Adaptive Choice-based Conjoint Analysis Research Articles

Crossing incentive alignment and adaptive designs in choice-based conjoint: A fruitful endeavor

AbstractChoice-based conjoint (CBC) analysis features prominently in market research to predict consumer purchases. This study focuses on two principles that seek to enhance CBC: incentive alignment and adaptive choice-based conjoint (ACBC) analysis. While these principles have individually demonstrated their ability to improve the forecasting accuracy of CBC, no research has yet evaluated both simultaneously. The present study fills this gap by drawing on two lab and two online experiments. On the one hand, results reveal that incentive-aligned CBC and hypothetical ACBC predict comparatively well. On the other hand, ACBC offers a more efficient cost-per-information ratio in studies with a high sample size. Moreover, the newly introduced incentive-aligned ACBC achieves the best predictions but has the longest interview time. Based on our studies, we help market researchers decide whether to apply incentive alignment, ACBC, or both. Finally, we provide a tutorial to analyze ACBC datasets using open-source software (R/Stan).

Academic success is in the eye of the beholder: understanding scholars’ implicit appointment preferences through adaptive choice-based conjoint analysis

Because scholarly performance is multidimensional, many different criteria may influence appointment decisions. Previous studies on appointment preferences do not reveal the underlying process on how appointment committee members consider and weigh up different criteria when they evaluate candidates. To identify scholars’ implicit appointment preferences, we used adaptive choice-based conjoint analysis (ACBC), which is able to capture the non-compensatory process of complex decisions like personnel selection. Junior and senior scholars (N = 681) from different countries and types of higher education institutions took part in a hypothetical appointment procedure. A two-step segmentation analysis based on unsupervised and supervised learning revealed three distinct patterns of appointment preferences. More specifically, scholars differ in the appointment criteria they prefer to use, that is, they make different trade-offs when they evaluate candidates who fulfill some but not all of their expectations. The most important variable for predicting scholars’ preferences is the country in which he or she is currently living. Other important predictors of appointment preferences were, for example, scholars’ self-reported research performance and whether they work at a doctorate-granting or not-doctorate-granting higher education institution. A comparison of scholars’ implicit and explicit preferences yielded considerable discrepancies. Through the lens of cognitive bias theory, we contribute to the extension of the literature on professorial appointments by an implicit process perspective and provide insights for scholars and higher education institutions.

Patient Preferences for Postmastectomy Breast Reconstruction

Up to 40% of women experience dissatisfaction after breast reconstruction due to unexpected outcomes that are poorly aligned with personal preferences. Identifying what attributes patients value when considering surgery could improve shared decision-making. Adaptive choice-based conjoint (ACBC) analysis can elicit individual-level treatment preferences. To identify which attributes of breast reconstruction are most important to women considering surgery and to describe how these attributes differ by those who prefer flap vs implant reconstruction. This web-based, cross-sectional study was conducted from March 1, 2022, to January 31, 2023, at Duke University and between June 1 and December 31, 2022, through the Love Research Army with ACBC analysis. Participants were 105 women at Duke University with a new diagnosis of or genetic predisposition to breast cancer who were considering mastectomy with reconstruction and 301 women with a history of breast cancer or a genetic predisposition as identified through the Love Research Army registry. Relative importance scores, part-worth utility values, and maximum acceptable risks were estimated. Overall, 406 women (105 from Duke University [mean (SD) age, 46.3 (10.5) years] and 301 from the Love Research Army registry [mean (SD) age, 59.2 (11.9) years]) participated. The attribute considered most important was the risk of abdominal morbidity (mean [SD] relative importance [RI], 28% [11%]), followed by chance of major complications (RI, 25% [10%]), number of additional operations (RI, 23% [12%]), appearance of the breasts (RI, 13% [12%]), and recovery time (RI, 11% [7%]). Most participants (344 [85%]) preferred implant-based reconstruction; these participants cared most about abdominal morbidity (mean [SD] RI, 30% [11%]), followed by the risk of complications (mean [SD], RI, 26% [11%]) and additional operations (mean [SD] RI, 21% [12%]). In contrast, participants who preferred flap reconstruction cared most about additional operations (mean [SD] RI, 31% [15%]), appearance of the breasts (mean [SD] RI, 27% [16%]), and risk of complications (mean [SD] RI, 18% [6%]). Factors independently associated with choosing flap reconstruction included being married (odds ratio [OR], 2.30 [95% CI, 1.04-5.08]; P = .04) and higher educational level (college education; OR, 2.43 [95% CI, 1.01-5.86]; P = .048), while having an income level of greater than $75 000 was associated with a decreased likelihood of choosing the flap profile (OR, 0.45 [95% CI, 0.21-0.97]; P = .01). Respondents who preferred flap appearance were willing to accept a mean (SD) increase of 14.9% (2.2%) chance of abdominal morbidity (n = 113) or 6.4% (4.8%) chance of complications (n = 115). This study provides information on how women value different aspects of their care when making decisions for breast reconstruction. Future studies should assess how decision aids that elicit individual-level preferences can help tailor patient-physician discussions to focus preoperative counseling on factors that matter most to each patient and ultimately improve patient-centered care.

The Role of Web-Based Adaptive Choice-Based Conjoint Analysis Technology in Eliciting Patients’ Preferences for Osteoarthritis Treatment

To assess the feasibility of using adaptive choice-based conjoint (ACBC) analysis to elicit patients' preferences for pharmacological treatment of osteoarthritis (OA), patients' satisfaction with completing the ACBC questionnaire, and factors associated with questionnaire completion time. Adult patients aged 18 years and older with a medical diagnosis of OA, experiencing joint pain in the past 12 months, and living in the Northeast of England participated in the study. The participants completed a web-based ACBC questionnaire about their preferences regarding pharmaceutical treatment for OA using a touchscreen laptop independently, and accordingly, the questionnaire completion time was measured. Moreover, the participants completed a pen-and-paper feedback form about their experience in completing the ACBC questionnaire. Twenty participants aged 40 years and older, 65% females, 75% had knee OA, and suffering from OA for more than 5 years participated in the study. About 60% of participants reported completing a computerized questionnaire in the past. About 85% of participants believed that the ACBC task helped them in making decisions regarding their OA medications, and 95% agreed or strongly agreed that they would be happy to complete a similar ACBC questionnaire in the future. The average questionnaire completion time was 16 min (range 10-24 min). The main factors associated with longer questionnaire completion time were older age, never using a computer in the past, and no previous experience in completing a questionnaire. The ACBC analysis is a feasible and efficient method to elicit patients' preferences for pharmacological treatment of OA, which could be used in clinical settings to facilitate shared decision-making and patient-centered care. The ACBC questionnaire completion consumes a significantly longer time for elderly participants, who never used a computer, and never completed any questionnaire previously. Therefore, the contribution of patients and public involvement (PPI) group in the development of the ACBC questionnaire could facilitate participants' understanding and satisfaction with the task. Future research including patients with different chronic conditions may provide more useful information about the efficiency of ACBC analysis in eliciting patients' preferences for osteoarthritis treatment.

Sharing the benefits: How different dimensions contribute to value creation and capture

Research on value creation and capture in business-to-business (B2B) relationships has not compared the effects or trade-offs among different benefit dimensions perceived by the buyer. Using an Adaptive Choice-Based Conjoint analysis conducted with 152 purchasing managers, we investigated the relative value created by seven dimensions, and how they affect value capture. Our findings confirm that benefit dimensions have potential to create value, as indicated in the extant literature. Additionally, the experimental method allowed to identify the non-linear nature of value creation as the attribute level of each benefit dimension changes. Four dimensions showed a convex shape, with decreasing utility levels to higher attribute levels, and one dimension showed a concave shape with increasing utility levels to higher attribute levels. We also found that benefits value potential depends on decision makers priorities, the extend by which it is operationally close, and if it can be objectively measured. Finally, we suggest that benefit dimensions may be interchangeable because they may be inter-related. The study brings strong implications for managers, as it shows that their value propositions may be more effective by positioning some benefits at intermediate, and not above market levels.

Consumer preferences for circular outdoor sporting goods: An Adaptive Choice-Based Conjoint analysis among residents of European outdoor markets

Since 2015, the concept of a Circular Economy (CE) has been gaining attention within the field of corporate sustainability including the textile sector. Further, CE related literature often mentions single actors from the Outdoor Sporting Goods Industry (OSGI) as forerunners. However, an analysis of users’ acceptance of circular outdoor products is so far missing in that literature. Thus, this study aimed to analyse if outdoor sporting goods users value circular product attributes using an Adaptive Choice-Based Conjoint analysis. The conjoint data from 1012 respondents, resident in important European outdoor markets, show that functional product attributes as well as social sustainability are more important for the purchase choice than circular product attributes while product durability and the share of recycled material used in the product are the most relevant circular attributes. Further, environmental awareness (strong influence), gender and age (weak influence) moderate the preference for functionality rather than circularity: environmentally aware, young, or female users are comparatively receptive to circular product features. As the study relates these findings to previous research and discusses practical implications, it adds an OSGI-specific perspective to the literature on consumer acceptance of circular products and thereby gives action recommendations to industry managers.

The choice between business travel and video conferencing after COVID-19 – Insights from a choice experiment among frequent travelers

COVID-19 has accelerated the substitution of videoconferencing for business travel. However, little research exists about the decision-making behavior of business travelers considering virtual alternatives. We fill this gap by reconceptualizing the decision-making process and investigating the fundamental choice between face-to-face (FtF) and virtual communication (VC) using an adaptive choice-based conjoint analysis. We argue that the process of decision making of business travelers is distinct to that of leisure travelers, as the fundamental decision between FtF and VC occurs prior to subsequent travel decisions. We show that the purpose of the meeting, the character of the message, and the location of the meeting are the decision attributes of greatest importance. Using a novel methodology we present a holistic decision model that increases the theoretical understanding of business traveler decision-making and provide practitioners with comprehensive insights relevant to travel policy development, and executives in the business travel market with guidance with management decisions.

Identifying participants' preferences for modifiable chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy prevention clinical trial factors: an adaptive choice-based conjoint analysis.

There are no recommended treatments for chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN) prevention. Recruitment to CIPN prevention clinical trials is challenging because it is difficult to enroll patients between the time of cancer diagnosis and the initiation of neurotoxic chemotherapy. The purpose of this exploratory-sequential mixed-methods study was to determine patients' preferences that could affect the choice to participate in CIPN prevention clinical trials. First, twenty cognitive interviews were conducted with adults who completed less than three neurotoxic chemotherapy infusions to clarify clinical trial attributes and levels thought to be important to patients when deciding whether to enroll in CIPN prevention trials (i.e., type of treatment, clinical tests, reimbursement, survey delivery; length of visits, timing of follow-up, when to begin treatment). Second, another eighty-eight patients completed an adaptive choice-based conjoint analysis survey that incorporated the finalized attributes and levels. Each level was assigned a part-worth utility score using Hierarchical Bayes Estimation. The relative importance of each attribute was calculated. The attributes with the highest relative importance values were type of treatment (27.1%) and length of study visits (20.2%). The preferred levels included non-medicine treatment (53.49%), beginning treatment after experiencing CIPN (60.47%), email surveys (63.95%), assessments that include surveys and clinical exams (39.53%), under 30-min visits (44.19%), $50/week reimbursement (39.53%), and 1-month post-chemotherapy follow-up visits (32.56%). Patients' preferences for participation may be included in the design of future CIPN prevention clinical trials to potentially bolster study enrollment.

Judicial Philosophy and the Public’s Support for Courts

How do Americans’ preferences over judicial philosophy influence their support for judges and judicial decisions? Using an experiment attached to an adaptive choice-based conjoint analysis, we find that people hold preferences over judicial philosophies, that they rely on those preferences to evaluate judges and decisions, and that those preferences are not simply stand-ins for ideology and partisanship. These findings suggest that to understand people’s support for judges and judicial decisions one must pay attention to judicial philosophy.

Privacy vs. Security: Trade-Offs in the Acceptance of Smart Technologies for Aging-in-Place

Smart technologies for aging-in-place address the desire of older adults to live at home independently. Concurrently, they can support the challenged healthcare systems in times of demographic change. Much has already been understood about which factors influence the technology acceptance by future users. Thereby, privacy concerns have been highlighted as a decisive barrier. However, less is yet known about how acceptance is influenced: the central workings of acceptance genesis, the weighing between barriers and benefits and resulting trade-offs have only been focused in very few studies. To gain a deeper understanding of the weighing and trade-offs between privacy barriers and security benefits, an Adaptive Choice-Based Conjoint analysis was carried out using the example of emergency detection technologies (n = 274). The results indicate that if smart technologies offer life-saving security benefits in situations of need, privacy concerns are outweighed. The most important factor for the acceptance decision is the reliability followed by the fall risk. Privacy-related aspects were less important for acceptance decisions. Additionally, the study reveals important data on preferences for system characteristics as well as acceptance thresholds—non-negotiable no-go’s or must-haves. This information helps to understand users’ desires in order to tailor smart technologies to their specific needs.

The Importance of Sustainability Aspects When Purchasing Online: Comparing Generation X and Generation Z

As research on sustainability orientation across generations is still sparse, we contribute to literature by enriching this research field, focusing on Generation Z (‘Zers’) and X (‘Xers’). Moreover, no other study has analyzed cross-generational differences in the sustainability context by making use of choice experiments, which overcome issues related to (Likert) scale item investigations, and allow respondents to evaluate the trade-off between different purchase factors simultaneously. We thus applied one of the most recent advancements in choice experiments, named Adaptive Choice-Based Conjoint analysis, which appears to be more realistic than previous alternatives. The results indicate Zers consume more sustainably (inter alia higher importance of social labels; higher purchase likelihood) when shopping online; however, differences within each generation were uncovered, especially among Xers (e.g., gender differences regarding importance of price).

What residents of potential Olympic cities want: using conjoint analysis to deal with dominant and heterogeneous preferences

ABSTRACT Understanding residents’ preferences for mega-sports events is a hot topic in tourism and event research. Thus far, most studies have assumed homogeneous preferences, and linear utility additivity of all event attributes when measuring residents’ support. This study uses an adaptive choice-based conjoint analysis combined with hierarchical Bayesian estimation. In contrast to previous research, the method considers the entire spectrum of residents’ preferences at the individual level and identifies non-substitutable dominant preferences (must-haves and unacceptables). A survey with 687 residents was conducted in Tyrol, an Austrian state with a remarkable Olympic tradition. The findings of this study extend the current literature by showing that the usually applied assumptions (homogeneous and linear additive substitutable preferences) are violated with substantial consequences. A simulation allows transforming the survey results into hypothetical referendum support rates for different feasible concepts of the Olympic Games.

Preferences for Long-Acting and Alternative Modalities for PrEP among Military Men Who Have Sex with Men: Segmentation Results of an Adaptive Choice-Based Conjoint Analysis Study

The use of pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) for HIV prevention within the U.S. military is low. Implementing preference-based alternative modalities of PrEP delivery, however, can be an innovative strategy to address the specific barriers to PrEP uptake among military MSM. We sought to identify population-based, segment-specific preferences for longer-acting and alternative PrEP delivery modalities to guide patient-centered strategies to optimize uptake within military-serving healthcare systems. HIV-negative military men who have sex with men (MSM) completed an anonymous, adaptive choice-based conjoint (ACBC) analysis survey consisting of five key attributes of interest (dosing method, provider type, visit location, lab work evaluation location, and dispensing venue). Relative importance and part-worth utility scores were generated using Hierarchical Bayes (HB) estimation, and cluster ensemble analysis grouped participants into “phenotype” segments by preference similarity. The randomized first-choice model was then used to examine changes in program interest rates among segments through market simulation. The 429 participants were segmented into five preference groups. The dosing method attribute was found to be the most important to nearly all segments. Simulations revealed that PrEP program interest among two segments with low interest levels increased when smartphone, civilian-based, and long-acting injectable PrEP options were involved. Findings also suggested a need for clinics to be responsive and sensitive to sexual practices, risk perception, and functional PrEP knowledge. Responsiveness to segment-specific preferences in the design of military PrEP programs and acting on the importance of clinical relationships within the context of PrEP engagement within a military setting may contribute to increasing PrEP uptake.

Consumer understanding and evaluation of carbon-neutral electric vehicle charging services

Electricity from renewable and/or nuclear sources (“carbon–neutral electricity”) can be used for charging plug-in electric vehicles in order to significantly reduce their lifecycle carbon emissions. However, little is known about how carbon–neutral charging services (CNCS) for electric vehicles must be designed to attract consumers’ interest. Therefore, we conducted a survey including an Adaptive Choice-based Conjoint Analysis to investigate private consumers’ awareness and preferences for different service attributes of CNCS, specifically the energy source, regionality of generation, additionality, balancing period, charging flexibility, and price. The online survey in Germany of 510 private consumers who were interested in electric vehicles shows that awareness is highest for the energy source and regionality. Behind price, these are also the second and third most important attributes when choosing a CNCS. Even though, on average, there seems to be a link between the awareness for an attribute, its importance and consumers’ willingness to pay, this link proves to be non-significant for individual respondents. In conclusion, providers of CNCS could prominently advertise the attributes consumers are most aware of (i.e., the energy source and regionality of generation). Explaining the less-known, and therefore deemed unimportant, attributes (i.e., additionality, balancing period, and charging flexibility) to consumers could be difficult and costly for providers. From a system perspective, however, more convincing explanation efforts could lead to an increased use of renewables and enhanced system reliability. This raises the challenge for policymakers to create a framework which is both advantageous for the energy system and attractive to consumers. Government-set standards for charging tariffs may be a viable option.

Willingness to Pay for Advanced Safety Features in Vehicles: An Adaptive Choice-Based Conjoint Analysis Approach

Advanced safety features in vehicles are emerging features that car manufacturers design and produce to improve the safety of driving a vehicle. In recent years, car manufacturers increasingly have provided different safety features as options to their customers. Understanding consumers’ interests and priorities relating to these features in vehicles has motivated researchers to conduct market analysis studies. This study aims to analyze the willingness to pay (WTP) for the advanced safety features in vehicles by adults resident in the U.S.A. Implementing adaptive choice-based conjoint analysis (ACBC), which is a special market analysis technique, and using comprehensible and realistic attributes in the survey are the main innovations of this study. The results of this study show that surround monitoring and collision avoidance systems are the most important attributes for respondents in their next vehicle. After that, the vehicle’s connectivity system was the third most important factor. Respondents distinctly preferred a vehicle with fully automated crash avoidance features. Moreover, the vehicle with safety features having the highest utilities may capture almost 61% of the market.

Understanding children\u2019s preference for park features that encourage physical activity: an adaptive choice based conjoint analysis

BackgroundParks are a key setting for physical activity for children. However, little is known about which park features children prefer and which features are most likely to encourage them to be active in parks. This study examined the relative importance of park features among children for influencing their choice of park for engaging in park-based physical activity.MethodsChildren (n = 252; 8-12 years, 42% male) attending three primary schools in Melbourne, Australia completed a survey at school. They were required to complete a series of Adaptive Choice-Based Conjoint analysis tasks, with responses used to identify the part-worth utilities and relative importance scores of selected park features using Hierarchical Bayes analyses within Sawtooth Software.ResultsFor the overall sample and both boys and girls, the most important driver of choice for a park that would encourage them to be active was presence of a flying fox (overall conjoint analysis relative importance score: 15.8%; 95%CI = 14.5, 17.1), followed by a playground (13.5%; 95%CI = 11.9, 15.2). For the overall sample, trees for climbing had the third highest importance score (10.2%; 95%CI = 8.9, 11.6); however, swings had 3rd highest importance for girls (11.1, 95%CI = 9.3, 12.9) and an obstacle course/parkour area had the 3rd highest importance score for boys (10.7, 95%CI = 9.0, 12.4). For features with two levels, part-worth utility scores showed that the presence of a feature was always preferred over the absence of a feature. For features with multiple levels, long flying foxes, large adventure playgrounds, lots of trees for climbing, large round swings, large climbing equipment, and large grassy open space were the preferred levels.ConclusionTo ensure parks appeal as a setting that encourages children to engage in physical activity, park planners and local authorities and organisations involved in park design should prioritise the inclusion of a long flying fox, large adventure playgrounds, lots of trees for climbing, large round swings and obstacle courses/parkour areas.

Trust and Trade-Offs in Sharing Data for Precision Medicine: A National Survey of Singapore.

Background: Precision medicine (PM) programs typically use broad consent. This approach requires maintenance of the social license and public trust. The ultimate success of PM programs will thus likely be contingent upon understanding public expectations about data sharing and establishing appropriate governance structures. There is a lack of data on public attitudes towards PM in Asia. Methods: The aim of the research was to measure the priorities and preferences of Singaporeans for sharing health-related data for PM. We used adaptive choice-based conjoint analysis (ACBC) with four attributes: uses, users, data sensitivity and consent. We recruited a representative sample of n = 1000 respondents for an in-person household survey. Results: Of the 1000 respondents, 52% were female and majority were in the age range of 40–59 years (40%), followed by 21–39 years (33%) and 60 years and above (27%). A total of 64% were generally willing to share de-identified health data for IRB-approved research without re-consent for each study. Government agencies and public institutions were the most trusted users of data. The importance of the four attributes on respondents’ willingness to share data were: users (39.5%), uses (28.5%), data sensitivity (19.5%), consent (12.6%). Most respondents found it acceptable for government agencies and hospitals to use de-identified data for health research with broad consent. Our sample was consistent with official government data on the target population with 52% being female and majority in the age range of 40–59 years (40%), followed by 21–39 years (33%) and 60 years and above (27%). Conclusions: While a significant body of prior research focuses on preferences for consent, our conjoint analysis found consent was the least important attribute for sharing data. Our findings suggest the social license for PM data sharing in Singapore currently supports linking health and genomic data, sharing with public institutions for health research and quality improvement; but does not support sharing with private health insurers or for private commercial use.

Users’ Preferences for Smart Home Automation – Investigating Aspects of Privacy and Trust

Smart home automation provides residents with relief and convenience in everyday life and allows for self-determined aging in place. Yet, market penetration is offset by user concerns related to privacy and trust issues: With increasing system complexity, users may perceive a loss of control and fear technical unreliability. While barriers to acceptance in terms of privacy and trust are well understood when considered separately, they are hardly investigated in conjunction so far. We conducted a quantitative study using Adaptive Choice-Based Conjoint Analysis via an online questionnaire. We explored how aspects of privacy and trust determine the willingness to use smart homes from the perspective of (future) users (n = 137, 18 to 64 years of age), and also with respect to the level of automation and application field. Results show that semi-automated systems are rather preferred than fully automated smart home technology. The perceived reliability of automation is the most important acceptance determinant, followed by the location of data storage. Whereas the awareness to use (e.g., recommendations), the type of data, and application field are less important factors for the overall willingness to use smart homes. Findings inform scientists in the field of human-automation interaction and technical developers of smart home automation for technology innovation adapted to user needs.

Preferences for pre-exposure prophylaxis among U.S. military men who have sex with men: results of an adaptive choice based conjoint analysis study

BackgroundPre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) prevents human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection, but its use remains low among U.S. military men who have sex with men (MSM), likely due to mis-matching with personal preferences. We conducted a study to characterize preferences to PrEP measures within this population.MethodsHIV-negative military MSM were recruited through a closed, Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgendered (LGBT) military social media group. The survey was anonymous, and consisted of five experimentally varied attributes in service delivery: dosing method, provider type, visit location, lab work evaluation location, and dispensing venue. Relative importance and part-worth utility scores were generated using hierarchical bayes (HB) estimation, and the randomized first choice model was used to examine participation interest across eight possible PrEP program scenarios.ResultsA total of 429 participants completed the survey. Among the eight scenarios with varying attributes, the most preferred scenario featured a daily tablet, PrEP injection or implant, along with a military provider, smartphone/telehealth visit, and on-base locations for lab evaluation and medication pick-up. The results also emphasized the importance for providers to be familiar with PrEP prescription knowledge, and to provide interactions sensitive to sexual identity and mental health.ConclusionA PrEP program consisting of daily tablet is preferred in military healthcare settings is preferred. Long-acting implants and injections are also desired.

Influenced by Media Brands? A Conjoint Experiment on the Effect of Media Brands on Online Media Planners’ Decision-Making

ABSTRACT Advertising revenues are a major source of income for media companies such as publishing houses. In the age of digitalisation, generating revenue in the online advertising market is an essential ingredient for future economic viability and competitiveness. However, programmatic advertising as a new marketing technique, as well as the proliferated number of websites and increased competition, has challenged publishing houses to generate revenue within the online advertising market. Therefore, media branding has emerged as an important issue. Since brands in such a B2B market share the same purpose as they do in consumer markets, they too offer the potential for media companies to gain a substantial competitive advantage. This article investigates the importance of media brands in relation to other purchase criteria within online media planning. The results of an Adaptive Choice-Based Conjoint analysis (ACBC) with online media planners suggest that the role of media brands within online media planning is limited and secondary to price and its influence varies over different career levels. Furthermore, a price premium can be obtained for a media brand with a higher perceived utility. This article concludes with implications for media companies.