Beyond Endorsements: How Celebrity Creative Directors Influence Consumers’ Attitudes toward the Advertisement

Many marketers are beginning to expand the roles that celebrities play in support of brands. Connections now go beyond the typical endorsement relationship to include employing celebrities as Creative Directors. It is imperative to understand the implications of these new relationships, as they may have different outcomes for the brand. Relying on research from the brand alliance literature, theories on the associative network model of memory, and cultural transfer of meaning, we suggest that hiring celebrities to act in the capacity of Creative Directors may have additional positive ramifications for the brand that go beyond simply utilizing celebrities as brand endorsers. Theoretically, this research extends our understanding of how consumers react to the varied roles celebrities might assume in support of a brand. Two studies are presented. The first shows that expanding the celebrity role to Creative Director, as opposed to merely an endorser, can have positive implications for the brand. This study also investigates the mediating potential of consumer perceptions of the celebrity’s expertise. The second study expands upon the first by identifying the moderating impact of consumer skepticism toward advertising. Specifically, our results suggest that when celebrities are given the title of Creative Director (as opposed to endorser), perceptions of celebrity expertise increase, leading to correspondingly more positive attitudes toward an advertisement containing the celebrity and the brand. Further, the present research expands the literature to show that skepticism toward advertising moderates the relationship between the role that a celebrity plays in regard to a brand and consumer perceptions of celebrity expertise. Theoretical and managerial implications of these results are considered and ideas for future research are presented

Simulations of the angular dependence of the dipole-dipole interaction among Rydberg atoms

The dipole-dipole interaction between two Rydberg atoms depends on the relative orientation of the atoms and on the change in the magnetic quantum number. We simulate the effect of this anisotropy on the energy transport in an amorphous many atom system subject to a homogeneous applied electric field. We consider two experimentally feasible geometries and find that the effects should be measurable in current generation imaging experiments. In both geometries atoms of $p$ character are localized to a small region of space which is immersed in a larger region that is filled with atoms of $s$ character. Energy transfer due to the dipole-dipole interaction can lead to a spread of $p$ character into the region initially occupied by $s$ atoms. Over long timescales the energy transport is confined to the volume near the border of the $p$ region which is suggestive of Anderson localization. We calculate a correlation length of 6.3~$\mu$m for one particular geometry.Comment: 6 pages, 5 figures, revised draf

The Role of Response Efficacy and Risk Aversion in Promoting Compliance During Crisis

This research examines consumers\u27 compliance with behaviors that focus on preventing the spread of COVID‐19. Drawing on Protection Motivation Theory and research on efficacy, we find that, during a pandemic, consumers who have higher perceptions of response efficacy are less likely to engage in risky consumption behaviors (Study 1) and more likely to engage in protective consumption behaviors (Study 2). This effect is moderated by risk aversion, such that as risk aversion increases, COVID‐compliant behaviors increase even when consumers do not believe in their ability to effectuate change. Further, the relationship between response efficacy and COVID‐compliant behaviors is mediated by anticipated guilt. Importantly, these constructs are relevant beyond the COVID‐19 pandemic. As situations like drought, rising sea levels, and infectious diseases persist, consumers will continually be asked to sacrifice for their own wellbeing and the wellbeing of others. Thus, we discuss implications for policymakers

How Social Media Influencer Collaborations are Percieved by Consumers

Within the social media community, influencers engage in a variety of collaborative practices such as tagging, reposting content from, or forming partnerships with other influencers and brands. While such collaborative efforts are a known practice, less is understood about how influencer collaborations affect consumers\u27 perceptions of the partnering influencers, specifically when a status differential exists within the collaboration. We suggest that such collaborative practices, specifically those where the focal influencer has a higher status than the collaborating partner, may help to weaken consumers\u27 perceptions that the influencer\u27s actions are purely self‐focused. A pilot study, analyzing both influencer–influencer collaborations and influencer–brand collaborations, provides evidence that influencers engage in collaborations with other influencers and brands of different status levels. Two studies then support our theorizing that influencers who collaborate with lower‐status influencers are perceived as less self‐serving and more altruistic, while influencers who collaborate with lower‐status brands are only perceived as less self‐serving. This suggests that, for influencers who desire to enhance how consumers perceive them, an effective strategy is to engage in collaborations with either a lower‐status influencer or brand

Effect of adding the novel fiber, PGX®, to commonly consumed foods on glycemic response, glycemic index and GRIP: a simple and effective strategy for reducing post prandial blood glucose levels - a randomized, controlled trial

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Reductions in postprandial glycemia have been demonstrated previously with the addition of the novel viscous polysaccharide (NVP), PolyGlycopleX^®(PGX^®), to an OGTT or white bread. This study explores whether these reductions are sustained when NVP is added to a range of commonly consumed foods or incorporated into a breakfast cereal.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Ten healthy subjects (4M, 6F; age 37.3 ± 3.6 y; BMI 23.8 ± 1.3 kg/m²), participated in an acute, randomized controlled trial. The glycemic response to cornflakes, rice, yogurt, and a frozen dinner with and without 5 g of NVP sprinkled onto the food was determined. In addition, 3 granolas with different levels of NVP and 3 control white breads and one white bread and milk were also consumed. All meals contained 50 g of available carbohydrate. Capillary blood samples were taken fasting and at 15, 30, 45, 60, 90 and 120 min after the start of the meal. The glycemic index (GI) and the glycemic reduction index potential (GRIP) were calculated. The blood glucose concentrations at each time and the iAUC values were subjected to repeated-measures analysis of variance (ANOVA) examining for the effect of test meal. After demonstration of significant heterogeneity, differences between individual means was assessed using GLM ANOVA with Tukey test to adjust for multiple comparisons.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Addition of NVP reduced blood glucose response irrespective of food or dose (p < 0.01). The GI of cornflakes, cornflakes+NVP, rice, rice+NVP, yogurt, yogurt+NVP, turkey dinner, and turkey dinner+NVP were 83 ± 8, 58 ± 7, 82 ± 8, 45 ± 4, 44 ± 4, 38 ± 3, 55 ± 5 and 41 ± 4, respectively. The GI of the control granola, and granolas with 2.5 and 5 g of NVP were 64 ± 6, 33 ± 5, and 22 ± 3 respectively. GRIP was 6.8 ± 0.9 units per/g of NVP.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Sprinkling or incorporation of NVP into a variety of different foods is highly effective in reducing postprandial glycemia and lowering the GI of a food.</p> <p>Clinical Trial registration</p> <p>NCT00935350.</p

Cortical cells are altered by factors including bone morphogenetic protein released from a placental barrier model under altered oxygenation

Episodes of hypoxia and hypoxia/reoxygenation during foetal development have been associated with increased risk of neurodevelopmental conditions presenting in later life. The mechanism for this is not understood; however, several authors have suggested that the placenta plays an important role. Previously we found both placentas from a maternal hypoxia model and pre-eclamptic placentas from patients release factors lead to a loss of dendrite complexity in rodent neurons. Here to further explore the nature and origin of these secretions we exposed a simple in vitro model of the placental barrier, consisting of a barrier of human cytotrophoblasts, to hypoxia or hypoxia/reoxygenation. We then exposed cortical cultures from embryonic rat brains to the conditioned media (CM) from below these exposed barriers and examined changes in cell morphology, number, and receptor presentation. The barriers released factors that reduced dendrite and astrocyte process lengths, decreased GABAB1 staining, and increased astrocyte number. The changes in astrocytes required the presence of neurons and were prevented by inhibition of the SMAD pathway and by neutralising Bone Morphogenetic Proteins (BMPs) 2/4. Barriers exposed to hypoxia/reoxygenation also released factors that reduced dendrite lengths but increased GABAB1 staining. Both oxygen changes caused barriers to release factors that decreased GluN1, GABAAα1 staining and increased GluN3a staining. We find that hypoxia in particular will elicit the release of factors that increase astrocyte number and decrease process length as well as causing changes in the intensity of glutamate and GABA receptor staining. There is some evidence that BMPs are released and contribute to these changes

Facing the Facets: No Association Between Dispositional Mindfulness Facets and Positive Momentary Stress Responses During Active Stressors

Mindfulness has been associated with enhanced coping with stress. However, it remains unclear how dispositional mindfulness impacts the nature and valence of experiences during active stressors. Across 1,001 total participants, we used cardiovascular responses from the biopsychosocial model of challenge/threat to assess the degree to which individuals cared about a stressor in the moment and had a positive versus negative psychological experience. Although we found a small association between mindfulness—particularly the acting with awareness facet—and responses consistent with caring more about the stressor(i.e., greater task engagement), we found no evidence that mindfulness was associated with exhibiting a more positive psychological response (i.e., greater challenge)during the stressor. Despite no differences in the valence of momentary experiences as a function of mindfulness, individuals higher in mindfulness self-reported more positive experiences afterward. These findings suggest that dispositional mindfulness may benefit responses to active stressors only after they have passed

Population connectivity predicts vulnerability to white-nose syndrome in the Chilean myotis (Myotis chiloensis) - A genomics approach

Despite its peculiar distribution, the biology of the southernmost bat species in the world, the Chilean myotis (Myotis chiloensis), has garnered little attention so far. The species has a north-south distribution of c. 2800 km, mostly on the eastern side of the Andes mountain range. Use of extended torpor occurs in the southernmost portion of the range, putting the species at risk of bat white-nose syndrome, a fungal disease responsible for massive population declines in North American bats. Here, we examined how geographic distance and topology would be reflected in the population structure of M. chiloensis along the majority of its range using a double digestion RAD-seq method. We sampled 66 individuals across the species range and discovered pronounced isolation-by-distance. Furthermore, and surprisingly, we found higher degrees of heterozygosity in the southernmost populations compared to the north. A coalescence analysis revealed that our populations may still not have reached secondary contact after the Last Glacial Maximum. As for the potential spread of pathogens, such as the fungus causing WNS, connectivity among populations was noticeably low, especially between the southern hibernatory populations in the Magallanes and Tierra del Fuego, and more northerly populations. This suggests the probability of geographic spread of the disease from the north through bat-to-bat contact to susceptible populations is low. The study presents a rare case of defined population structure in a bat species and warrants further research on the underlying factors contributing to this. See the graphical abstract here.Peer reviewe

Detection of Microbial Translocation in HIV and SIV Infection Using the Limulus Amebocyte Lysate Assay is Masked by Serum and Plasma

Objective: Microbial translocation (MT) is thought to be a major contributor to the pathogenesis of HIV-related immune activation, and circulating lipopolysaccharide (LPS) from Gram-negative bacteria is the principle measurement of this process. However, related research has been impeded by inconsistent LPS test results. Methods: Specimens were obtained from HIV-infected adults enrolled in the PEARLS study (ACTG A5175) and HIV-HCV co-infected participants enrolled in a study of liver disease staging using MRI elastography. Pig-tailed macaque specimens were obtained from SIV-infected and –uninfected animals. Samples were tested for LPS using the LAL assay with diazo-coupling modifications to improve sensitive detection. Results: When exogenous LPS was added to macaque plasma, >25% inhibition of LPS detection was found in 10/10 (100%) samples at 20% plasma concentration compared to control; in contrast 5/10 (50%) samples at 2% plasma concentration (p = 0.07) and 0/10 (0%) at 0.1% plasma concentration (p = 0.004) showed >25% inhibition of LPS detection. Similarly, when LPS was added to human serum, >25% inhibition of LPS detection was found in 5/12 (42%) of samples at 2% serum concentration compared to control, while 0/12 (0%) of samples in 0.1% serum showed >25% inhibition of LPS detection (p = 0.07). Likewise, LPS detection in human sera without exogenous LPS was improved by dilution: LPS was detected in 2/12 (17%) human samples in 2% serum, ranging from 3,436–4,736 pg/mL, compared to 9/12 (75%) samples in 0.1% serum, ranging from 123 pg/mL –60,131 pg/mL (p = 0.016). In a separate validation cohort of HIV-HCV co-infected participants sampled at two different times on the same day, LPS measured in 0.2% plasma and with diazo-coupling was closely correlated between the first and second samples (R = 0.66, p<0.05). Conclusions: Undiluted serum and plasma mask LPS detection. The extent of MT may be substantially underestimated

The Diboson Excess: Experimental Situation and Classification of Explanations; A Les Houches Pre-Proceeding

We examine the `diboson' excess at $\sim 2$ TeV seen by the LHC experiments in various channels. We provide a comparison of the excess significances as a function of the mass of the tentative resonance and give the signal cross sections needed to explain the excesses. We also present a survey of available theoretical explanations of the resonance, classified in three main approaches. Beyond that, we discuss methods to verify the anomaly, determining the major properties of the various surpluses and exploring how different models can be discriminated. Finally, we give a tabular summary of the numerous explanations, presenting their main phenomenological features.Comment: 37 pages, 9 Figures, 1 Tabl