Creator Marketing 2026: Wave 4
A Survey of Marketing Professionals Who Use Creator Marketing: Full Findings Report By Frank Dudley, Professor and Associate Director, Retail Analytics Council, and Frank Mulhern, Ph.D., Professor, former Associate Dean and Director, Retail Analytics Council. The Retail Analytics Council is part of the Medill Spiegel Research Center at the Medill School of Journalism, Media, Integrated […]
More Than Notebooks and Backpacks
By Melissa Nelson, Marketing and Communications, Retail Analytics Council, Northwestern University Findings from research conducted by Prosper Insights & Analytics, in cooperation with the National Retail Federation, show that back-to-school shopping goes beyond traditional notebooks and backpacks. Back-to-school and back-to-college shopping remain two of the largest seasonal retail events of the year, with 42.4% of […]
What the Fourth of July Helps Marketers Understand about Tradition, Not Transactions
By Melissa Nelson, Marketing and Communications, Retail Analytics Council, Northwestern University Every holiday offers marketers an opportunity to better understand holiday consumer behavior. This year’s Fourth of July findings reveal insights that extend well beyond a single celebration and into the next retail season. People don’t gather because they shop. They shop because they gather. […]
Featured in ANA: Kelly Cutler Discusses Generative Engine Optimization
Kelly Cutler, associate professor and associate director of research at Northwestern University’s Medill Spiegel Research Center, was featured in the Association of National Advertisers (ANA) discussing the rapid shift from traditional search engine optimization (SEO) to generative engine optimization (GEO). The article highlights findings from Spiegel Research Center research showing that while 95% of senior […]
Father’s Day Spending as Consumers Seek More Meaningful Ways to Celebrate
Executive Summary Based on a survey of 7,914 consumers conducted by Prosper Insights & Analytics in cooperation with the National Retail Federation, Father’s Day remains one of America’s most celebrated holidays, with spending and participation continuing to grow. 76.8% of Americans plan to celebrate Father’s Day in 2026, making it the nation’s sixth most popular […]
Taking SRC Research Global: Sanchary Pal Presents at ICA 2026
The Medill Spiegel Research Center’s work on streaming and audience behavior took the international stage this month as Sanchary Pal, Research Associate, presented “Watching Together: Uncovering the Value of Co-viewing in Streaming” at the International Communication Association’s 2026 conference in Cape Town. The research was co-authored with Larry DeGaris, Executive Director, Medill Spiegel Research Center, […]
Feature in ANA: AI, Answer Engines, and the Future of B2B Marketing Strategy
AI, Answer Engines, and the Future of B2B Marketing Strategy By Kelly Cutler, Associate Professor of Digital Marketing and Visual Communication at Northwestern University AI answer engines are reshaping how B2B buyers discover and trust brands, as marketers face a shift from clicks to citations. Insights from the ANA B2B Committee explore AI visibility, zero-click […]
Feature in TechRepublic: Google Search Adds More AI Features, Visibility Gets Harder for Publishers
Google Search Adds More AI Features, Visibility Gets Harder for Publishers The rise of AI-powered search is forcing marketers to rethink how they measure visibility and success online. In a recent TechRepublic article, Northwestern University’s Kelly Cutler argues that “traditional SEO must expand to include generative engine optimization (GEO), with a focus on visibility and […]
Insights From ARF CSI: Decoding the Emotions of Shopping to Win in Retail
Larry DeGaris, executive director of Spiegel Research Center, and Elizabeth Harris, Chief Strategy Officer at Arc Worldwide, presented “Arc Shopper Sentiment Study: Decoding the Emotions of Shopping to Win in Retail” at the Advertising Research Foundation Commerce and Shopper Intelligence, examining the connection between emotion and consumer decisions in the current retail landscape. The session […]
How Experience-Driven Gifting is Shaping Mother’s Day Retail
Executive Summary Mother’s Day continues to stand out as one of the most widely celebrated holidays in the U.S., with strong participation and growing economic impact. While overall celebration rates have remained relatively steady, spending patterns and consumer behavior are shifting in notable ways, revealing a move toward more meaningful, experience-driven gifting and a broader […]