Consumption-related values and product placement: The effect of cultivating fashion consciousness on the appeal of brands in reality television

By 2003, Baylor University\u27s forensic science program had grown by ten times the 1999 intake and other universities across the US were scrambling to create forensic science courses to cater for new student demand (Johnston 2003). The reason? Since it aired on the 6th of October 2000, Crime Scene Investigation (CSI), a television (TV) series, had stimulated enormous interest in forensics and the science of solving crime. So much so that it was affecting student choice and behavior. These types of TV inspired phenomenon are not uncommon. Although much of the evidence is anecdotal, there are many instances where very specific consumption trends have been fueled by television programs. The Biggest Loser has generated an interest in boot camps, American Idol has created a resurgence of karaoke games and various home improvement programs have inspired their audience to renovate. These trends have become more acute with recent reality and lifestyle television focusing on particular behaviors that transform the real people on their programs. This paper examines how the cultivation of relevant consumption values generates these trends through increasing the viewer\u27s desire for associated products and brands integrated within TV programs. Specifically, this longitudinal study explores the cultivation of fashion consciousness and its impact on the desire for brands that are implicitly endorsed within reality television programming. © 2012

Consumer socialisation in a marketer-sponsored edutainment centre

© 2016, © Emerald Group Publishing Limited. Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to investigate a marketer-sponsored edutainment centre as a consumer socialisation agent by examining effects on preference for the sponsor brands and the degree of socialisation children experience. Design/methodology/approach: Interviews were undertaken with 16 children in their analytical stage of development as well as one of their parents immediately prior, immediately after, and one week following a part-day visit to the heavily branded edutainment centre Kidzania. Findings: Results suggest that children did experience consumer socialisation. There was a movement in brand preferences towards the sponsored brands. The children also demonstrated advances in transaction knowledge. Specifically, significant increases were found in product and brand knowledge, shopping scripts and retail knowledge, with some children moving beyond perceptual and analytical thought and demonstrating reflective thought. In contrast, most children did not demonstrate an analytical level of advertising and persuasion knowledge. Research limitations/implications: Findings are constrained by the children’s specific experiences and the aptitude of both the children as interviewees and the parents as observers/interpreters. Although delayed measures were used this does not necessarily confirm permanency of the effects. Originality/value: This is the first study to date to examine a marketer-sponsored edutainment centre as a socialisation agent. Specifically, the study contributes to the understanding of this new, participatory form of marketing communications by demonstrating its value in achieving brand objectives while fostering the consumer socialisation of children

Beyond the obvious: Facets of diversity in marketing student groups

© Springer Science+Business Media Singapore 2016. Student cohorts at higher education institutions worldwide are more diverse than ever due to international student mobility and a greater inclusion of previously underrepresented groups within the higher education system. Despite the potential effects of diversity on student academic performance and wellbeing, related studies have commonly been limited by a focus on cultural diversity. To better understand the importance of cultural diversity, we expand the literature by exploring various types of diversity simultaneously. A two-step research process, including a series of in-depth interviews and a survey, was used to examine the extent to which different dimensions of diversity, including characteristics brought to the group (language skills, academic goals and extroversion) and those that emerge during the group process (external commitments, commitment to task and adherence to rules), can influence the students’ satisfaction with the process and satisfaction with the outcome. Furthermore, bi-directionality of communication and information-sharing emerge as processes that mediate the influence of diversity, in particular influencing the effect of differences in academic goals and differences in language skills, on group satisfaction with the process and outcome respectively. Implications for marketers are provided

The Impact of Mass and Active Shooting Incidents on Residential Real Estate Values

Gun control as a response to gun violence is currently at the forefront of political debate in the United States. The foundation of this paper revolves around crime and real estate supported by background literature detailing external effects on real estate prices to set up the framework for the research on mass shootings and residential real estate values. The findings in this paper are based on 73 events involving mass shootings in the United States from 1996 to 2015. I find that the effect of mass shooting events plays a significant role in the decline in real estate values following a mass shooting event in areas near the shooting event. Interestingly, this response is otherwise not supported by probability data as death by mass shooting is highly unlikely. The resulting economic changes are meaningful, suggesting between a 15%-20% decline in residential real estate prices within a three-year period around a mass shooting location

Do We Trust in AI? Role of Anthropomorphism and Intelligence

© 2020 International Association for Computer Information Systems. AI applications are radically transforming the manner in which service providers and consumers interact. We explore how the humanness of AI applications affects consumers’ trust in these applications. Qualitative evidence collected with focus groups provides fresh insights into the roles of anthropomorphism and intelligence, as key constructs representing humanness. Our findings reveal the consumers’ perspective on the nuances of these constructs pertaining to services enabled by AI applications. It also extends current understanding of the phenomenon of the “uncanny valley,” by identifying conditions under which consumers experience discomfort and uneasiness as AI humanness increases in service environments

MATERIALISM AND UAE NATIONALS

Amongst examined populations, research has found materialistic values to be empirically associated with lower levels of life satisfaction. While the causes of materialistic values are plentiful, extant research suggests that a primary driver is the rapid urbanization and commercialization of a society, with youth being more susceptible. The dramatic transformation of the UAE over the past four decades, coupled with the relatively young population, increases the likelihood that materialistic values have been cultivated among the population. This study sheds light on the interesting but under researched case of materialism in the UAE. A self-report survey measured the materialism and life satisfaction levels of 210 UAE residents (80 nationals and 130 non-nationals). Materialistic values were found to be negatively correlated with life satisfaction amongst our sample. In addition, UAE nationals reported significantly higher levels of materialism than non-national residents. To uncover the causes and consequences of high levels of materialism amongst UAE nationals, four focus groups and 25 in-depth interviews were conducted. Five major consequences of materialistic values were revealed: 1) the development of an increasingly competitive and narcissistic society, 2) the development of a more judgmental and less accepting society, 3) the use of consumption as a tool to boost confidence and self-esteem, 4) an increase in family conflicts and the delaying of marriage, and 5) a lack of savings and an increase in debt. The primary causes of materialistic values were: 1) the rapid development and commercialization of the UAE, 2) the consequences of materialism propagating the values in a self-perpetuating cycle, 3) narcissism and competition on social media, 4) Emirati values of generosity, hospitality, perfection and pride, and 5) parenting and youths lack of financial responsibilities. To advance life satisfaction levels within the UAE population, we propose that policy makers implement awareness campaigns, educational programs, and legislation to reduce the current levels of materialism

To Vax or Not to Vax: Predictors of Anti-Vax Attitudes and COVID-19 Vaccine Hesitancy Prior to Widespread Vaccine Availability

The novel coronavirus (COVID-19) is a highly contagious disease responsible for millions of deaths worldwide. Effective vaccines against COVID-19 are now available, however, an extreme form of vaccine hesitancy known as anti-vax attitudes challenge vaccine acceptance and distribution efforts. To understand these anti-vax attitudes and their associated psychological characteristics, we examined several predictors of vaccine hesitancy for COVID-19 and anti-vax attitudes generally. We surveyed 1004 adults (M = 47.0 years, SD = 17.1 years, range 18–98 years) in September-October 2020 across the United States (51% female, 49% male; 76.5% White, 23.5% non-White), prior to widespread availability of the COVID-19 vaccines. Attitudes toward vaccinations were influenced by a variety of factors, especially political attitudes. We should therefore anticipate and attempt to mitigate these challenges to achieving widespread vaccination to reduce the spread of COVID-19 and other communicable diseases

Pre-existing virus-specific CD8+ T-cells provide protection against pneumovirus-induced disease in mice

Pneumoviruses such as pneumonia virus of mice (PVM), bovine respiratory syncytial virus (bRSV) or human (h)RSV are closely related pneumoviruses that cause severe respiratory disease in their respective hosts. It is well-known that T-cell responses are essential in pneumovirus clearance, but pneumovirus-specific T-cell responses also are important mediators of severe immunopathology. In this study we determined whether memory- or pre-existing, transferred virus-specific CD8 + T-cells provide protection against PVM-induced disease. We show that during infection with a sublethal dose of PVM, both natural killer (NK) cells and CD8 + T-cells expand relatively late. Induction of CD8 + T-cell memory against a single CD8 + T-cell epitope, by dendritic cell (DC)-peptide immunization, leads to partial protection against PVM challenge and prevents Th2 differentiation of PVM-induced CD4 T-cells. In addition, adoptively transferred PVM-specific CD8 + T-cells, covering the entire PVM-specific CD8 + T-cell repertoire, provide partial protection from PVM-induced disease. From these data we infer that antigen-specific memory CD8 + T-cells offer significant protection to PVM-induced disease. Thus, CD8 + T-cells, despite being a major cause of PVM-associated pathology during primary infection, may offer promising targets of a protective pneumovirus vaccine