SRC Presents New Findings on Advertising Context at ARF AudiencexScience 2026
At Advertising Research Foundation (ARF) AudiencexScience 2026 in New York City, during the March 18 and 19 program, one theme came into sharper focus: context is not neutral. It actively shapes outcomes. In the session, “Context: Alignment and Relevance, Context Effects and Reverse Context Effects,” the Medill Spiegel Research Center at Northwestern University partnered with […]
Retail Trends, Spending, and Easter Celebratory Patterns
Executive Summary Easter falls between the Super Bowl and Mother’s Day in terms of popularity among American celebrations. Over the past eight years, there has been a slight decrease in the observance of Easter, along with a minor dip in associated spending. Factors such as the presence of children, age, and income strongly influence individuals’ […]
Green, Gatherings, and Grocery Spend: St. Patrick’s Day Trends
Executive Summary St. Patrick’s Day holds its place as a widely celebrated cultural moment in the U.S., with participation and spending showing steady consistency. The latest Prosper Insights & Analytics survey, conducted in February 2026, offers a snapshot of how Americans plan to mark the occasion this year. An estimated 60.4% of adults plan to […]
Feature: Highlight in Ads of Brands on Science Marketing
Spiegel Research Center Study on Trust, Transparency & Advertising to Scientists SRC research was spotlighted in Ads of Brands, highlighting a new study on how to advertise effectively to scientific audiences. The study draws on qualitative interviews with scientists and healthcare researchers and shows that they value trust, education, and clear evidence over persuasive language […]
Feature: SRC Research Guides CPG Brands on Generative AI in MediaPost
Spiegel Research Center’s AI Framework Spotlighted in MediaPost Northwestern’s Medill Spiegel Research Center was recently featured in MediaPost, where its ITMS framework: Introduce, Test, Measure, Scale was highlighted as a practical, research-based approach for helping CPG brands operationalize generative AI in product launches. Read the full article to see how academic insights are informing real-world […]
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 […]
Spiegel Research Center Data Visualizations Earn Top Honors
Spiegel Research Center Data Visualizations Earn Top Honors Two data visualization projects affiliated with the Spiegel Research Center were recognized at the 2026 Big Ten Academic Alliance Data Viz Championship, earning top placements among faculty and staff submissions. State of Integrated Marketing Communication in 2025, created by Sanchary Pal and Paisley Lyn Drzewicki Lucier, received […]
SRC Research Highlights the Role of Trust in a Zero-Click Economy
The Credit Union Advantage in a Zero-Click World In a recent Copacino Fujikado thought leadership piece on navigating the zero-click era, insights from qualitative research conducted by the Spiegel Research Center (SRC) help frame how trust, visibility and decision-making are changing in an AI search environment. The article draws directly from SRC interviews with senior […]