Search Results (181)

As digital marketing becomes more targeted and interactive, it is more critical to understand how young audiences perceive and react to compelling content. This research examines the extent to which consumer responses are affected by neuromarketing knowledge, interest, and screen-based advert exposure for middle school kids. Based on responses from 244 Greek adolescents aged 12–15 years, Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) was employed to investigate direct and mediated influences on purchase intentions with advertisement skepticism and persuasion knowledge as mediating factors. Results indicate that exposure and recognition have a significant influence on intentions both by means of cognitive as well as attitudinal processes, while interest only increases skepticism but not interaction. Multi-group analysis yielded significant differences according to age and experience, referring to the development path of advertising literacy. The results provide strong cues to educators, policymakers, and marketers who want to develop media-critical competencies among adolescents in an ever-shaping digital age. Full article

In agreement with WHO recommendations, the Emilia-Romagna Region, Italy, implemented a population-wide HCV screening program for the treatment of the large asymptomatic infected population. From January 2022, the free-of-charge screening targeted all residents born between 1969 and 1989, prison inmates, and injection drug users. Participants were recruited using phone messages, electronic health record notifications, public advertisement, and direct contact with general practitioners. A single blood sample was collected for anti-HCV IgG testing and, if positive, for reflex HCV–RNA testing. Infected subjects were offered an evidence-based therapeutic pathway. By June 2024, 72.8% of high-risk subjects (n = 19,732), and 36.9% of the general population (n = 488,065) had been screened. A total of 1032 individuals were positive based on the HCV–RNA test, and the detection rate widely differed between the high-risk and the general population (23.8‰ vs. 1.2‰, respectively). Of the infected individuals, 88.1% were seen by a specialist physician, and 74.3% (n = 767) started antiviral therapy. Thanks to multiple recruitment approaches, over one third of the general population participated in HCV screening. The program performance was substantially greater among high-risk individuals compared to the general population. To achieve WHO targets, policymakers might consider expanding the screening to other high-risk subgroups and/or adapting birth cohorts. Full article

In the increasingly competitive mobile ecosystem, understanding user behavior is essential to improve targeted sales and the effectiveness of advertising. With the widespread adoption of smartphones and the increasing variety of mobile applications, predicting user behavior has become more complex. This study presents a comprehensive framework for predicting mobile payment behavior by integrating demographic, situational, and behavioral factors, focusing on patterns in mobile application usage. To address the complexity of the data, we use a combination of machine-learning models, including extreme gradient boosting, light gradient boosting machine, and CatBoost, along with Shapley additive explanations (SHAP) to improve interpretability. An analysis of extensive panel data from Korean Android users reveals that incorporating application usage behavior in such models considerably improves the accuracy of mobile payment predictions. The study identifies key predictors of payment behavior, indicated by high Shapley values, such as using social networking services (e.g., KakaoTalk and Instagram), media applications (e.g., YouTube), and financial and membership applications (e.g., Toss and OK Cashbag). Moreover, the results of the SHAP force analysis reveal the individual session-level drivers of mobile purchases. These findings advance the literature on mobile payment prediction and offer practical insights for improving targeted marketing strategies by identifying key behavioral drivers of mobile transactions. Full article

The limited endowment of initial traffic creates fierce competition among merchants for securing scarce resources in e-commerce platforms. Optimal pricing mechanisms are imperative to maximize transaction volumes and attract sustained traffic support from platforms. This study investigates merchant pricing mechanisms under two advertising strategies—broadband advertising and targeted advertising—by constructing differentiated pricing models that account for consumer preference heterogeneity. The findings reveal that, in most cases where merchants prioritize profit maximization, targeted advertising-driven pricing mechanisms outperform broadband advertising strategies. However, when merchants prioritize early-stage sales volume, broadband advertising proves to be more advantageous. Furthermore, the study shows that merchant pricing strategies evolve over their lifecycle, transitioning from offering lower prices to high-type consumers toward progressively higher prices, thus validating the underlying mechanism of “big data price discrimination” (the phenomenon of “killing loyal customers”). Additionally, this research emphasizes the importance of accurately understanding consumer preferences, as the sensitivity differential between price and advertising responses plays a crucial moderating role. When the sensitivity gap becomes excessively large, the price differential in differentiated pricing mechanisms should be proportionally reduced to maintain effectiveness. In conclusion, by integrating consumer utility, merchant profit, and platform incentives, pricing mechanisms based on targeted advertising exhibit superior capabilities in screening consumer information. When combined with advertising effectiveness and consumer preference heterogeneity, these mechanisms represent a relatively optimal strategy. However, this conclusion holds only when the proportion of high-type consumers in the market is moderate, not excessively low. This study contributes to the literature by providing a comprehensive framework for merchants to select appropriate pricing strategies under varying advertising environments and consumer structures. Full article

Insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) is a regulatory factor closely associated with diabetes, obesity, and breast cancer, and it also acts as one of the most abundant growth factors in bovine colostrum. Current methods generally have the problem of low sensitivity, a time-consuming nature, and low stability, which makes it difficult to crack down on the false advertising of IGF-1 content in dairy products. In this work, an ultrasensitive fluorescent enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) is proposed, where the antibody and the target are combined in the form of a “sandwich” to ensure the accuracy and specificity of the assay. IGF-1 is quantified based on an effective hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) probe with 10-acetyl-3,7-dihydroxyphenoxazine (ADHP) as the fluorogenic substrate. The proposed fluorescent sandwich ELISA has a low limit of detection (LOD) of 77.29 pg/mL, fast experimental process within 1 h, and stable signal of 1 h. Furthermore, multi-step pretreatment methods for bovine colostrum powders are established to remove interfering substances, including fat, casein, and binding proteins, achieving the accurate and specific detection of IGF-1. IGF-1 recovery studies on treated bovine colostrum powders exhibit good recovery rates ranging from 91.71% to 102.32%, which proves the feasibility of detecting IGF-1 in real bovine colostrum. Full article

This paper aims to analyze the influence of digital marketing in Kosovo’s tourism industry from three key perspectives: consumers, businesses, and industry experts (IEs). The research explores how digital marketing influences the identification of tourist destinations, the promotion of tourism businesses, and sustainable tourism development. The study used semi-structured interviews to collect primary data from twenty-five participants, selected through non-probability and purposive heterogeneous sampling techniques. The data were analyzed qualitatively using a thematic analysis approach, encompassing a multi-step coding process involving data categorization, reduction, and display techniques. The findings reveal that digital marketing significantly impacts Kosovo’s tourism industry. A qualitative analysis of the interviews confirms that digital media is crucial for consumers in identifying tourist destinations. Tourism businesses utilize digital marketing channels to advertise destinations, while IEs recognize digital marketing’s pivotal role in fostering tourism sustainable growth. This study sheds light on how digital marketing not only supports the promotion and identification of tourist destinations but also contributes to long-term tourism development. The study offers practical implications, providing valuable insights for tourists seeking destination information, for businesses in enhancing digital engagement with tourists, and for policymakers aiming to develop targeted, sustainable tourism strategies that leverage digital marketing trends. Full article

This paper proposes an innovative, intelligent shopping cart system with an interdisciplinary approach using Bluetooth low energy (BLE) beacons. The research integrates online and offline retail strategies by presenting campaigns and ads to the customers during in-store navigation. In a testing environment, BLE beacons are strategically positioned to monitor the purchasing process and deliver relevant insights to retailers. The technology anonymously logs customers’ locations and the duration of their browsing at each sales shelf. Through the analysis of client movement heatmaps, retailers may discern high-traffic zones and modify product placement to enhance visibility and sales. Additionally, the system provides an additional revenue model for store owners through location specific targeted ads displayed on a tablet mounted on the cart. Unlike previous BLE-based tracking solutions, this research bridges the gap between customer movement analytics and real-time targeted advertising in retail settings. The system achieved an accuracy of 82.4% when the aisle partition length was 3.00 m and 91.7% when the aisle partition length was 6.00 m. This system, which can generate additional income for store owners by generating 0.171 USD in a single test simulation as a result of displaying ads to three test customers in a two-partitioned aisle layout, offers a new and scalable business model for modern retailers. Full article

Introduction: Demographic disparities in musculoskeletal (MSK) health exist in the US. Racial representation in advertising has been shown to influence consumer behavior and buying patterns. Direct-to-consumer advertising that does not target a racially diverse audience may exacerbate MSK disparities by failing to reach minorities. We explore the hypothesis that minorities are underrepresented in direct-to-consumer MSK advertisements in this cross-sectional analysis. Methods: Using magazines from four databases, eight health-related magazine types were selected and advertisement categories were established. Racial distribution was analyzed using Pearson’s Chi-squared and Chi-squared tests. Fisher’s Exact test was used when >20% of cells had expected frequencies <5. Significance was set at α = 0.05. Results: Of the advertisements featuring at least one model, 68.5% featured a white-presenting model, followed by 17.6% with a black model. Further, 92.7% of advertisements were monoethnic or monoracial with an overrepresentation of white models (p < 0.001). Black models were overrepresented as athletes (p < 0.001) and underrepresented in advertisements for pain relief (p < 0.001). Hispanic/Latinx and Asian models were underrepresented across all advertisement categories (p < 0.001). Discussion: The causes of musculoskeletal health disparities are multifactorial. One potential influence is adjacent industries such as MSK health-related advertisements. When controlling for US population demographics, white models were overrepresented and minority race models were underrepresented, demonstrating racioethnic disparities in MSK advertising. Improving the racial and ethnic diversity of models within MSK advertisements may serve to improve patient perceptions of orthopaedic products and services and improve MSK disparities. Full article

Increased consumer concern about environmental issues has led to a surge in green advertising, including misleading forms known as greenwashing. Definitions of greenwashing have mostly focused on companies misleading consumers about products, and existing empirical analyses of greenwashing effects have mostly used fabricated ad materials referring to fictitious products. The objective of the present paper is to use ad material from an actual ad campaign to examine joint greenwashing, by an industry organization and a national government, of consumer products and public policies. Using an actual government-subsidized video commercial for ‘Swiss meat’ as an example, the present paper examines greenwashing targeting both consumers and citizens to influence their product choices and policy opinions. Based on an online survey of an age- and gender-representative sample (n = 637), we measured aspects of consumer knowledge that would enable the consumers to put the ad’s message in perspective, perceptions of the ad, and beliefs about Swiss meat production. Furthermore, we used a two-factorial experimental design to examine how the video commercial and objective product information affected policy opinions relative to control treatments. We find that the consumers strongly overestimated the true percentage of Swiss farms that used the environmentally friendly feeding system featured in the ad. Regarding perceptions, 52% of the respondents ‘rather’ or ‘fully’ agreed with the statement ‘the ad conveys a realistic image of Swiss meat production’, and 41% ‘rather’ or ‘fully’ agreed with the statement ‘the ad shows the production of Swiss beef as it is’. Regarding beliefs, 51% of the respondents ‘partly’, ‘rather’, or ‘fully’ agreed that ‘more meat production in Switzerland is good for the environment’. The video commercial did not influence beliefs about Swiss meat but changed policy opinions in the favor of government subsidies for the advertisement of Swiss meat. The information treatment influenced policy opinions in the opposite direction but did not decrease the effect of the misleading ad. Other significant predictors of support for increased meat subsidies included frequent meat consumption, low factual knowledge, and positive product beliefs. The results of the survey indicate that the ad campaign may have unduly influenced perceptions of Swiss meat production and public opinion about agricultural policy. The findings raise concerns about the current self-regulation of the communication industry and joint private and public advertising of Swiss agricultural products and policies. Full article

The evolving capabilities of Geographic Information Systems (GISs) are transforming various industries, including e-commerce, by providing enhanced spatial analysis and precision in customer targeting, and improving the ability of recommender systems. This paper proposes a novel framework that integrates mobile agents with GISs to deliver real-time, personalized recommendations in e-commerce. By utilizing the OpenStreetMap API for geographic mapping and the Java Agent Development Environment (JADE) platform for mobile agents, the system leverages both geospatial data and customer preferences to offer highly relevant product suggestions based on location and behaviour. Mobile agents enable real-time data collection, processing, and interaction with customers, facilitating dynamic adaptations to their needs. The combination of GISs and mobile agents enhances the system’s ability to analyze spatial data, providing tailored recommendations that align with user preferences and geographic context. This integrated approach not only improves the online shopping experience but also introduces new opportunities for location-specific marketing strategies, boosting the effectiveness of targeted advertising. The validation of this system highlights its potential to significantly enhance customer engagement and satisfaction through context-aware recommendations. The integration of GISs and mobile agents lays a strong foundation for future advancements in personalized e-commerce solutions, offering a scalable model for businesses looking to optimize marketing efforts and customer experiences. Full article

Advertising has become an important strategy for many enterprises to nudge consumers to buy green products and achieve sustainable development. In the context of cultural diversity, the discussion on the influence of consumers’ cultural belief variables on the effectiveness of advertising persuasion appears conducive to promoting green consumption. Through two situational experiments based on information processing theory, this study verified the impact and mechanism of the interaction between self-construal and advertising appeals on green product purchase intention, revealing the mediating role of information processing fluency (Experiment 2). The results indicate that emotional (rational)-appeal advertisements can strengthen independent (interdependent) self-constructed consumers’ stronger purchase intentions for green products (Experiment 1). Moreover, the occurrence of this effect is mediated by information processing fluency (Experiment 2). Not only do the conclusions of this research enrich the literature in the field of self-construal and advertising appeal preference but they also have managerial implications for improving green marketing performance by using advertising appeal and targeting consumers’ cultural psychological characteristics. Full article

Extended Reality (XR), encompassing Augmented Reality (AR), Virtual Reality (VR), and Mixed Reality (MR), enables immersive experiences across various fields, including entertainment, healthcare, and education. However, its data-intensive and interactive nature introduces significant cybersecurity and privacy challenges. This paper presents a detailed adversary model to identify threat actors and attack vectors in XR environments. We analyze key risks, including identity theft and behavioral data leakage, which can lead to profiling, manipulation, or invasive targeted advertising. To mitigate these risks, we explore technical solutions such as Advanced Encryption Standard (AES), Rivest–Shamir–Adleman (RSA), and Elliptic Curve Cryptography (ECC) for secure data transmission, multi-factor and biometric authentication, data anonymization techniques, and AI-driven anomaly detection for real-time threat monitoring. A comparative benchmark evaluates these solutions’ practicality, strengths, and limitations in XR applications. The findings emphasize the need for a holistic approach, combining robust technical measures with privacy-centric policies, to secure XR ecosystems and ensure user trust. Full article

Background. Parent vaccine hesitancy is a sensitive topic despite the benefits associated with children’s vaccination. Especially regarding the COVID-19 vaccination, parents displayed concerns about children’s vaccination, questioning their effectiveness and security. Although several studies were conducted on the general population, few studies investigated this relationship on parents’ intentions. Methods. An online survey was advertised from May to December 2022 on social networks, collecting data from 109 participants (90% F; mean age: 41.34 years, SD: ±6.40). The survey assessed sociodemographic characteristics, vaccine hesitancy through the Parents Attitude towards Childhood Vaccine—PAVC, trust in science through the Belief in Science Scale—BISS, and conspiracy beliefs through the Generic Conspiracist Beliefs Scale—GCBS. Results. In our sample, 29 parents (26.6%) scored more than 50 points to PAVC and, for this reason, were considered hesitant. Moreover, more than half of parents (60.6%) declared that they did not intend to vaccinate their children in the future. The path analysis model showed that parents with low education tended to have higher conspiracy beliefs (β = −0.40). Holding conspiracy beliefs (β = 0.28) and having low trust in science (β = −0.23) was associated with higher parent hesitancy and, in turn, no future intention to vaccinate their children for COVID-19 (OR = 0.83, p < 0.001). Conclusion. The results of the current paper suggest that targeted campaigns should be aimed at parents with lower levels of education, mainly on social media, debunking the most common fake news or myths, independently from the type of vaccine, and highlighting the importance of scientific research for improving people’s living conditions. Full article

Introduction: The growing popularity of dietary supplements in Poland raises the need to verify the knowledge and practices of healthcare workers who have a key role in recommending their use. Understanding these issues is important to ensure patient safety and the correct use of dietary supplements. Therefore, the aim of the study was to examine the level of knowledge, practices, and sources of information on dietary supplements among various professional groups of healthcare workers. Material and Methods: The study conducted from September 2023 to June 2024 involved 743 healthcare professionals, including doctors, pharmacists, and nurses. Data were collected online using an original questionnaire. The questionnaire was placed in portals associated with target groups. Results: A total of 73.49% of respondents declared knowledge of dietary supplements. The most common source of information was scientific articles (42.8%), and only 7.00% of respondents used official sources such as the Chief Sanitary Inspectorate. Advertisements had a smaller impact on doctors (p < 0.001), with 46.97% of respondents stating that they did not pay attention to them. In addition, 84.52% of respondents considered the composition of the dietary supplement to be a key factor in their recommendation. Conclusions: Knowledge of dietary supplements among healthcare professionals varies, particularly between different professional groups. The results indicate a need for further education and standardization of information to ensure safe and responsible recommendation of supplements to consumers. Full article

Background/Objectives: Low quality diets are a risk factor for non-communicable diseases; therefore, improving diet quality is a public health and policy priority in the UK and elsewhere. Reformulating food/beverage products to make them healthier may be an effective approach. Evidence suggests that fiscal interventions, notably taxes/levies on soft drinks, can lead to reformulation but the evidence for voluntary or mandated non-fiscal interventions is less clear. We aimed to review and synthesise contemporary evidence to determine whether non-fiscal policies/interventions result in the reformulation of food/beverage products Methods: In April 2023, we systematically searched ten international academic and nine grey literature databases. We included real-world study designs, all nutrients, in- and out-of-home sectors, and studies published from 2013, to ensure policy relevancy. We excluded modelling studies. Using the Synthesis Without Meta-Analysis method we conducted vote counting of studies based on the direction of effect and narrative synthesis by intervention type. Risk of bias was assessed using a tool developed by the EPPI-Centre and quality was assessed using GRADE. Results: We included 77 real-world studies from 19 countries, reporting 100 non-fiscal policies/interventions. Most commonly, these were reduction targets (n = 44), front-of-pack labels (n = 23), and advertising standards (n = 9). Most interventions were voluntary (n = 67), compared to mandatory (n = 33), and focused on the in-home sector (n = 63). The vote counting results showed non-fiscal policies/interventions overall led to improvements in reformulation in 60/63 studies with a valid direction of effect (95%, 95% CI 0.869, 0.984, p < 0.001). Mandatory implementations were more successful than voluntary implementations with 15/15 showing an improvement (100%, 95% CI 0.796, 1], p < 0.001), compared 40/43 showing an improvement (93%, 95% CI 0.814, 0.976, p < 0.001). Most of the studies were of low quality, due to the observational nature of the studies. Sodium was the most commonly targeted nutrient (n = 56) and was found to be reformulated in most studies. Causation is difficult to establish from real-world studies, but evidence suggests that regulatory and multi-component strategies may be effective at driving reformulation. Conclusions: Non-fiscal policies/interventions can play an important role in driving reformulation, alongside fiscal measures. This work was funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research PRP-PRU-02-15-Healthy Weight and registered on Open Science Framework. Full article