Northwestern Featured in ANA Article on How In-House Agencies Use AI
The Association of National Advertisers (ANA) highlighted Northwestern University’s Spiegel Research Center in its feature “How Are In-House Agencies Utilizing AI Tools?” The article includes insights from Kelly Cutler, associate professor at Northwestern, who shared research-driven guidance on how marketing teams can effectively integrate artificial intelligence. Drawing from Northwestern’s study “Northwestern Study Finds Enthusiasm, Gaps […]
ANA Feature: AI and Small Business Marketing
SMBs Ratchet Up Their Social Media Presence Small- and medium-sized businesses are starting to leverage AI to close the content creation gap By Dominick Fils-Aimé October 1, 2025 In ancient times, say 2010, social media was mainly considered the domain of large, consumer-facing companies with ample marketing budgets. However, in the last decade, social media […]
Harvard Independent: Journalism at Risk in the AI Era
Generative AI is changing how we discover information—and journalism is caught in the middle. When large language models can synthesize reporting instantly, fewer readers click through to the sources that fund newsroom jobs and months-long investigations. That’s the tension at the heart of Harvard Independent’s new piece, which features insight from Kelly Cutler, Associate Professor and […]
Consumer Adoption of AI Search Is Accelerating: Implications for Marketing Practice
Executive Summary Research points to a fundamental reconfiguration of search, with AI tools accelerating adoption, changing consumer behaviors and challenging marketing frameworks. AI-driven search is not a peripheral trend but a transformative force redefining discoverability. The question is no longer if marketers should adapt, but how quickly they can realign strategies to remain relevant in this […]
Grandparents Represented 14% of Back-to-School Shoppers: Don’t Miss Them in Your Seasonal Campaign
Back-to-school season is one of the biggest shopping seasons of the year for families across the country. It’s also an important time for advertisers, as parents and students spend heavily—much of it online. In fact, the National Retail Federation projects that back-to-school spending will reach $128 billion this year (National Retail Federation, 2025). Yet one […]
Content Marketing and AI – Best Practices
Content Marketing and AI – Best Practices How can we leverage best practices and AI for content marketing? By Kelly Cutler, Northwestern University Content Marketing has long been the cornerstone of successful digital marketing strategies. It involves the creation, publishing, and distribution of valuable and relevant information to attract, educate, and retain customers. Challenges associated with […]
The Evolution of Digital Marketing in the Era of AI
The Evolution of Digital Marketing in the Era of AI By Kelly Cutler, Northwestern University The Evolution of Digital Data privacy has taken the spotlight recently, reshaping the way businesses approach digital marketing. Overarching federal and state regulations combined with changing technology, like the deprecation of third-party cookies and the rise of global ad blockers, […]
Back-to-School and College Spending Rivals Holiday Season Spending
Executive Summary The July 2024 Prosper Insights and Analytics survey (n = 7,533) highlights the scale and dynamics of back-to-school and college shopping, underscoring its role as one of the largest retail events of the year. Key findings include: 40.1% of adults plan to shop for back-to-school or college; 28.2% for school-age children, 25.9% for […]
ANA Feature: Northwestern Research Explores Generative AI’s Role in Marketing Teams
The Association of National Advertisers (ANA) recently featured Northwestern University’s research on how marketing teams are integrating generative AI. The article, “Northwestern Study Finds Enthusiasm, Gaps in Gen AI Use,” highlights insights from the university’s empirical research—conducted through surveys, interviews, and case studies within the Spiegel Research Center—revealing both the opportunities and challenges marketers face […]