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 […]
Strategic Shopping: Why Americans Start Early but Spend Less
Executive Summary The 2025 holiday season reflects a growing tension between enthusiasm and economic restraint. Data from the October 2025 Prosper Insights & Analytics survey, conducted in partnership with the National Retail Federation (NRF), shows that while 92.8% of adults plan to celebrate the winter holidays, shoppers are changing how and when they buy. Consumers […]
Retail Media Networks and Creator Marketing in the Digital Marketing Ecosystem
Executive Summary Digital Marketing has become a mainstay in modern marketing, commanding significant budgetary allocation. Within this dynamic landscape, Retail Media Networks (RMNs) and Influencer Marketing Platforms (IMPs/ Creator Marketing Platforms) have emerged as two of the fastest-growing components of digital marketing. However, despite their potential, brands are facing significant friction in effectively leveraging these […]
Insights From P2PI LIVE & Expo: Shopper Emotion
At the Path to Purchase Institute’s P2PI LIVE & Expo, new research highlighted how deeply emotion shapes today’s shopping experience—and what that means for brands and retailers. The findings show that retailers perform very differently when it comes to both emotional impact and ease of shopping, pointing to opportunities to borrow best practices across channels, […]
From Pinterest to TikTok: Where Halloween Shoppers Really Get Their Ideas in 2025
Executive Summary Halloween remains one of America’s most celebrated and commercially influential holidays—blending tradition, creativity, and commerce. Insights from the September 2025 Prosper Insights and Analytics survey (n = 8,045) reveal that while celebration rates remain steady, the way and where consumers draw inspiration and make purchases are evolving. 5% of U.S. adults plan to […]
Insights from the 2025 Tech Summit
Session Summary — Tech Summit Oct. 9, 2025 New York City, NY Transforming Marketing With Generative AI Presented by Kelly Cutler, Professor and Associate Director of Research, Medill School of Journalism, Media, Integrated Marketing Communications, Northwestern University This session examined the evolving digital marketing ecosystem, including the impact of large language models and how they […]
Partnership with Copacino Fujikado to Advance Data-Driven Marketing
A first-of-its-kind partnership has been announced between Northwestern University’s Medill Spiegel Research Center (SRC) and Seattle-based independent creative and media agency Copacino Fujikado, as reported by MediaPost. Recognized nationally by Ad Age as one of the best small agencies in the country, Copacino Fujikado brings 27 years of creative expertise and experience working with hundreds […]
How AI Is Reshaping Digital Marketing
At the ANA MarTech Conference in Chicago, Kelly Cutler, Associate Professor and Associate Director of Research at Northwestern University’s Spiegel Research Center and author of Search Marketing: A Strategic Approach to SEO and SEM, presented “Evolution of Digital in the Era of AI.” During the presentation, Kelly shared an in-depth look at how artificial intelligence […]