Beyond clicks: Reflections on digital advertising strategies driving e-commerce in emerging markets.

Causal effect estimates of online e-cigarette marketing exposure on future e-cigarette harm perception and use.

A comparison of using online market panel members and traditional methods in control recruitment for a case-control study during a national outbreak of STEC O145, United Kingdom.

Peer rejection is a significant risk factor for adolescent depression, but most studies have examined their associations treating them as unitary constructs. Considering their conceptional complexity, our study employs network analysis to examine the associations between different types of peer rejection and specific depressive symptoms at the dimension level and their changes from the general population to clinical samples. A total of 23,995 adolescents from general population (primary dataset, 11,577 males, age = 13.90 ± 2.19) were recruited through online advertisements. The network of peer rejection and depressive dimensions was first constructed in this sample, followed by comparisons across age- and sex-stratified subsamples. In addition, separate network analyses were performed in clinically depressed adolescents (n = 610, 155 males, age = 14.86 ± 1.96) and a subsample of high-risk adolescents from the general population (n = 7,523, 3,416 males, age = 14.53 ± 2.09), and subsequently a network comparison test was performed between them. The edge between ignore and anhedonia exhibited the highest bridge expected influence in the primary dataset, the clinical depression and high-risk adolescent groups. Adolescents in different age and sex groups showed distinct patterns of specific edges within the dimension-level networks. Clinically depressed adolescents exhibited significantly stronger network connections than high-risk adolescents, particularly the edges between insult and interpersonal problems and between ignore and anhedonia. Ignore and anhedonia were crucial bridges connecting peer rejection to adolescent depression, and the connection was stronger in clinically depressed adolescents. These findings may provide a theoretical basis for guiding future research on interventions targeting peer relationships in adolescent depression.

Lifelong premature ejaculation (LPE) involves altered responses to sexual cues. Neuroimaging has identified attention-related neural abnormalities in LPE, but behavioral evidence for attentional bias remains limited. Using eye tracking, we compared visual-attention patterns in 35 heterosexual men with LPE (andrology outpatient clinic, Henan Provincial People's Hospital) and 38 heterosexual healthy controls (HCs) (online advertisements on official platforms of Henan Provincial People's Hospital and Xidian University), from Nov 2023 to Jun 2024. Participants freely viewed three categories of sexual images (bikini-clad, nude, intercourse). Gaze metrics-first fixation order (FFO), fixation count (FC), and proportion of dwell time (PDT)-were extracted within predefined areas of interests (AOIs; face, chest, genital) for each stimulus category, yielding 27 candidate eye-tracking features per participant (3 categories × 3 AOIs × 3 metrics). We then applied sequential backward selection (SBS) with support vector machine (SVM) to select the most discriminative feature subset. An SVM classifier trained on the selected features distinguished LPE from HCs with 82.2% accuracy (AUC = 0.78). Compared with HCs, LPE showed earlier genital orienting (FFO: nude 4.2 ± 1.5 vs 6.0 ± 2.2, p < 0.001; intercourse 3.8 ± 1.5 vs 4.9 ± 1.9, p = 0.004) and more genital fixations (FC: bikini-clad 4.2 ± 1.6 vs 3.3 ± 1.2, p = 0.006; intercourse 7.9 ± 3.1 vs 6.1 ± 2.0, p = 0.008), indicating a genital-prioritized attentional bias. Anxiety and depression scores were higher in LPE (SAS: 34.1 ± 6.4 vs 29.4 ± 5.8, p = 0.003; SDS: 34.8 ± 7.6 vs 29.5 ± 6.8, p = 0.003), but no eye-tracking features correlated with these symptoms. Earlier genital orienting correlated with greater LPE severity (FFO vs PEDT: nude r = -0.47, p < 0.001; intercourse r = -0.36, p = 0.002). This study provides the first behavioral evidence of a genital-prioritized attentional bias in heterosexual men with LPE, offering novel mechanistic insight into its neurocognitive underpinnings.

Monitoring changes in disposable e-cigarette attributes is crucial for youth health and market regulations. Online stores are a major purchasing channel for U.S. youth. This study compares trends in product attributes of disposables between 2022 and 2024 using our unique data scraped from online stores. We obtained product-level information by scraping websites of online vape stores from our 2022 study that remained in business in 2024, and we examined changes in product attributes including sales prices and standardized prices, product size (mL volume and puff counts), consumer ratings and reviews, nicotine dimensions (concentration, free-base/nicotine salt, tobacco-derived/synthetic), battery capacity, and flavor mentions in description texts. Unique product listings significantly increased from 1638 in 2022 to 8339 in 2024. Sales price per unit and standardized price (per mL or per puff) declined, while product size in terms of mL volume and puff counts increased dramatically. The proportion of products with nicotine salt or synthetic nicotine claims decreased, and 5% nicotine level remained dominant. Fruits, sweets and menthol were the most prevalent flavor mentions in both years, though the percentage of products declined from 97% to 79%, 69% to 19% and 59% to 15%, respectively. Disposable e-cigarettes available in the online market have become more diverse, more affordable, and larger in size, especially in puff counts. High nicotine concentration (5%) persists, and fruity flavors remain prevalent. These trends raise public health concerns and require effective market regulations.

The 'Every Vape is a Hit to your Health' campaign aimed to address e-cigarette use among 14-24 years in New South Wales, Australia. This evaluation assessed the campaign's media activity, recognition and impact. Media activity was measured by the number of impressions delivered. An online evaluation survey of n=1901 people was used to measure campaign recognition, knowledge and attitudes about e-cigarette harms and intentions and behaviours related to e-cigarette use and cessation. The greatest number of impressions was achieved across social media channels, followed by Spotify and digital display advertising. The evaluation survey found that 64% of respondents recognised the campaign. People who recognised the campaign were more likely than non-recognisers to agree that 'vaping is not safe' (adjusted odds ratio (aOR) 2.1, 95% CI 1.5 to 2.8). Among people who use e-cigarettes, campaign recognisers were significantly more likely to be seriously considering quitting compared with non-recognisers (aOR 1.6, 95% CI 1.1 to 2.5). They were also more likely to have made a quit attempt (aOR 1.8, 95% CI 1.2 to 2.8). Among those who did not use e-cigarettes, the majority (92%) did not intend to use e-cigarettes in the next 6 months, with no difference observed between campaign recognisers and non-recognisers. The evaluation showed a positive association between campaign recognition and awareness of the harms of e-cigarettes among all respondents. Campaign recognition was also associated with increased quit intention and quit attempts among those who use e-cigarettes. These findings suggest that the campaign may have motivated e-cigarette cessation intentions and behaviours among young people.

Artificial light at night (ALAN) is an increasingly significant environmental disturbance, as it disrupts natural light-dark cycles that regulate daily and seasonal physiological processes and phenological events of all organisms. The use of artificial lighting in urban areas is rapidly increasing each year due to the rising number of unregulated vehicles, as well as the widespread installation of decorative lights, digital advertising boards, and streetlights. The objective of this research was to determine the impacts of artificial light at night (ALAN) on various ornamental garden plants such as Dieffenbachia seguine, Lawsonia inermis, Alocasia cucullata, Cynodon dactylon and Dypsis lutescens through the analyses of chlorophyll fluorescence transients, specific and phenomenological energy fluxes, density of functional PSII RCs, quantum yields (Fv/Fm, ϕE0), non-photochemical quenching (Kn) and photochemical quenching (Kp), superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity, and concentrations of chlorophylls, malondialdehyde (MDA) and starch content. The results of the present study highlight that plant responses to ALAN vary among species. The present investigation demonstrates that D. lutescens and C. dactylon exhibit pronounced sensitivity to ALAN, whereas D. seguine, L. inermis, and A. cucullata display a comparatively higher degree of tolerance. These findings underscore the need to preferentially select ALAN-tolerant species for urban plantation programs to minimize the ecological consequences associated with light pollution. Moreover, the study identifies specific photosynthetic parameters (OJIP transients, ET/CS, RC/CS, Kp, Kn, and PICS) along with key biochemical indicators (SOD activity, MDA accumulation, and chlorophyll content) as reliable diagnostic markers for distinguishing ALAN-sensitive and ALAN-tolerant species, thereby supporting informed species selection for sustainable urban greening.

We study firms’ incentives to adopt a tracking technology to collect personal data that enable personalized pricing in an online market where some consumers have innate desires for privacy. In a model where two differentiated goods are sold under two different market structures (monopoly and duopoly), we find that the presence of these privacy-sensitive consumers alters the firms’ incentive to adopt personalized pricing. In particular, no firm uses personalized pricing in equilibrium if the proportion of privacy-sensitive consumers in the market is high. Competition, however, leads to wider use of personalized pricing. Privacy regulation that gives consumers control over whether a firm can track their online activities has the intended impact of protecting consumer privacy only if the proportion of privacy-sensitive consumers is low. Otherwise, the regulation makes the use of tracking technology more widespread. A key force that drives these results is the inability of a monopolist to commit to personalized prices that will give privacy-sensitive consumers a nonnegative net surplus. This deters these consumers from purchasing from the firm. If the proportion of privacy-sensitive consumers is high, the risk of losing these consumers induces the monopolist to adopt uniform pricing. Under duopoly, competition between firms alleviates the impact of the commitment problem because the rivals undercut each other’s prices. Privacy regulation also mitigates this impact because a firm can credibly commit to offering a uniform price to those consumers who reject tracking. Consequently, both competition and privacy regulation lead to increased use of tracking technology. This paper was accepted by Raphael Thomadsen, marketing. Funding: Z. Chen acknowledges financial support from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada [Grant 435-2019-0866]. Supplemental Material: The online appendix is available at https://doi.org/10.1287/mnsc.2024.07170 .

This study aimed to quantify the impact of adolescents' exposure to unhealthy food marketing in real-world digital environments. We conducted a single-blinded randomized field experiment including 121 Australian adolescents aged 16-17. A latent class analysis was used to identify personas, and participants were randomized (1:1) to an intervention or control group. Using retargeting pixels, the intervention group was exposed to advertisements for a fictitious sugar-sweetened beverage "Clu" embedded in their feed for 2 weeks. The control group was not exposed to Clu advertisements. An exit survey collected data on purchase intention for Clu. Exposure effect on purchase intention was estimated using logistic regression, reported as a risk ratio. An intention to purchase Clu was reported by 26.2% of participants (n = 16) in the control and 71.6% in the intervention group (n = 43). Participants in the intervention group were 2.73 times more likely to report intention to purchase Clu than those in the control (RR = 2.73; 95% CI: 1.74-4.28). Social media advertisements for sugar-sweetened beverages significantly influence adolescents' purchase intentions of the beverages, highlighting digital advertising as a modifiable commercial determinant of dietary risks. These findings underscore the need for policy interventions that address unhealthy food digital marketing to reduce obesity-related behaviors among adolescents.

Natural health products (NHPs) include complementary/alternative medicines, dietary supplements, nutraceuticals, and traditional medicines. Natural health products are often self-prescribed and used alongside conventional medicines, raising safety concerns. This study aims to explore NHP-conventional medicine (NHP-drug) combinations used by respondents in New Zealand (NZ), identify those with the potential to cause NHP-drug interactions, and assesses the feasibility of coding NHPs using the WHODrug dictionary. A dataset from a pilot study on NHP use in NZ was analysed. Data on NHP and conventional medicine use were descriptively analysed. Where possible, specific product ingredient lists were verified. Two coders independently assigned WHODrug Global codes to each NHP and conventional medicine. Fleiss' Kappa measured inter-coder agreement. Of 992 participants, 381 (38.4%) were current NHP users, reporting 1-18 NHPs. Among them, 271 (71.1%) used conventional medicines concurrently. Natural health product-drug combinations with potential interactions were found with fish oil, coenzyme Q10, turmeric, and glucosamine. An interaction involving fish oil and warfarin was rated as 'may result in significant hazard.' One-third (33.1%) of NHPs could not be coded using WHODrug. Codability agreement was higher for conventional medicines (93.7%) than for NHPs (63.5%). Fleiss' Kappa indicated moderate agreement for NHPs (κ = 0.576) and very good agreement for conventional medicines (κ = 0.911). Substantial concurrent NHP-drug use was identified, including combinations with potential adverse reactions. A larger, nationally representative dataset on NHP exposures in NZ is needed. Current challenges in coding NHPs highlight the need for standardised, comprehensive coding tools in future research for comprehensive analysis.

This study explores pregnant Texans' expectations of and experiences with crisis pregnancy centers (CPCs) following implementation of Texas Senate Bill 8 (SB8), which in September 2021 prohibited abortions in Texas after detection of embryonic cardiac activity. We analyzed in-depth interviews with English-speaking Texans over 18 years of age who were or had recently been seeking abortion, focused on their care-seeking experiences, including with CPCs. Between October 2021 and August 2022, we recruited participants via online ads in Texas and flyers in abortion-providing facilities in seven other states. Using thematic analysis, we identified themes in CPC experiences and developed a CPC client typology. Of 120 participants, 36 described contact with CPCs; we categorize them into three client types, based on awareness of CPCs' anti-abortion position and expectations of CPC services. Fifteen were "deceived clients": unaware of CPCs' position, they contacted a CPC expecting abortion care or all-options counseling. Most remaining participants (n = 11) were "pragmatic clients": also unaware of CPCs' anti-abortion position, they expected only pregnancy information or support. A minority (n = 8) were "strategic clients"-aware of CPCs' anti-abortion position and therefore expecting only pregnancy information, they used CPC services strategically to determine eligibility for in-state abortion care or medication abortion. In addition to contacting CPCs because they were deceived or pragmatic, pregnant Texans considering abortion after SB8 drew on CPC services strategically. In an abortion-restrictive setting, pregnant people may try to use CPCs for free services that they cannot get as easily from licensed medical providers.

Changing trends in legal recreational cannabis markets necessitates the continuous monitoring of important market metrics such as price, potency, type, and availability of cannabis products which may influence consumer purchasing behavior. After initial legalization of recreational cannabis use in Canada in 2018 and expansion of the legal market in 2019, an increase in product types and decrease in prices were observed. The purpose of the present study was to provide an update on products on offer to cannabis consumers in Ontario, the largest Cannabis market in Canada, five years after initial federal legalization of non-medical cannabis use. Data were obtained from the Ontario Cannabis Store (OCS) Website, the sole wholesaler and online market in Ontario between January and April 2024. Information on product type, prices, delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD) potency and plant type was extracted and products were grouped by OCS categories and sub-categories, and by route of administration (Inhaled, ingestible, topical and others). A total of 1727 products were mapped, of which the majority available were inhaled products, sub-divided into smoking, vaping or concentrates (n = 1271). The majority of inhaled products were predominantly indica-dominant while most ingestible products (e.g. edibles) were mainly sativa-dominant. Most inhaled products were "very strong products", i.e., THC potency of 20% or greater (greater than 97%, 96% and 99% of all dried flower, vaping and concentrate products, respectively). All edibles were within the legally acceptable limit of 10mg of THC per container. Average prices were lowest for dried flower products ($7.91/g) among inhaled products (pre-rolls: $9.65/g, 510 thread cartridges: $37.7/g, infused flower: $18.66/g). Compared to our previous study in 2022, which utilized data from the same website and similar extraction methods, the total number of products on the legal market declined, while the number of edible products (particularly gummies) and disposable vapes, increased. Prices of all flower products (p < 0.001), most abundant vapes (disposable vapes and thread cartridges: p < 0.001) and soft chews (p < 0.027) decreased in 2024 compared to 2022 at the 5% significance level. Conversely, THC potencies of products available generally increased (p < 0.05). Given the trend of decreasing price and changes in products available, continuous monitoring of the cannabis market is vital. This is necessary to assess the consequences of legalization and inform legal amendments such as price control and potency limits that may curb potential negative consequences possible with the current market trend.

Creating high-performing, brand-aligned advertising visuals is challenging; we develop a generative AI framework using Bayesian active learning to efficiently discover effective designs.

ABSTRACT Retaining students and fostering their academic self-efficacy are persistent challenges, particularly at public universities serving diverse populations. In an era marked by declining institutional trust and uncertainty regarding the impact of Artificial Intelligence on career value, students increasingly require tangible evidence of the return on their educational investment. Grounded in Social Cognitive Theory, this study introduces and tests a low-cost pedagogical intervention: integrating Young Alumni Stories (YAS) into the course syllabus. A two-study longitudinal research design was conducted in two online marketing courses. Study 1 results indicate that students exposed to the YAS syllabus – featuring relatable success stories from recent graduates – reported significantly higher levels of perceived self-efficacy, excitement, and happiness, alongside lower perceived stress during onboarding. Study 2 findings reveal that these initial psychological gains functioned as an “authenticity anchor,” translating into significantly higher final course grades and a superior perceived return on investment (ROI) at the end of the term. A mediation analysis provides evidence suggesting that these positive outcomes are driven by a significant boost in students’ self-efficacy beliefs. This research offers marketing educators a scalable, evidence-based tool to humanize the learning journey and reinforce the value of the degree from the first day of class to the final grade.

The relationship between video game experience and cognitive plasticity remains a central focus of research, particularly given its potential applications in clinical rehabilitation. Although both first-person shooter (FPS) and multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA) games have been shown to enhance cognitive functions, the specific associations between the cognitive effects of different game genres and brain network structure remain unclear. This study aimed to examine whether long-term experience with FPS and MOBA games is associated with genre-specific patterns of cortical thickness covariation across brain regions. A total of 116 male participants (mean age 21.2, SD 1.9 y) were recruited via online advertisements for this cross-sectional study. On the basis of strict inclusion criteria (gaming experience >5 years, gaming frequency >5 hours per week, and ranking within the top 15%), participants were categorized into FPS players (n=39, 33.6%) and MOBA players (n=40, 34.5%). An additional group of healthy controls (n=37, 31.9%) with no gaming experience in the past 2 years was also included. High-resolution structural magnetic resonance imaging data were acquired using a 3-T scanner. Individualized differential structural covariance networks were constructed based on the cortical thickness values extracted from 68 brain regions using the Desikan-Killiany atlas. Statistical analysis included one-way ANOVA to identify significant structural covariance edges (SCEs), network-based statistic prediction analysis for weekly gaming hours, and support vector machine analysis for group classification. One-way ANOVA identified 30 significant SCEs across the 3 groups (P<.001, false discovery rate corrected). Post hoc analysis (P<.02, Bonferroni corrected) revealed that, compared to the MOBA and control groups, the FPS group exhibited 2 dominant networks: a temporo-fronto-parietal network anchored in auditory regions and a visuo-sensorimotor network. Both gaming groups showed enhanced SCEs in visual-attentional networks compared to the control group. The network-based statistic-predict analysis demonstrated that structural covariance matrices could effectively predict weekly gaming hours in FPS players (r=0.34, 95% CI 0.26-0.42). The positive edges primarily formed a temporo-fronto-parietal-occipital network, whereas the negative edges were centered on the entorhinal cortex. The support vector machine classifier successfully differentiated FPS players from controls (area under the curve=82.95%) and from MOBA players (area under the curve=72.37%). Long-term FPS and MOBA gaming experiences are associated with different brain structural network architectures. The uniqueness of FPS gaming lies in the extensive structural covariance between the primary auditory cortex and regions supporting visual attention and sensorimotor processing, which may reflect higher demands on cognitive skills. This suggests potential utility in auditory-visual rehabilitation and provides a theoretical basis for the assessment and selection of professional electronic sports players. However, the negative edges involving the entorhinal cortex in FPS players indicate that an overreliance on response learning strategies may come at the expense of the spatial memory system. Consequently, caution is warranted when applying such games to ameliorate age-related memory decline.

In the context of Vietnam’s rapid digital transformation, TikTok Shop has emerged as a leading social commerce platform, especially for young people. This research aims to analyze the factors influencing consumers’ purchasing decisions on the TikTok Shop platform through advertising activities. The research uses a quantitative research method, surveying 178 respondents, mainly University students in Vietnam. Data analysis methods included Cronbach’s Alpha coefficient testing, exploratory factor analysis (EFA), and linear regression using SPSS software. Based on the synthesis and analysis of aspects of digital advertising, the research initially proposed seven factors. However, the regression analysis confirmed that only three key factors significantly influence purchasing decisions: trust, interactivity, and brand awareness. Factors such as entertainment, information quality, annoyance, and incentive factors did not reach statistical significance or correlation in the final model. The results indicate that enhancing trust, increasing interactivity, and building brand awareness will be the core factors boosting consumers’ purchase intentions and behaviors on TikTok Shop. These findings not only add to the theoretical framework of digital consumption but also provide practical implications for businesses to optimize their marketing strategies on TikTok by prioritizing building credibility, brand recognition, and enhancing two-way interaction rather than overusing intrusive advertisements.

The contemporary digital advertising ecosystem faces critical technical and operational challenges, primarily driven by centralized intermediaries, data opacity, and privacy vulnerabilities. To address these systemic issues, this paper proposes "Ex-Mad," a decentralized architecture leveraging blockchain technology and the Interplanetary File System (IPFS). The proposed framework integrates three core architectural layers: the user entities (advertisers and end-users), the blockchain ledger for immutable transaction recording, and IPFS for distributed content storage. Unlike traditional centralized models, Ex-Mad utilizes smart contracts to automate campaign management and enforce trustless interactions, ensuring verifiable reward distribution based on user contribution without third-party validation. Furthermore, the integration of IPFS optimizes on-chain storage costs by handling large media files off-chain while maintaining data integrity through cryptographic hashes. The system design enhances auditability through a tamper-proof ledger, eliminates single points of failure, and provides a technically robust alternative to current ad-tech intermediaries. This study demonstrates how the proposed architecture improves system efficiency, reliability, and cost-effectiveness in the digital advertising domain.

The development of the digital era is driving the growth of the creative economy and opening up significant opportunities for Generation Z, who are highly familiar with digital technology. This generation has the potential to become key players in the development of digital-based businesses if equipped with adequate knowledge and skills. The community service activity carried out in Ngemplak Village, Boyolali Regency, aims to equip Generation Z with an understanding and skills in digital marketing so they can play an active role in the creative economy. The activity was carried out through socialization methods and direct practice in managing an online store using the Shopee platform, supplemented by materials on the concept of the creative economy, digital business opportunities, online marketing strategies, and the use of social media as a promotional tool. The results of the activity showed an increase in participants' understanding of digital marketing, improved technical skills in managing online stores, and increased motivation and confidence to start independent businesses. This program is considered effective in encouraging the use of digital media as a productive tool that has economic value and is sustainable for Generation Z.

This study investigates the impact of advertising on consumer buying behaviour within the FMCG sector, with a specific focus on how different advertising mediums influence awareness, perception, and purchase intentions. The research is based on primary data collected from 120 respondents through a structured questionnaire, capturing their exposure to advertisements, preferences for media channels, and actual buying responses. The findings indicate that advertising plays a significant role in shaping consumer attitudes, particularly in highly competitive FMCG markets where product differentiation is limited. Digital advertising platforms—such as social media, online videos, and mobile applications—emerge as more influential than traditional media like television and print, especially among younger consumers. Emotional appeal, visual content, and repetition of advertisements are found to enhance brand recall and influence trial purchases. However, the study also reveals that while advertising can trigger initial interest and impulse buying, long-term consumer loyalty depends on product quality and satisfaction. The research highlights the growing importance of integrated marketing communication strategies that combine creativity with targeted outreach. These insights are valuable for marketers aiming to optimize advertising investments and effectively engage modern consumers in an increasingly digital environment.