, comparable, meaningful and true.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/218922/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Christine Parker receives funding from the Australian Research Council as a Chief Investigator with the ARC Centre of Excellence for Automated Decision-Making and Society.</span></em></p>Many ‘green’ claims on social media ads are claims only. We need legislation to ensure green terms are clearly defined and based on the truth.Christine Parker, Professor of Law, The University of MelbourneLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2178422023-11-23T08:14:24Z2023-11-23T08:14:24ZDisinformation is part and parcel of social media’s business model, new research shows<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/561013/original/file-20231122-21-41uhqo.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=12%2C8%2C2683%2C1786&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption"></span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/es/image-photo/two-cute-beautiful-young-women-friends-295469396">fizkes/Shutterstock</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>Deceptive online content is big business. The digital advertising market is now worth <a href="https://www.statista.com/outlook/dmo/digital-advertising/worldwide#ad-spending">€625 billion</a>, and their business model is simple: more clicks, views or engagement means more money from advertisers. Incendiary, shocking content – whether it is true or not – is an easy way to get our attention, which means advertisers can end up funding <a href="https://www.propublica.org/article/google-alphabet-ads-fund-disinformation-covid-elections">fake news</a> and <a href="https://www.mediamatters.org/twitter/musk-endorses-antisemitic-conspiracy-theory-x-has-been-placing-ads-apple-bravo-ibm-oracle">hate speech</a>. </p>
<p>This is not an accident – social media platforms <a href="https://www.vice.com/en/article/8xw575/heres-how-google-sends-advertising-dollars-to-fake-news-sites">know</a> they profit from the spread of disinformation, while advertisers turn <a href="https://www.newsguardtech.com/special-reports/brands-send-billions-to-misinformation-websites-newsguard-comscore-report/">a blind eye</a>.</p>
<p>Disinformation aims to confuse, paralyse and polarise society at large for political, military, or commercial purposes through <a href="https://www.disinformationindex.org/blog/2022-06-22-disinformation-as-adversarial-narrative-conflict/">orchestrated campaigns</a> to strategically spread <a href="https://doi.org/10.1177/07439156221103852">deceptive or manipulative media content</a>. On social media, <a href="https://datasociety.net/pubs/oh/DataAndSociety_LexiconofLies.pdf">disinformation tools</a> include bots, deep fakes, fake news and conspiracy theories.</p>
<p>Up to now, most disinformation research has focused on how the system is abused by <a href="https://doi.org/10.1177/0163443716686672">national interests and authoritarian leaders</a>. My research shows that <a href="https://doi.org/10.1177/14614448231207644">disinformation is, in fact, a likely and predictable outcome</a> of this market system instead of an unforeseen consequence.</p>
<h2>A business model that rewards engagement</h2>
<p>Social media platforms were not designed to convey information, but rather for entertainment. They were designed to identify things like the most amusing cat videos, and then recommend them to people who would share them. However, marketing researchers have since found that content that evokes strong positive emotions like awe, or negative emotions like anger and anxiety, is <a href="https://doi.org/10.1509/jmr.10.0353">more likely to go viral</a>. Platforms have taken note of this and built it into their business models.</p>
<p><a href="https://doi.org/10.1177/14614448231207644">The business model of social media</a> works as follows. Platforms provide us with free “infotainment” (information and entertainment), and do everything in their power to keep us engaged. While we consume the content, the platform harvests our data, which is then processed into predictive analytics – the information that is used to target adverts. Advertisers pay for these analytics to power their targeted advertising campaigns. </p>
<p>There is a financial incentive for most platforms to maximise online engagement, which means that any content, factual or not, that receives clicks, likes and comments is highly valued. Influencers who share incendiary, controversial content can become wealthy as a result, often leading others to replicate their style. Therefore, it is unsurprising that many creators publish confrontational, simplistic and emotionally charged content with us-against-them narratives. </p>
<p>Stoking social anxieties and fuelling tribalism is also <a href="https://doi.org/10.1177/07439156221103852">how conspiracy theories circulate</a>.</p>
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Leer más:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/i-watched-hundreds-of-flat-earth-videos-to-learn-how-conspiracy-theories-spread-and-what-it-could-mean-for-fighting-disinformation-184589">I watched hundreds of flat-Earth videos to learn how conspiracy theories spread – and what it could mean for fighting disinformation</a>
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<h2>Digital marketing and disinformation</h2>
<p>Digital marketing is a commercial practice by which firms create value over the internet. It includes search optimisation, content marketing, influencers, pay-per-click adverts, affiliate programs, and ordinary advertising. Brands hire digital marketing agencies and firms known as <a href="https://www.techopedia.com/definition/31293/ad-tech">ad tech</a>, which operate the software that makes <a href="https://www.lifewire.com/ads-online-why-are-they-following-you-around-the-web-4063788">adverts follow us around the internet</a>. </p>
<p>ad tech firms <a href="https://www.bandt.com.au/how-programmatic-advertising-funds-an-increasingly-polarised-world/">operate without accountability or oversight</a>, so when a brand pays an ad tech firm to place their ads, they also outsource their responsibility. A brand might therefore unknowingly end up funding disinformation about major global events like the <a href="https://doi.org/10.1080/15252019.2023.2173991">Russia-Ukraine war</a> and the <a href="https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/11/10/tiktok-faces-renewed-calls-for-a-ban-amid-pro-hamas-anti-israel-claims">Israel-Palestine war</a>. Even after being presented with <a href="https://www.disinformationindex.org/disinfo-ads/2022-10-18-advertising-week-new-york-ad-techs-disinformation-problem/">evidence</a>, brands remain silent.</p>
<p>Influencers play an especially important role in this cutthroat digital market. Driven by the promise of advertising money they seek engagement at any cost, even going as far as promoting <a href="https://doi.org/10.1353/jod.2019.0002">content that undermines democratic institutions</a>. If an influencer has to be demonetised or banned for publishing hate speech it makes no difference to the platform, because <a href="https://www.wired.com/story/meta-is-making-millions-from-fake-accounts/">the platforms get to keep the advertising revenue</a>. </p>
<h2>Democratic governance of digital platforms</h2>
<p>Most brands do not want to be associated with hate speech and bot farms, but <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/21670811.2018.1556314">they are</a>. It is easy to look the other way in such a technically complicated market, but marketers have a responsibility. Brands become complicit by remaining silent.</p>
<p>Policymakers and activists are pushing to <a href="https://www.unesco.org/en/articles/online-disinformation-unesco-unveils-action-plan-regulate-social-media-platforms">reform digital platforms to counter disinformation</a>. Most efforts focus on content moderation and fact checking, but little attention is being paid to reforming the digital advertising market. </p>
<p>Platforms and ad tech firms must work to reform a market that profits from disinformation, though it appears they are often <a href="https://theconversation.com/how-tech-firms-have-tried-to-stop-disinformation-and-voter-intimidation-and-come-up-short-148771">unwilling or unable to lead the way</a>. </p>
<p>Brand managers can use their budgets to hold platforms accountable, especially if they act in large numbers, as demonstrated by the recent <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-67460386">X (formerly known as Twitter) ad boycott following Elon Musk’s antisemitic remarks</a>. If all else fails, <a href="https://theconversation.com/regulating-political-misinformation-isnt-easy-but-its-necessary-to-protect-democracy-216537">policymakers must step in</a> to ensure that the profits of these tech giants do not come at the cost of our democracy.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/217842/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Carlos Diaz Ruiz no recibe salario, ni ejerce labores de consultoría, ni posee acciones, ni recibe financiación de ninguna compañía u organización que pueda obtener beneficio de este artículo, y ha declarado carecer de vínculos relevantes más allá del cargo académico citado.</span></em></p>Deceptive content on social media is being monetised by digital platforms, advertisers, and influencersCarlos Diaz Ruiz, Assistant Professor, Hanken School of EconomicsLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2091162023-11-22T19:25:02Z2023-11-22T19:25:02ZOut with the old: Marketers are reinventing themselves for a more sustainable future<iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100px; border: none; position: relative; z-index: 1;" allowtransparency="" allow="clipboard-read; clipboard-write" src="https://narrations.ad-auris.com/widget/the-conversation-canada/out-with-the-old-marketers-are-reinventing-themselves-for-a-more-sustainable-future" width="100%" height="400"></iframe>
<p>With an overwhelming <a href="https://pages.sustainablebrands.com/socio-cultural-research">96 per cent of U.S. consumers</a> actively seeking ways to protect the planet, marketers are <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/jessibaker/2021/04/13/a-brave-new-marketer-rising-to-the-challenge-of-sustainability-communications/?sh=1bea73574503">no longer expected to simply sell products</a>. They are now expected to <a href="https://sustainablebrands.com/read/behavior-change/for-sustainable-behavior-change-brands-must-cut-through-the-marketing-noise-to-the-hearts-values-of-consumers">influence consumer behaviour</a> to <a href="https://hbr.org/2022/11/moving-the-needle-on-sustainability">advance sustainability goals</a>.</p>
<p>Because of their unique skill sets, marketing professionals are <a href="https://wfanet.org/leadership/planet-pledge/sustainability-2030/about">ideally positioned</a> to do this. But <a href="https://unglobalcompact.org/take-action/purpose-driven-marketing">as they have begun to embrace this responsibility</a>, they have found themselves caught between traditional marketing practices focused on profit, planned obsolescence and overconsumption, and newer approaches centred on sustainability and social impact.</p>
<p>As a result of these conflicting interests, marketers are experiencing a professional identity crisis. To delve deeper into this issue, we have been conducting interviews with marketing professionals <a href="https://commons.royalroads.ca/marketersforgood">as part of an ongoing research study</a>. </p>
<p>Our findings reveal that, in order for marketers to meet the call for <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/gregpetro/2022/03/11/consumers-demand-sustainable-products-and-shopping-formats/">brands to be more sustainable</a>, they need to reinvent themselves and their role.</p>
<h2>Something is better than nothing</h2>
<p>Many organizations are <a href="https://sloanreview.mit.edu/article/sustainability-progress-is-stalled-at-most-companies/">struggling to make significant strides</a> in their sustainability efforts, often <a href="https://hbr.org/2022/08/why-companies-arent-living-up-to-their-climate-pledges">falling short of</a> or <a href="https://fortune.com/2022/03/07/companies-broken-sustainability-promises-are-escalating-calls-for-regulation-and-legal-action/">failing to live up to their promises</a>.</p>
<p>The marketers we interviewed often found themselves in ethical dilemmas, grappling with a clash between traditional profit-driven marketing methods and newer, sustainability-focused approaches. </p>
<p>Many felt a sense of guilt and frustration, questioning whether they were truly making the right decisions. One marketer said: “Am I really doing enough? Am I taking the easiest route, or is this actually a good decision?”</p>
<p>Despite the ethical challenges, some marketers saw this morally ambiguous territory as transformative — a chance for a kind of rebirth. It allowed them to embrace the idea of choosing the next best option when the ideal was unattainable. </p>
<p>One marketer said this approach was less about whether a decision or action was good or bad from a sustainability perspective, and more about whether it was something they could personally “live with.”</p>
<p>Even if consumers did not radically change their behaviour, small, genuine successes were viewed as valuable. The key was not letting the pursuit of perfection get in the way of recognizing that small, incremental changes add up over time —a sentiment one participant said was “a good step forward.”</p>
<h2>Breaking up and breaking out</h2>
<p>Unsurprisingly, some marketers felt the old marketing practices — especially the ones that emphasized over-consumption from consumers — violated their personal values. When these practices became too incongruent with their new desired professional self, and the progress toward sustainability felt too slow, some parted ways with their employers.</p>
<p>One marketer, for instance, left to start their own business after feeling powerless to implement more sustainable practices. “I just knew there had to be a better way,” they said. Others left high-profile jobs with well-known multinational brands in an attempt to break free and reinvent themselves professionally.</p>
<p>While leaving the job was a noticeable trend, not everyone was able to do so due to financial or personal constraints. Those who remained in their roles sought alternative ways to make positive impacts. Some took leaves of absence to volunteer for social causes, while others embarked on sustainability-related educational programs.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="A woman sitting at a desk and looking out a window with a serious expression on her face." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/558728/original/file-20231109-25-3nh7ee.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/558728/original/file-20231109-25-3nh7ee.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/558728/original/file-20231109-25-3nh7ee.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/558728/original/file-20231109-25-3nh7ee.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/558728/original/file-20231109-25-3nh7ee.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/558728/original/file-20231109-25-3nh7ee.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/558728/original/file-20231109-25-3nh7ee.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Many of the marketers interviewed felt their personal values were being violated as a result of old marketing practices driving hyper-consumption.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">(Shutterstock)</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Those that were unable to leave their positions looked for ways to find greater meaning in their work by taking on sustainability-related projects in their spare time. Tapping into peer support through professional sustainability related communities, like <a href="https://sustainablebrands.com/events">Sustainable Brands</a>, became a vital lifeline. </p>
<p>As one marketer said: “Seeing what everyone is doing, being a part of others making change is very inspiring.” By joining like-minded communities outside their respective organizations, these marketers were able to recharge, get support and find allies in pursuit of new professional identities.</p>
<p>Regardless of whether participants moved on from their positions or found fulfilment on the side, one thing was clear: marketers felt there was a need to break up with the old to embrace new relationships and ways of doing.</p>
<h2>A seat at the table</h2>
<p>While there was a clear propensity among the marketers in our study to leave jobs or opportunities that were no longer beneficial, they often viewed complex or controversial situations as creative opportunities.</p>
<p>Their optimism was rooted in what respondents called having “a seat at the table.” There was widespread agreement that having a seat at the corporate table allowed them to drive and influence change. The personal agency derived from actively contributing to solutions, even during tough times or when dealing with ethically challenging situations, was meaningful in and of itself. </p>
<p>As one young marketer said: “It is my job to figure out how to do good in the world.” A senior marketer shared a similar sense of personal agency and hope: “We can combine our professional aspirations with something that we also believe in.” Another senior marketer added that “using my powers for good instead of evil, being part of the solution, feels good.”</p>
<p>Despite feelings like not enough was being done in the short term, the marketers remained optimistic about the role of sustainability — even in the most ethically complex industries such as oil and gas, tobacco and gaming. As one respondent said, “in the long run, [your actions] will bring you positive change.”</p>
<p>Even while facing monumental challenges, the marketers in our study exhibited grit and determination as they worked to carve out a place in the business world dedicated to those committed to doing good.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/209116/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>Marketers are caught between using traditional marketing practices focused on profit, planned obsolescence and overconsumption, and newer approaches centred on sustainability and social impact.Ingrid Kajzer Mitchell, Associate Professor, School of Business, Royal Roads UniversityKarly Nygaard-Petersen, Doctoral Candidate, School of Business, Royal Roads UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2148272023-11-17T13:28:35Z2023-11-17T13:28:35Z5 marketing lessons from the Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce romance<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/558651/original/file-20231109-21-nq5bse.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=0%2C28%2C4785%2C2529&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">The stands at Kansas City Chiefs games look different than they used to.</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/news-photo/fans-hold-up-placards-referring-to-taylor-swifts-boyfriend-news-photo/1764920016">Kirill Kudryavtsev/AFP/Getty Images</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>What happens when you unite the biggest pop star in the world and a two-time Super Bowl champion? A whole lot of excitement, as the romance of Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce has shown. But amid all the <a href="https://people.com/taylor-swift-supporting-travis-kelce-at-kansas-city-chiefs-games-pictures-8357398">cheering</a>, canoodling and <a href="https://people.com/taylor-swift-liked-people-instagram-post-about-travis-kelce-amid-romance-8387691">Instagram flirting</a>, the situation lends some useful insights into marketing – and as an <a href="https://www.clemson.edu/business/about/profiles/aschein">expert in sports marketing</a>, I know that this is a topic worth focusing on. Here are five lessons the NFL and other experiential marketers can consider to enhance their brands and reputation.</p>
<p><strong>1) “<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e-ORhEE9VVg">Blank Space</a>”: Embrace audience expansion</strong></p>
<blockquote>“Cause you know I love the players … And you love the game!” – “Blank Space,” 2014</blockquote>
<p>Great entertainment marketers know how to fill a blank space. And Swift has given the NFL a unique opportunity to expand its appeal to a demographic – young women – that may not have been interested in football before. Swifties, as Swift’s fans are known, are eager to see the pop icon embrace being in love. So whenever she visits a stadium to cheer on her new lover, Kansas City Chiefs star tight end Kelce – which she has done four times in the past two months and <a href="https://www.kansascity.com/news/local/article281904423.html">may well do again soon</a> – a media frenzy follows. </p>
<p>While serious football fans want the focus to stay on football, the NFL is smart to capitalize on this opportunity. After all, Swift is a mega-popular star: She has more charted songs (212), top-10 hits (42) and No. 1 song debuts (five) on the <a href="https://www.billboard.com/lists/taylor-swift-hot-100-billboard-200-chart-records-broken/">Billboard Top 100</a> than any other female musician in history.</p>
<p>The Chiefs remain known for their winning ways and star power, and they’re still drawing – and satisfying – their traditional fans. Yet Swift’s presence has brought a more playful tone to the games. The ordinarily serious Chiefs coach Andy Reid has <a href="https://www.billboard.com/music/music-news/andy-reid-setting-up-taylor-swift-travis-kelce-joke-1235447334/">taken to joking</a> about the pair (“I set them up”), while memes about Swift having to leave the stadium <a href="https://www.tmz.com/2023/09/25/taylor-swift-travis-kelce-popcorn-machine-suite-swifties-fan-theory/">in a popcorn machine</a> are a next-level combination of participatory pop culture, celebrity and sports.</p>
<p>Audience expansion is an effective tactic for businesses, as long as marketers don’t alienate old fans by opening up to new ones. And so far, this is paying off for the NFL: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/taylor-swift-travis-kelce-nfl-jersey-sales-game-fanatics-merchandise-2023-">Ratings soar</a> when Swift attends a game, and Kelce <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/taylor-swift-travis-kelce-nfl-jersey-sales-game-fanatics-merchandise-2023-9">jersey sales</a> have also skyrocketed. This new interest in the sport is welcome, especially since NFL television ratings among <a href="https://www.sportsmediawatch.com/nfl-tv-ratings-viewership-2023/">18- to 35-year-olds</a> had previously shown some declines.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="Taylor Swift and Donna Kelce both wear red in support of the Kansas City Chiefs as they watch the first half of an FNL game from a box seat." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/551553/original/file-20231002-16-eiap6r.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=5%2C5%2C3518%2C2340&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/551553/original/file-20231002-16-eiap6r.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/551553/original/file-20231002-16-eiap6r.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/551553/original/file-20231002-16-eiap6r.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/551553/original/file-20231002-16-eiap6r.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/551553/original/file-20231002-16-eiap6r.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/551553/original/file-20231002-16-eiap6r.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Taylor Swift cheers from a suite with Travis Kelce’s mother, Donna Kelce, as the Kansas City Chiefs play the Chicago Bears on Sept. 24, 2023.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/news-photo/taylor-swift-cheers-from-a-suite-with-donna-kelce-as-the-news-photo/1687517675">Cooper Neill/Getty Images</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p><strong>2) “<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IdneKLhsWOQ">Wildest Dreams</a>”: Capitalize on the many motivations for fandom</strong></p>
<blockquote>“Say you’ll see me again/Even if it’s just in your wildest dreams.” – “Wildest Dreams,” 2014</blockquote>
<p>An entertainment or sports marketer’s wildest dream is to be able to bring in all sorts of fans and deliver on their personal reasons for being there. That’s why marketers are wise to think about “psychographics” in addition to demographic appeals. This means that instead of just segmenting audiences by demographic – such as younger women or college students – marketers tailor their appeals to lifestyles, interests, activities and the way consumers think. </p>
<p>My co-authored research shows that <a href="https://doi.org/10.2501/S0021849906060430">engaged sports fans</a> are motivated by psychological desires such as escape and building self-esteem – everyone wants to be associated with a winner – as well as social motives such as wanting to strengthen in-group bonds and participate in traditions and rituals. </p>
<p>Football is known for intense strategies, masculine bravado and violent hits. So the Swift crossover gives NFL sport marketers an opportunity to attract new fans with different motivations. A good example is when the NFL changed its X (formerly Twitter) bio to <a href="https://theathletic.com/4909874/2023/10/01/taylor-swift-travis-kelce-nfl-jets-chiefs/">“NFL (Taylor’s version)”</a> – a nod to Swiftie in-group identity and humor. New fans who are drawn in by such appeals may become more serious about the sport later.</p>
<p><strong>3) “<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VuNIsY6JdUw">You Belong With Me</a>”: Let consumers feel like they belong</strong></p>
<blockquote>“If you could see that I’m the one who understands you, been here all along so, why can’t you see? You belong with me.” – “You Belong With Me,” 2008</blockquote>
<p>When it comes to sports, and especially football, some people think that the game isn’t for them. The NFL and the Chiefs now have a unique opportunity to leverage sudden interest from a group of people not known for being football superfans. But to convert them into regular viewers, they’ll need to make sure the newcomers feel a sense of belonging.</p>
<p>A subtle example of this sort of outreach happened when the Chiefs used social media to <a href="https://twitter.com/Chiefs/status/1706044628787462409?lang=en">welcome Swift</a> – and by extension, her loyal fans – to “Chiefs Kingdom.” Similarly, the league has made it abundantly clear that Swifties are <a href="https://theathletic.com/4909874/2023/10/01/taylor-swift-travis-kelce-nfl-jets-chiefs/">welcome in the stands</a>, even if a small yet loud cohort of NFL fans would <a href="https://theathletic.com/4924355/2023/10/03/nfl-taylor-swift-fans-chiefs/">rather they stay away</a>. This open-mindedness is good for business. </p>
<p><strong>4) “<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8xg3vE8Ie_E">Love Story</a>”: Leverage human co–branding and appeals to fun and fantasy</strong></p>
<blockquote>“You’ll be the prince, and I’ll be the princess/It’s a love story, baby, just say yes.” – “Love Story,” 2008 </blockquote>
<p>I study <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11747-010-0221-6">human brands</a> – the people, well known or emerging, who are the subject of marketing, interpersonal or interorganizational communications. In this age of social media, human branding has never been more important. Having a strong personal brand is associated with more endorsements, Google searches, merchandise sales and ticket sales. So Swift and Kelce are reaping the benefits of <a href="https://www.investopedia.com/terms/c/cobranding.asp">human co-branding</a>. </p>
<p>What makes these particular human brands so compelling? Many Swifties are invested in Taylor’s romantic life and are cheering for her to find love and one day pick out a white dress. This interest and fantasy takes the form of a parasocial – or one-sided – relationship, where one party invests emotional energy and time, while the other person is unaware of the first person’s existence. While these can potentially become harmful, in most cases <a href="https://doi.org/10.1080/00913367.2022.2066034">parasocial interactions</a> are a source of escape, fun and fantasy. </p>
<p>In an era of negative news and doomscrolling, a story that’s fun and entertaining can be powerful. And research in our advertising and branding book shows that sport marketers are eager to <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Advertising-Integrated-Promotion-Angeline-Scheinbaum/dp/0357721403">capitalize on positive appeals</a>.</p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/559721/original/file-20231115-29-lderl2.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="A football fan wearing a Chiefs jersey holds a handmade sign that says " src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/559721/original/file-20231115-29-lderl2.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/559721/original/file-20231115-29-lderl2.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=399&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/559721/original/file-20231115-29-lderl2.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=399&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/559721/original/file-20231115-29-lderl2.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=399&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/559721/original/file-20231115-29-lderl2.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=502&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/559721/original/file-20231115-29-lderl2.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=502&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/559721/original/file-20231115-29-lderl2.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=502&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">A Taylor Swift fan holds a sign in the stands of the Chiefs-Minnesota Vikings game on Oct. 8, 2023. The game was held in Minneapolis, more than a thousand miles from Boston.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/news-photo/kansas-city-chiefs-fan-holds-up-a-sign-in-reference-to-news-photo/1724636637">Stephen Maturen/Getty Images</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p><strong>5) “<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=osdoLjUNFnA">Exile</a>”: Don’t just think locally</strong></p>
<blockquote>“You’re not my homeland anymore/So what am I defending now?” – “Exile,” 2020</blockquote>
<p>A final insight for brands and marketers is to not be constrained by geography. With digital commerce and social media, researchers have become increasingly interested in “faraway fans” who travel long distances to events. In a recent study about professional cycling fanship in sporting-event sponsorship, my colleagues and I found that sport event attendees that traveled from farther away <a href="https://doi.org/10.2501/JAR-2022-001">were more invested</a> in the event and more willing to buy merchandise. This has big implications for new fans who may travel to Kansas City to catch a glimpse of Taylor Swift. </p>
<p>The Swift/Kelce relationship and the NFL’s highlighting of it is one example of why it is important not to be hemmed in by geography. As one cardboard sign at a recent Chiefs game in Kansas City proclaimed, “I traveled here to see Taylor Swift!”</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/214827/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Angeline Close Scheinbaum does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>Of course the NFL is embracing Taylor Swift.Angeline Close Scheinbaum, Dan Duncan Endowed Professor of Sports Marketing.Associate Professor of Marketing, Clemson UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2165382023-11-14T19:06:51Z2023-11-14T19:06:51ZPromotional techniques on junk food packaging are a problem for children’s health – Australia could do better<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/559011/original/file-20231113-17-hr031k.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=0%2C0%2C6000%2C3988&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/little-girl-talking-her-mother-while-2279180177">Drazen Zigic/Shutterstock</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>Too many <a href="https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports/food-nutrition/nutrition-across-the-life-stages/summary">Australian children</a> are eating diets high in added sugars, saturated fats, salt, energy and ultra-processed foods. And often they’re <a href="https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports/food-nutrition/poor-diet/contents/poor-diet-in-children">not getting enough</a> fruits, vegetables and wholegrains.</p>
<p>A <a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3383750/pdf/pmed.1001235.pdf">key driver</a> of unhealthy diets among Australian children is that unhealthy foods and drinks are ever-present and aggressively marketed. </p>
<p>In a <a href="https://doi.org/10.1017/S136898002300215X">new study</a>, we looked at how manufacturers are targeting Australian children with marketing techniques on the packaging of unhealthy foods. We found widespread, unregulated use of promotional techniques, like cartoon characters, that directly appeal to children.</p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/social-media-platforms-need-to-do-more-to-stop-junk-food-marketers-targeting-children-140772">Social media platforms need to do more to stop junk food marketers targeting children</a>
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<h2>Children are vulnerable to food marketing</h2>
<p>There’s <a href="https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240041783">strong evidence</a> food marketing works. When children are exposed to food marketing, such as in ads on social media or on TV, it <a href="https://ajph.aphapublications.org/doi/10.2105/AJPH.2014.302476?url_ver=Z39.88-2003&rfr_id=ori%3Arid%3Acrossref.org&rfr_dat=cr_pub++0pubmed">increases brand awareness</a>, results in positive brand attitudes, and leads to increased purchase and consumption of marketed products.</p>
<p>Even very young children are affected. For example, there’s <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/book/9780750683357/on-becoming-a-consumer#book-description">evidence</a> kids as young as 18 months can recognise corporate labels, at 20 months can associate items with brand names, at two years old can make consumer choices, and by two to three can draw brand logos.</p>
<p>The way food packaging is designed can also have an <a href="https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/public-health-nutrition/article/food-packaging-the-medium-is-the-message/49759049CB7B1B426878F8E6C6872025">important influence</a> on what people buy and consume.</p>
<p>The use of techniques such as cartoon and movie characters, gifts, games and contests on product packs <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27998695/">has been shown</a> to encourage children to think of these products as tasty, more fun and more appropriate for them. </p>
<p>Kids’ <a href="https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/00070700410528772/full/html">vulnerability to food marketing</a> leaves parents having to juggle competing desires and demands. The concept of “<a href="https://oro.open.ac.uk/9382/">pester power</a>” recognises the power children have in <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4359675/">influencing purchasing decisions</a>.</p>
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<h2>Our study</h2>
<p>We analysed the packages of around 8,000 Australian foods and drinks across a range of categories. These included biscuits, confectionery, breakfast cereals, non-alcoholic drinks, dairy, snack foods, and foods for infants and young children.</p>
<p>We assessed the number of products carrying child-directed promotional techniques on the pack, and grouped the techniques into two major categories:</p>
<ol>
<li><p>“child-directed characters”, including branded or licensed cartoon characters, children or child-like figures, personified characters (for example, spoons with faces) and celebrities that appeal to children</p></li>
<li><p>“non-character-based elements”, including gifts, games and contests that appealed to kids, unconventional packaging, or product names that specifically reference children (for example, “kids bar”). </p></li>
</ol>
<p>We then assessed the healthiness of products that used child-directed promotional techniques on the pack.</p>
<h2>What we found</h2>
<p>Some 901 out of 8,006 (11.3%) products had one or more child-directed promotional technique on the pack. Promotions were most common on foods for infants and young children, confectionery, snack foods, and dairy.</p>
<p>Child-directed characters were twice as common as non-character-based elements. Personified characters were the most popular tactic.</p>
<p>We found the vast majority of products using child-directed promotional techniques on their packaging were unhealthy. Some 81% of the child-directed marketing was on ultra-processed products, and the average health star rating of the products with child-directed marketing was 2.34 (out of 5).</p>
<h2>How are other countries managing this issue?</h2>
<p>To protect children’s health, the World Health Organization <a href="https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240075412">recommends</a> governments implement policies to restrict children’s exposure to the marketing of unhealthy foods and drinks across a wide range of media.</p>
<p>In line with those recommendations, several countries have rules in place that ban child-directed promotions on food packaging.</p>
<p>For example, in <a href="https://www.leychile.cl/Navegar?idNorma=1041570">Chile</a> and <a href="https://dof.gob.mx/2020/SEECO/NOM_051.pdf">Mexico</a>, legislation prohibits the use of child-directed promotions on packaging of products that are high in ingredients such as sugar and salt. These bans are part of <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30549191/">broader efforts</a> to address unhealthy diets.</p>
<p>If Australia adopted similar legislation to Mexico, 95.5% of the products in our study with child-directed promotions would have to remove them from the pack.</p>
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<img alt="Two children having cereal." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/559014/original/file-20231113-15-hr031k.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/559014/original/file-20231113-15-hr031k.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=338&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/559014/original/file-20231113-15-hr031k.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=338&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/559014/original/file-20231113-15-hr031k.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=338&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/559014/original/file-20231113-15-hr031k.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=424&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/559014/original/file-20231113-15-hr031k.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=424&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/559014/original/file-20231113-15-hr031k.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=424&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
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<span class="caption">Children are vulnerable to marketing on food packaging.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/two-adorable-little-children-pouring-chocolate-1882757692">BAZA Production/Shutterstock</a></span>
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<h2>What regulations does Australia have in place?</h2>
<p>In Australia, there are <a href="https://www.obesityevidencehub.org.au/collections/prevention/australias-system-of-regulation">some limited government regulations</a> that restrict some unhealthy food advertising on free-to-air television during dedicated children’s programs.</p>
<p>There are also a range of <a href="https://aana.com.au/self-regulation/codes-guidelines/food-and-beverages-code/">voluntary guidelines</a> developed by the food and advertising industries that restrict some types of food advertising. </p>
<p>But public health experts <a href="https://www.foodforhealthalliance.org.au/downloads/Research/OPC-Overbranded-Underprotected.pdf">have criticised</a> these voluntary codes for being weak and ineffective. They also exclude product packaging.</p>
<p>If Australia is serious about improving children’s health, stronger regulation of child-directed promotional techniques on the packaging of unhealthy foods is warranted.</p>
<h2>What changes are needed?</h2>
<p>Australia could draw inspiration from Chile and Mexico, which have integrated marketing restrictions with their front-of-pack labelling policies.</p>
<p>In Australia, a similar approach would mean foods that score below a threshold health star rating (say less than 3.5 out of 5) would not be able to use child-directed promotions on the pack. For this to operate effectively, the <a href="http://www.healthstarrating.gov.au/internet/healthstarrating/publishing.nsf/Content/About-health-stars">health star rating system</a>, which is currently voluntary, would need to be made mandatory on all packs.</p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/is-it-finally-time-to-ban-junk-food-advertising-a-new-bill-could-improve-kids-health-207906">Is it finally time to ban junk food advertising? A new bill could improve kids' health</a>
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<p>In the short term, it’s worth noting nearly two-thirds of products using child-directed promotions in our analysis were made by just 15 manufacturers. This offers some potential for action targeting specific manufacturers to request they voluntarily stop using such tactics on unhealthy foods. </p>
<p>This may be particularly fruitful for Australia’s large supermarket chains, given international examples where this has worked. <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-50985554">Lidl in the UK</a> removed cartoon characters from a selection of its own-brand cereals, for instance.</p>
<p>However, given the likely reality that most manufacturers won’t voluntarily abandon the revenue they gain from marketing to children in this way, government regulations are likely to be necessary to drive meaningful and sustained change.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/216538/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Gary Sacks receives funding from the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC), Australian Research Council (ARC), and the National Heart Foundation of Australia.</span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Alexandra Jones receives funding from the National Health and Medical Research Council. She has also received recent funding from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation for work on nutrition labelling.</span></em></p>Our new study analysed the packages of around 8,000 food and drink products to understand the marketing techniques used.Gary Sacks, Professor of Public Health Policy, Deakin UniversityAlexandra Jones, Senior Research Fellow (Food Policy and Law), George Institute for Global HealthLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2173692023-11-10T00:27:54Z2023-11-10T00:27:54ZPerth’s Optus Stadium has drawn more consumer anger after the outage. Another case of the ‘stadium curse’?<p>Looming over the Swan River in Perth, a shiny sporting structure boldly declares “OPTUS STADIUM Yes”. After the disastrously prolonged communication <a href="https://www.reuters.com/technology/australias-optus-hit-by-national-network-outage-2023-11-07/">outage</a> this week, many will have <a href="https://twitter.com/richo3000/status/1722197742360117639">shouted</a> “No”, or other words requiring asterisks in respectable media. </p>
<p>Sport stadium naming rights are controversial at the best of times – so why do corporates pay so much for them? And what are the risks?</p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/in-a-crisis-optus-appears-to-be-ignoring-communications-101-217265">In a crisis, Optus appears to be ignoring Communications 101</a>
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<h2>Collateral damage</h2>
<p>Optus bought the ten-year rights from the Western Australian government in 2017 for a reported <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-11-08/how-the-optus-perth-stadium-naming-rights-deal-stacks-up/9130838">A$50 million</a>. </p>
<p>This week’s public relations disaster stands in stark contrast to the company’s optimistic <a href="https://www.optus.com.au/about/media-centre/media-releases/2017/11/optus-says-yes-to-naming-rights-for-new-world-class-perth-stadium">announcement</a> that year, celebrating “a combination of mobile network expansion, coupled with game-changing entertainment experiences for events at the new Optus Stadium”. </p>
<p>Instead, the arrangement has become a <a href="https://twitter.com/KevinDubicki/status/1722110610174095541">focus</a> of consumer anger towards the company, with the sport site suffering collateral damage. </p>
<p>The game has indeed changed, but not in the desired direction.</p>
<h2>Named and shamed</h2>
<p>From the outset, Perth Lord Mayor Basil Zempilas <a href="https://www.watoday.com.au/politics/western-australia/zak-to-the-future-liberals-exhume-perth-stadium-naming-rights-debate-20210208-p570n3.html">objected</a> to the erasure of Perth from the stadium’s title. </p>
<p>Instead of anchoring the stadium to place for global marketing purposes, he argued, it could be anywhere in the world. </p>
<p>Optus’s troubles this week gave him a <a href="https://twitter.com/BasilZempilas/status/1722079543526392167">free kick</a> on X (formerly Twitter), where he said:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>The Optus Stadium naming rights arrangement never looks good on days like this. Bad decision any day – terrible look today.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Given the risks of such associations, why are businesses attracted to having their names and logos mounted on sports infrastructure? </p>
<p>Ever since <a href="https://www.bloomsburycollections.com/monograph?docid=b-9781849661577">sport and media</a> converged, corporate brands joined the party. </p>
<p>It should be a fairly straightforward exchange – sport receives money and kudos, sponsors get profile and assumed good will. This is why companies advertise on sport clothing and equipment. </p>
<p>Stadium naming rights, though, make brands even more prominent by imprinting themselves on the cathedrals of sport.</p>
<p>But in the middle of a corporate crisis, reputations can be reduced to rubble. </p>
<p>Sydney’s newly rebuilt <a href="https://commbankstadium.com.au/">Commbank Stadium</a> was hardly the best advertisement for rugby league in Parramatta during the <a href="https://www.royalcommission.gov.au/banking">Royal Commission into Misconduct in the Banking, Superannuation and Financial Services Industry</a>, for example.</p>
<p>Self-inflicted brand casualty <a href="https://www.thenewdaily.com.au/finance/finance-news/2023/09/01/qantas-turnaround-week-from-hell">Qantas</a> previously had naming rights over the Sydney Entertainment Centre, which was known as the <a href="https://www.eventfinda.com.au/venue/sydney-entertainment-centre-darling-harbour">Qantas Credit Union Arena</a>. Once home of the Sydney Kings and Sydney Uni Flames basketball teams, the venue was eventually demolished. </p>
<p>After its recent PR disasters, it seems unlikely Qantas would be rushing to get its name all over big venues again. It could, as in the Optus case, end up serving as a costly, flashing focal point for consumer rage.</p>
<h2>The stadium curse?</h2>
<p>Some analysts have <a href="https://nzfc.ac.nz/archives/2003/pdf/Maberly_Pierce_Vornik.pdf">argued</a> acquiring sport stadium naming rights is a sign of corporate indulgence, frequently indicating a company is in decline. </p>
<p>Others have called it the “<a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2010/01/20/The-Stadium-Curse:-Naming-Deals-Gone-Bust.html">stadium curse</a>” or “<a href="https://www.tampabay.com/archive/2001/12/25/the-stadium-jinx/">stadium jinx</a>”, whereby stadium naming rights are mysteriously associated with corporate peril, even collapse.</p>
<p>Yet, despite these anxieties, sport stadia have no lack of big-time suitors in pursuit of prestige signage. Entry to this club takes a <a href="https://www.austadiums.com/stadiums/naming-rights">lot of capital</a>, which is why banks, insurance companies, car manufacturers, hoteliers, communication conglomerates, entertainment companies and airlines predominate. </p>
<p>The likes of Melbourne’s AAMI Park and Kia Arena, or Brisbane’s Suncorp Stadium, are conspicuous examples of the corporate love affair with sporting real estate.</p>
<p>Smaller venues like PointsBet Stadium (Cronulla) and BlueBet Stadium (Penrith) are named after sport gambling companies, especially in association with <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/sport/nrl/nrl-clubs-brace-for-multimillion-dollar-hit-from-new-gambling-ad-bans-20231030-p5eg5a.html">rugby league</a>. Here, physical spaces are used to attract customers to “punt” online. </p>
<p>This <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/14413523.2023.2260079#:%7E:text=The%20integration%20of%20gambling%20cultures,connections%20between%20the%20two%20activities.">gamblification of sport</a> is unpopular among <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-06-28/online-gambling-advertising-sports-broadcasts-computer-games/102531432">citizens and politicians</a> who are troubled by the cultivation of children and the malign social impact on vulnerable adults.</p>
<p>Traditionalist fans also <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/256195592_Fans'_Resistance_to_Naming_Right_Sponsorships_-_Why_Stadium_Names_Remain_the_Same_for_Fans">resent</a> the names of their hallowed stadium being hawked around the marketplace and switched with the latest contract.</p>
<p>Confusingly, Melbourne’s Disney-themed Marvel Stadium has also been known as Colonial Stadium, Telstra Dome and Etihad Stadium in the last two decades.</p>
<p>For this reason, the Melbourne Cricket Ground, Adelaide Oval and the Sydney Cricket Ground have all resisted commercial naming rights. </p>
<p>Accor Stadium in Sydney is still often called Stadium Australia by the historically inclined and ABC broadcasters concerned about their <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/edpols/12-commercial-references/13644020">editorial independence and integrity</a>.</p>
<h2>Aversion to a rival team’s sponsor</h2>
<p>Stadium naming is a conspicuous means of marking sports territory, but fans may even feel an aversion to a rival team’s sponsor in the highly partisan world of sport. </p>
<p>Marketing scholars have developed the concept of <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11002-017-9441-6">oppositional loyalty</a> to capture this antagonism of sport fans to the products and services associated with “the enemy”. </p>
<p>So branding a home stadium might turn both diehard fans and their fiercest opponents off the company paying so much for the naming rights.</p>
<p>Nonetheless, the association of sports, sponsors and grand buildings has enduring appeal. </p>
<p>The Sydney Opera House may not be a sport stadium as such, but it does <a href="https://www.fifa.com/tournaments/womens/womensworldcup/australia-new-zealand2023/news/five-more-fifa-legends-to-grace-the-sydney-opera-house-forecourt">host sport events</a>. </p>
<p>Its famous sails are coveted by many sports, especially horse racing, to the <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2018/oct/09/sydney-opera-house-racing-ad-disrupted-as-protesters-shine-torches-on-sails">chagrin</a> of those who protest “our house is not for sale”. </p>
<p>On the other side of the continent, Optus Stadium would likely just settle for a full house with a functioning communications network.</p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/the-sydney-olympics-how-did-the-best-games-ever-change-australia-145926">The Sydney Olympics: How did the 'best games ever' change Australia?</a>
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<img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/217369/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>David Rowe does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>Stadium naming rights are controversial at the best of times, so why do companies pay so much for them?David Rowe, Emeritus Professor of Cultural Research, Institute for Culture and Society, Western Sydney UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.