Spiegel On Sports: How to Leverage Social Connection for Sports Fandom
New research from Northwestern University’s Spiegel Research Center explores how social connection shapes sports fandom and what teams, leagues and marketers can learn from it. October 1, 2026 Spiegel On Sports: How to Leverage Social Connection for Sports Fandom is a research report from Northwestern University’s Spiegel Research Center. The report brings together six studies […]
The New World of Proactive Commerce
New research from the Northwestern Retail Analytics Council and MINTY examines how AI-assisted shopping is changing commerce and how prepared brands and retailers are for the shift. September 25, 2026 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 […]
Grandparents and Back-to-School and College Shopping in 2026
Research looks at the role grandparents play in back-to-school and college shopping and how household composition shapes their spending, shopping habits and response to marketing. September 13, 2026 Executive Summary By Melissa Nelson, Marketing and Communications, Retail Analytics Council, Northwestern University Back-to-school and college are major retail events for grandparents in addition to parents, making […]
AI in Search Marketing Adoption Is High While Gaps Remain
Artificial Intelligence in Search Marketing 2026 AI has rapidly moved from an emerging technology to essential infrastructure in search marketing, yet significant questions remain about adoption depth, organizational readiness, and measurable impact. To address these, the Spiegel Research Center conducted this study to uncover how marketing professionals are integrating AI into their search workflows, what […]
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 […]
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 […]
Feature in JAR: Extending Media Context Effects-Bidirectional Emotional Carryover Using Galvanic Skin Response
Drawing on biometric and self-reported data from viewers in four countries, this study examines the bidirectional relationship between media context and advertising, offering insights into audience emotion, ad effectiveness and the unique role of sports programming. Read the full article in the Journal of Advertising Research. Extending Media Context Effects: Bidirectional Emotional Carryover Using Galvanic […]
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 […]
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 […]
How Online Reviews Influence Sales
Evidence of the Power of Online Reviews to Shape Customer Behavior