Food Quality Dominates Restaurant Choice and Spending
Executive Summary Dining out remains a near-universal behavior among U.S. adults, with restaurant usage, spending, and preferences shaped by household composition, income, and perceptions of food quality and convenience. Findings from the November 2025 Prosper Insights & Analytics survey (n=8,000) show that more than nine in ten adults have eaten at a restaurant in the […]
Valentine’s Day Beyond Cards and Candy
Executive Summary Valentine’s Day remains a meaningful but evolving consumer holiday, shaped by long-term declines in participation alongside steady and increasingly targeted spending. Findings from the January 2026 Prosper Insights & Analytics survey conducted in cooperation with the National Retail Federation (n=7,791) show that just over half of U.S. adults plan to celebrate Valentine’s Day, […]
The Business of Watching the Super Bowl
Executive Summary The Super Bowl continues to operate as a major cultural and consumer event, with participation levels rivaling traditional U.S. holidays and spending patterns that extend well beyond the game itself. Findings from the January 2026 Prosper Insights & Analytics survey conducted in cooperation with the National Retail Federation (n=7,991) show that Super Bowl […]
21 Digital Marketing Experts on How AI Search Overviews are Changing Their Industry
Last summer, the Medill School of Journalism, Media Integrated Marketing Communications piloted a new program called The Spiegel Scholars Program. We invited three highly qualified master’s students—Ariel, Kristen, and Momo—to help us write a research report on how AI is changing the advertising industry. Over three months, our team interviewed 21 marketing executives, transcribed the […]
Updated Report: The State of IMC 2025 – How Integration Is Reshaping the Future of Marketing
Executive Summary The Spiegel Research Center conducted a nationwide survey of 161 experienced marketing professionals to uncover the most pressing challenges and trends in Integrated Marketing Communications (IMC). The findings reveal a marketing landscape in transition, where rising quality expectations collide with increasing operational complexity. The Generalist Reality Modern marketers function as tactical generalists rather […]
Americans Feel the Holiday Spending Squeeze
Executive Summary The latest Prosper Insights & Technologies survey paints a clear picture of how Americans are feeling—and spending—as they head into the holiday season. While some demographic groups show resilience, overall financial sentiment remains cautious, shaped heavily by inflation, tariffs, and uncertainty about the broader economy. Key findings include Only 22% of consumers feel […]
How Online Reviews Influence Sales
Evidence of the Power of Online Reviews to Shape Customer Behavior
SRC partner: New Black Friday with Less Impulse, More Intention
Congratulations Black Friday You’ve come a long way since your name was coined 50 years ago. You’re growing up. Your adorable children—Cyber Monday, Small Business Saturday, and Giving Tuesday—are carving out their own identities and becoming part of culture. You’re not as volatile; we’ve seen fewer doorbuster dustups make the national news in recent years. You’re less frenzied; your […]
Google AI Overviews Decoded
At the Spiegel Research Center, we collaborate with faculty, organizations, and students on advertising research projects. One of the ways we engage students is through the Spiegel Scholars Program, where they collect and analyze real-world data, develop recommendations for marketing managers, and identify opportunities for future research at the Spiegel Research Center. This summer, the […]
How Generative AI Is Transforming Modern Marketing
In a recent presentation titled Transforming Marketing With Generative AI: A Research-Based Approach, Kelly Cutler, Associate Professor of Marketing and Communication at Northwestern University, explored how generative AI is reshaping the marketing landscape and what organizations must do to adapt. She begins by noting that most marketers feel excited about AI, but many lack the […]