Editor’s Desk Ready or Not, Generative AI

Is Here to Stay
Advertisers Need More Research
To Harness the Benefits of AI Technologies

COLIN CAMPBELL
Editor-in-Chief, Journal of
Advertising Research
Associate Professor of
Marketing,
Knauss School of
Business, University of
San Diego
colincampbell@sandiego.
edu
The emergence of ChatGPT has thrust discussion of
generative artificial intelligence (AI) into the main-
stream. Although it is only one example of a host
of new AI tools that are entering the market, the
accessibility and power of ChatGPT has sparked
both excitement and concern. Some see genera-
tive AI tools as way to automate tedious work and
democratize previously specialized skills such as
software coding, analytics, and video editing. As
history has shown, however, it is often our human
nature to fear (and hence, stall) innovation, (Lomas,
2011; Overly, 2016). Some worry that ChatGPT-like
tools may render knowledge workers unemployed.
Teachers and professors fret about students losing
a desire to learn or—worse—simply plagiarizing
assignments and not learning at all. And ethicists
and diversity proponents raise important ques-
tions about AI tools’ demonstrated weaknesses and
potential for deception and other harms.
Such concerns are valid to keep technological
advance in check. And, like for earlier innovations
from the printing press to the digital age, genera-
tive AI will require adaption and learning on our
part to minimize its downsides. In the long run,
though, there’s great potential for efficiency and
value (Hsu and Lu, 2023), and this is why we have
launched a call for papers on this very topic (for
details, visit our website at https://www.journalo-
fadvertisingresearch.com/).
Marketing is one of the four industries expected
to see the largest amount of economic value
unlocked by generative AI (Chui, Hazan, Roberts,
Singla et al., 2023). AI is already predicted to affect
at least half of all advertising in 2023 in some way
(Stam, 2023). Despite this, marketers report a huge
gap between how generative AI could be used and
how it currently is being used (Deveau, Griffin, and
Reis, 2023). Taken together, this suggests generative
AI is likely going to be a major part of the advertis-
ing industry and that potentially profound changes
are afoot. As researchers, we can provide insights
that help advertisers maximize the benefits of gen-
erative AI while also respecting ethical concerns.
Interested researchers might start by considering
the many different aspects of advertising that could
see change due to generative AI. The process of
synthesizing information during market research,
for instance, may become faster with tools such as
Google’s new NotebookLM service. To what extent
are such tools valuable? Can they replace or merely
augment human efforts? The execution and report-
ing of statistical analyses can also be done through
generative AI tools, benefitting both quantitative
market researchers as well as those engaged in A/B
testing and experimentation. Likewise, new effi-
ciencies in producing creative content will likely
accelerate experimentation and SEO efforts. More
profound changes may come to the ways copy
and visuals are created in advertising (Campbell,
Plangger, Sands, Kietzmann, and Bates, 2022; Wu
and Wen, 2021). We’ve already seen generative AI
used in the creation of the visuals in ads for major
companies such as Coca-Cola. This and the use of
new tools for writing copy such as Copy.ai and
Writesonic will likely only rise. It remains to be
discovered when and how these tools are best used
and responded to by consumers.
Generative AI has the potential to create
hyper-personalized ads served to micro-segments
or even individual consumers (Kietzmann, Pas-
chen, and Treen, 2018). Ads could be personalized
based on a consumer’s likeness (e.g., seeing an ad
that features you as a model), other personal char-
acteristics (e.g., using satellite imagery from Google
maps to show where a new patio set could go in
your own backyard), or even contextual charac-
teristics such as the current weather or location.
Some of this might be opt-in through demos or
other consumer-chosen experiences (e.g., Virgin
Voyages’ new “Voyage with Jen.ai” campaign), but

202 JOURNAL OF ADVERTISING RESEARCH September 2023 DOI: 10.2501/JAR-2023-019


much could be done without consumer consent or even awareness.
While a rich literature explores how consumers respond to privacy
concerns in advertising, there is room for additional knowledge.
Another potential use of generative AI is to alter characteristics of
models in ads to increase diversity; for instance, AI can be used
to change ethnicity, age, and gender. It remains to be seen how
consumers will respond to such virtual diversity.
In short, generative AI is here, is already being widely employed,
and will increasingly affect the advertising industry. Advertisers
need new direction to help make the most of this new tool, and
researchers are well-equipped to provide them. I encourage schol-
ars of this topic to send the Journal of Advertising Research work
that advances what we know about the impact of generative AI on
consumers and advertisers.
***
And now, on to the current issue. Like AI, programmatic adver-
tising offers its share of efficiencies and threats, but do brands
have sufficient safeguards in place? In “Is Your Brand Protected?
Assessing Brand Safety Risks in Digital Campaigns” (please
see page 205), Ross W. Johnson (University of North Texas), Clay
Voorhees (University of Alabama), and Farnoosh Khodakarami
(San Diego State University) survey advertising managers, show-
ing that a large number have brand safety concerns. The authors
then validate these concerns through an experiment which shows
negative emotions triggered by media context spill over to affect
consumers’ response to ads.
Further insight into spillover effects comes from Zhen-Zhen
Wang (Shenzhen University, China), Zhihua Zhu (Tencent, Shen-
zhen), Xiaoke Xu (Beijing Normal University), and Naipeng Chao
(Shenzhen University). Their article, “Beyond the Targeted Cus-
tomer: Spillover Effect through Social Influence – Consumers
with Weak Ties Are More Effective Targets in Social Advertis-
ing” (please see page 221) shows that advertising can influence the
social connections of ad viewers rather than viewers themselves.
This effect is strongest among consumers with weaker rather than
strong ties. Their findings suggest that advertisers may wish to tar-
get based on the size and makeup of a consumer’s social network.
Consumers’ response to highly creative advertising takes the
spotlight in “Who Needs Highly Creative Advertising? How
Brand Familiarity Moderates Creativity’s Influence on Attention,
Affect, and Memory” (please see page 236), by Ahmed Hamed
al-Shuaili (University of Technology and Applied Sciences—
Nizwa, Oman), Scott Koslow (Macquarie University), and Mark
Kilgour (University of Waikato). Using eye tracking, the authors
confirm that creative advertising attracts more attention, but also
show the effect varies based on brand familiarity. Specifically,
Ready or Not, Generative AI Is Here to Stay THEARF.ORG
“although highly creative advertising improves consumer atten-
tion to ads for highly familiar brands, brand affect may sometimes
suffer,” the authors write. But for less familiar brands, “highly
creative advertising is critically important.”
We are thrilled to have Associate Editor Marla Royne Stafford
introduce the next three articles (see “Analyzing the Effective-
ness of Prosocial Advertising Appeals” on page 253). The sec-
tion, which comprises the first installment of Marla’s special issue
on prosocial advertising messages, begins with “Advertising
Eco-Friendly Behavior to Young Adults: ´Sweat´ or ´Do Good´?
How Young Men and Women Respond to Physical Activity–
­versus Caring–Oriented Appeals” (please see page 255). In it,
Sandra Praxmarer-Carus and Constanze Gathen (both at the
Bundeswehr University Munich) show how young men respond
more positively to environmental appeals that stress physicality
rather than caring for the environment.
Relatedly, “Do Consumers Prefer Sad Faces on Eco-Friendly
Products? How Facial Expressions on Green Products in Adver-
tisements Influence Purchase Intentions” (please see page
274), by Ke Zhang, Siqi Wang, Huan Yang, and Long Chen (all
at Soochow University, China, except Wang, who is at Shanghai
University), demonstrates that appeal type, facial expression pos-
itivity, and product type can all affect the purchase likelihood of
green products.
Lastly, “When and Why Are Consumers Willing to Help
For-Profit Companies in Distress? The Corporate Vulnerabil-
ity Appeal: Conditions that Drive Its Effectiveness” (please see
page 290) provides evidence of the success of a unique type of
appeal that became prevalent during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The authors—Lucia S. G. Barros (FGV EAESP–Escola de Admin-
istração de Empresas de São Paulo), Farah Diba Abrantes-Braga
(Insper–Institute of Education and Research), Cristiane Benedetti
Chammas (Centro Universitário FEI), and Murilo Costa Filho (Uni-
versidade de São Paulo)—also find that effectiveness depends on
the vulnerability being externally induced, and that consumers
have a connection with the company.
We deeply appreciate the incredible amount of work Marla
Royne Stafford has put into her special issue and look forward to
seeing the rest of the articles in print in 2024.
***
One year ago, when I officially became JAR Editor-in-Chief, ARF
CEO Scott McDonald wrote a tribute to my predecessor John B.
Ford, Professor and Eminent Scholar at Old Dominion University.
John, who shepherded JAR through eight years “helped us all mas-
ter the art and science of advertising research,” Scott wrote. Two
recent milestones highlight the foundational work of our earlier
September 2023 JOURNAL OF ADVERTISING RESEARCH 203
Ready or Not, Generative AI Is Here to Stay

Chui, M., E. Hazan, R. Roberts, A. Singla, K. Smaje, A. Sukharevsky,

stewards: a lifetime achievement award honoring Douglas C. West,
L. Yee, and R. Zemmel (2023, June 14). “The Economic Potential of
Emeritus Professor of Marketing at King’s College London and
Generative AI: The Next Productivity Frontier.” Retrieved from the
JAR Executive Editor 2008–2014, and the May passing of William
McKinsey Digital website: https://www.mckinsey.com/capabilities/
(Bill) Cook (age 80), who led JAR for a decade through late 1990s.
mckinsey-digital/our-insights/the-economic-potential-of-generative-ai-th
At a gala dinner at the European Advertising Academy’s
e-next-productivity-frontier
­ICORIA 2023 conference in June, Peter Neijens (University of
Amsterdam) handed Doug the prestigious Flemming Hansen
Deveau, R., S. J. Griffin, and S. Reis(2023, May 11). “AI-Powered Mar-
Award. He cited Doug’s “outstanding contributions to theory and
keting and Sales Reach New Heights with Generative AI.” Retrieved from
research on the topic of advertising creativity,” as well as success
the McKinsey & Company website https://www.mckinsey.com/capabili-
at elevating both JAR during his years as chief editor along with
ties/growth-marketing-and-sales/our-insights/ai-powered-marketing-an
our peer International Journal of Advertising. His research, published
d-sales-reach-new-heights-with-generative-ai
in “in top journals and book chapters … studied the relationship
between creativity and brand personality, how advertisers make
Hsu, T. and Y. Lu (2023, July 18). “A Blessing and a Boogeyman: Adver-
creative decisions, and how creativity affected advertising cam-
tisers Warily Embrace A.I.” Retrieved from The New York Times website
paigns,” Neijens noted.
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/07/18/business/media/ai-advertising.html
Bill Cook, who in addition to having led JAR, was the ARF’s
EVP—Research and Standards from 1997 to 2013. He received the
Kietzmann, J., J. Paschen, and E. Treen. “Artificial Intelligence in
ARF’s Lifetime Achievement Award in 2014 for his “dedication
Advertising: How Marketers Can Leverage Artificial Intelligence along
and impactful contributions to the organization,” Gayle Fuguitt
the Consumer Journey.” Journal of Advertising Research 58, 3: (2018)
wrote in JAR’s “Letter from the CEO.” Bill’s relentless push for
263–267.
research quality can be found in the witty editorials that kicked off
each edition. “No More Crash Dummies, Please” (Vol. 33, Issue 6;
Lomas, N. (2011, November 25). “Humanity Has Always Feared Tech-
1993) still resonates today. In it, Bill urged his fellow researchers to
nology: In the 21st Century, Are We Right to Be Afraid?” Retrieved from
“think hard and work harder at our models, plans and strategies
the ZDNet website https://www.zdnet.com/article/humanity-has-alway
before we test them.
s-feared-technology-in-the-21st-century-are-we-right-to-be-afraid/
“Let us not play the ‘crash dummy’ and sit through a wreck or
two to find out what didn’t work,” he wrote. “Let us instead apply
Overly, S. (2016, July 21). “Humans Once Opposed Coffee and Refrig-
more powerful, yes, even more complex models to our data .... We
eration: Here’s Why We Often Hate New Stuff.” Retrieved from The
now have access to volumes of data and refinement of measures
Washington Post website https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/innova-
that can provide us with increasingly powerful predictive tools.
tions/wp/2016/07/21/humans-once-opposed-coffee-and-refrigeration-he-
We owe it to ourselves and our clients to pick them up and put
res-why-we-often-hate-new-stuff/
them to work.”

Stam, A.(2023, June 12). “AI Will Impact at Least Half of All Ad Revenue
As always, I look forward to your feedback.
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adage.com/article/agency-news/ai-will-impact-least-half-all-ad-reve-
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