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The widespread use of mobile apps in marketing has resulted in in-app advertising to promote products and services. Research on in-app advertising has focused on several dimensions but not on the modality of ad generation. The use of artificial intelligence (AI) and memes as advertisements has paved the way for multiple ways to create them. This study aims to understand the effect of various advertisement generation modalities on an individual’s trust, attitude toward the advertisement, subjective norms, intentions and use of a particular product.

Using the theoretical lens of reasoned action and trust, the authors explored through an experimental study (five treatments-AI-generated ad and meme, human-created ad and meme and user-generated meme, and (n = 300) the consumer’s intention to purchase a fictitious shampoo brand based on in-app advertising. The respondents were exposed to one of the treatments without knowledge of the ad generation modality.

Trust differed significantly across all the experimental conditions. Furthermore, the authors observe that the theory of reasoned action holds for all advertising generation modalities.

The use of AI in advertising is increasing exponentially, and brands are using AI-generated content to engage with their audiences on various platforms. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is one of the first studies to attempt to understand the effects of various ad generation modalities on the trust, attitude and behavior of individuals. Furthermore, this study examines both AI and human-created memes and their effects. The authors suggest optimizing the prompt engineering to develop AI-generated images.

Joint advertising is an emerging strategy where marketers promote both brands in the same marketing communication. This research determines how the domestic, foreign, or global nature of the partner impacts important brand-related outcomes and identifies underlying psychological process mechanisms and contextual variables that affect this relationship.

Across three experiments, we investigate how the type of joint advertising partner impacts consumer attitudes and behaviors. We establish the number of similarities between the partners and perceived cognitive fit as the mediating process mechanisms underlying this relationship, with holistic processing moderating the effect.

We find that when consumers are exposed to joint advertisements between domestic or global [foreign] brands, they will be able to generate more [fewer] similarities between the partners and perceive a stronger [weaker] cognitive fit. Moreover, these similarities interact with consumer cultural traits related to holistic processing style to differentially influence perceived cognitive fit and downstream consumer attitudes and behaviors.

Partnering for mutually beneficial, joint advertisements is a growing phenomenon that redefines traditional thinking about advertising, but the success of the joint advertisement is contingent upon the characteristics and compatibility of the partners.

This study aims to investigate the evolution of sustainability reporting in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) against a backdrop of changing legislation. It uses qualitative content analysis within the corporate social responsibility (CSR) communication framework proposed by Kotler and Lee (2005) to investigate how corporations in the UAE disclosed information on their CSR activities in 2018 and 2023.

The authors refer to the CSR communication framework proposed by Kotler and Lee (2005), which puts forward a set of marketing communication strategies that can be used to promote a corporation. The authors identify the strategies used by the top 14 companies operating in the UAE in their CSR disclosure in the fall of 2018 and the spring of 2023, respectively. The authors note any changes that have occurred over time and differences between the distinct business sectors.

The findings indicate a continuing reliance on the marketing communication strategies associated with corporate philanthropy, cause promotion and being a good corporate citizen. All of the corporations in the study showed evidence of engaging in an increasing diversity of CSR initiatives and a corresponding diversity in the marketing communication strategies they used to promote them.

Corporations wishing to promote themselves through their CSR activities and build a positive reputation would do well to select a diverse set of CSR activities communicated in a variety of ways.

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study is the first longitudinal, comparative study examining the CSR marketing strategies of the top corporations in the UAE. As such, it contributes to the ongoing debate on CSR in the Middle East in general and to understanding more about the approach as well as the changes in approach to CSR in a Muslim-majority Middle-eastern and secular developing economy, the impact of CSR legislation and government regulation on CSR disclosures in different business sectors and the promotional opportunities afforded by effective CSR disclosure within the UAE in particular.

The objective of this study is to examine how perceived augmentation of virtual makeup influences consumers’ perceived value (utilitarian and hedonic value).

This research conducts an empirical study, and investigates 474 respondents.

The results show that perceived augmentation positively influences utilitarian and hedonic value. The wow-effect mediates the impact of perceived augmentation on utilitarian value. Immersion mediates the impact of perceived augmentation on two types of perceived value. Perceived ease of use moderates the influence of perceived augmentation on utilitarian value. Recreational shopper does not moderate the effect of perceived augmentation on hedonic value.

The study provides practical implications for beauty e-retailers.

This study examines the effect of perceived augmentation, supplements the literature on virtual makeup and AR technology application and enriches the literature on consumer experience of using AR technology.

This chapter examines the ICC Advertising and Marketing Communications Code of 2018. The primary themes of this Code are advertising and marketing communications. This is a lengthy Code – in addition to an Introduction, it has been developed over four chapters and two annexes. The ‘technologically enhanced’ marketing communications seem to have prompted the International Chamber of Commerce to draft this Code of Conduct.

This Code emphasised the self-regulatory Codes of Conduct in the hope that self-regulatory codes of conduct should convince customers of their social responsibility. This Code also believes that high sense of social responsibility will achieve the principal purpose of it. This Code should be more useful if the member States take it seriously and implement its provisions in their own interests.

This study aims to examine the visual effects of cause-related marketing (CM) posts on Instagram, with a focus on image resolution and consumer engagement.

Three studies were conducted through an experimental design. Study 1 (N = 155) uncovered the mediation underlying the effects of image quality (low and high image resolution). Study 2 (N = 160) replicated the findings of the first study and extended the investigation by examining the mediator (fluency) and moderator (visual sensitivity). Study 3 (N = 291) further extended the effects of image resolution by demonstrating its interactive effects with the visual complexity of an Instagram post design in a 2 × 2 factorial experiment.

The serial mediation analysis demonstrated that high image resolution CM posts yielded more favorable evaluations in terms of brand credibility and information costs saved, subsequently leading to positive brand attitudes, purchase intentions and increased Instagram engagement. Processing fluency mediated image effects on brand credibility, while individual differences in visual sensitivity moderated the image effects. The image resolution effects were greater for visually complex CM posts compared to simple ones.

To one's best knowledge, little to no research has examined the image quality of Instagram posts in the context of CM and the extent to which such visual cues can affect consumers' brand evaluations and engagement on the platform.

Despite its practical significance, there exists a notable gap in understanding the specific role of CM posts on Instagram and the impact of visual elements on consumer behaviors. The current research findings aim to bridge the research gap.

This study aims to investigate the effects of sponsorship on organizational identification among employees of companies that sponsor individual athletes from the perspective of internal marketing.

An online survey was conducted in July 2021 targeting employees of Company A. Specifically, employees were invited to participate via email notifications sent through the company's intranet. To clarify the impact of company sponsorships for individual athletes on employee organizational identification, this study focused on the relationship between Company A and an athlete they support. Psychometric scales were used to measure the factors of the hypothetical model, such as sponsor fit and attitudes toward sponsorship. The analysis was conducted using IBM SPSS 28.0 and AMOS 25 Graphics, and the hypotheses were tested using structural equation modeling.

We collected a total of 365 survey responses in two weeks. All the hypotheses in this study were supported, indicating that athlete identification and brand knowledge had a significant positive effect on perceived sponsor fit. In addition, attitudes toward the employer significantly have positive relationships with brand commitment and organizational identification. This study showed that perceived sponsor fit plays an important role in employee perceptions of sponsorship. Athlete endorsement is effective from an internal marketing perspective.

The limitation of this study is the selection of the research subject. Conducting the same survey targeting individual athletes with different characteristics may lead to discoveries about the impact of corporate sponsorship on employee organizational identification.

The practical implication of this study is that business executives should also use sponsorship for individual athletes as a means to unify and motivate their employees. In selecting athletes for sponsorship, it is necessary to select individuals who fit the company image. In this process, listening to employees' opinions may help select the most suitable athlete who matches the company's image.

Many studies conducted on sports sponsorship have focused on the impact on potential customers, from external marketing. Even in studies examining the effects of sports sponsorship on employees, the sponsored subjects are typically teams or events. Therefore, the originality of this study lies in examining the impact of athlete endorsement on the company's employees from the perspective of internal marketing.

The purpose of this study is to test a model examining the effects of philanthropic portfolio diversity in relation to firm performance. In particular, the authors assess organizational philanthropy portfolios targeted at diverse issue categories while also examining these effects when the organization also partners with a diverse range of stakeholder groups.

The study leverages detailed company reports to collect, code and test a firm’s philanthropic behaviors based on focal issues such as community, education, environment and others. The authors also collect and analyze data on the range, type and quantity of stakeholders targeted by a firm’s philanthropic efforts. These philanthropic donations are then merged with financial data to examine the outcomes in a longitudinal analysis of over 2,000 firm-year observations.

The findings suggest that organizations that make focused and targeted philanthropic donations over a more generalist and broad approach realize higher performance. Furthermore, the authors find that variation across stakeholder donation amounts enhances firm performance by strategically identifying and targeting relevant stakeholder needs.

The present study expands on extant research to examine the performance implications associated with broad and general philanthropy versus targeted and narrow philanthropic efforts. Furthermore, the study provides support for a portfolio view of philanthropy to suggest organizations holistically assess, manage and leverage their efforts across issues and stakeholder groups. These findings provide additional insights into the complexities associated with corporate philanthropy portfolios while also discussing future research opportunities to enhance the outcomes associated with philanthropic activities.

This paper has a dual purpose. The first is to provide a thorough analysis of developments in international marketing in relation to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic; the second is to capitalize on these developments to set an agenda for future research in the field of international marketing.

This paper zooms in on and reviews the 18 papers published in International Marketing Review’s (IMR) Special Issue on “Covid 19: advancing international marketing theory and guiding practice” (2023, volume 40, issue 5). It also integrates recent research at the intersection of international marketing and the COVID-19 pandemic.

The paper highlights five areas that embody significant contemporaneous changes brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic and affect international marketing practice. These include (1) shifts in consumer behavior, (2) digitalization and artificial intelligence, (3) disruptions in supply chains, (4) communication and corporate social responsibility (CSR), and (5) international dynamic marketing capabilities. In order to advance international marketing theory in relation to pandemics and other external crises, the paper establishes research directions for each of these areas.

The paper provides a novel and comprehensive categorization of fundamental shifts caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and lays out a research roadmap to advance research in the field of International Marketing (IM). Important implications for practice are also discussed.