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AMA Event Policies<\/a><\/h4>\n<!-- \/wp:heading -->","post_title":"Social Media Trends for 2026","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"social-media-trends-for-2026","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2025-10-06 13:26:23","post_modified_gmt":"2025-10-06 18:26:23","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.ama.org\/?post_type=ama_event&p=200188","menu_order":0,"post_type":"ama_event","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":197630,"post_author":"43028","post_date":"2025-06-16 08:46:20","post_date_gmt":"2025-06-16 13:46:20","post_content":"<!-- wp:heading {\"level\":4} -->\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-registration-for-this-event-is-free-save-the-date\"><strong>Registration for this event is free<\/strong>! | <a href=https://www.ama.org/"https:////www.addevent.com//event//rs33xm5fbs15/">Save the Date<\/strong><\/a><\/h4>\n<!-- \/wp:heading -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p><strong>Join us for a free virtual conference that looks ahead to what\u2019s next in marketing.<\/strong> Industry leaders and trend-watchers will explore the forces shaping the marketing landscape in the coming year\u2014from shifting consumer expectations and emerging technologies to evolving team structures and measurement strategies. Whether you're planning campaigns or setting long-term strategy, this event will help you prepare with clarity and confidence.<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p><strong>Key Takeaways<\/strong><\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:list -->\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><!-- wp:list-item -->\n<li>Key marketing trends to watch in the year ahead<\/li>\n<!-- \/wp:list-item -->\n\n<!-- wp:list-item -->\n<li>Insights into how AI and tech will reshape marketing roles and workflows<\/li>\n<!-- \/wp:list-item -->\n\n<!-- wp:list-item -->\n<li>Predictions for evolving consumer behavior and expectations<\/li>\n<!-- \/wp:list-item -->\n\n<!-- wp:list-item -->\n<li>Tips for aligning strategy with brand values and business goals<\/li>\n<!-- \/wp:list-item -->\n\n<!-- wp:list-item -->\n<li>Tools to help guide planning, budgeting, and innovation<\/li>\n<!-- \/wp:list-item --><\/ul>\n<!-- \/wp:list -->\n\n<!-- wp:buttons -->\n<div class=\"wp-block-buttons\"><!-- wp:button -->\n<div class=\"wp-block-button\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link wp-element-button\" href=https://www.ama.org/"https:////cvent.me//gbdoBo/">Already Registered? Log in here<\/a><\/div>\n<!-- \/wp:button --><\/div>\n<!-- \/wp:buttons -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p><em>Can\u2019t attend every session? No problem. All conference sessions will be available on-demand for 6 months after the event!<\/em><\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:media-text {\"mediaId\":194706,\"mediaLink\":\"https:\/\/www.ama.org\/ama-leadership\/ama-ceo-bennie-f-johnson_2025-1\/\",\"linkDestination\":\"custom\",\"mediaType\":\"image\",\"mediaWidth\":34,\"mediaSizeSlug\":\"medium\",\"imageFill\":true,\"backgroundColor\":\"blue-900\"} -->\n<div class=\"wp-block-media-text is-stacked-on-mobile is-image-fill-element has-blue-900-background-color has-background\" style=\"grid-template-columns:34% auto\"><figure class=\"wp-block-media-text__media\"><a href=https://www.ama.org/"https:////www.linkedin.com//in//shamahyder///">\"\"\"\"AMA Event Policies<\/a><\/h3>\n<!-- \/wp:heading -->\n\n<!-- wp:spacer {\"height\":\"42px\"} -->\n<div style=\"height:42px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n<!-- \/wp:spacer -->","post_title":"Social Media Bootcamp (September 2025)","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"social-media-bootcamp-september-2025","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2025-04-17 12:59:59","post_modified_gmt":"2025-04-17 17:59:59","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.ama.org\/?post_type=ama_event&p=193198","menu_order":0,"post_type":"ama_event","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":217981,"post_author":"227173","post_date":"2026-01-14 10:54:48","post_date_gmt":"2026-01-14 16:54:48","post_content":"<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>In today's hyperconnected world, social media has become a critical channel for businesses to understand consumers. While social listening tools are widely used, they often fall short, providing only a superficial understanding of consumer sentiment. Existing methods struggle to capture the full spectrum of emotions beyond basic sentiment (positive, negative, neutral), hindering companies' ability to truly understand their customers and make informed decisions.<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>A <a href=https://www.ama.org/"https:////doi.org//10.1177//00222429251315088/">new <em>Journal of Marketing<\/em> study<\/a> introduces NADE (Natural Affect DEtection), <a href=https://www.ama.org/"https:////nade-explorer.inkrement.ai/" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">a novel approach<\/a> that bridges this gap. NADE goes beyond sentiment analysis by leveraging the power of emojis. It first \"emojifies\" text and then translates those emojis into eight well-established emotions like joy, sadness, and anger. This innovative approach allows a more nuanced and accurate understanding of consumer emotions, providing deeper insights into their thoughts and feelings.<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>NADE's key innovation lies in using emojis as an intermediate emotional signal. Social media users naturally self-label their posts with emojis, offering implicit emotional cues. As a \"text-to-emoji-to-emotion\" converter, NADE utilizes these cues in a two-stage process: The model first learns to predict which emojis best match a given text, then, using established emotion models like <a href=https://www.ama.org/"https:////www.6seconds.org//2025//02//06//plutchik-wheel-emotions///" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Plutchik\u2019s wheel of emotions<\/a>, NADE converts these emojis into emotional intensities. This method outperforms traditional sentiment analysis by capturing more nuanced consumer emotions.<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:image {\"id\":218404,\"sizeSlug\":\"large\",\"linkDestination\":\"none\"} -->\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img src=https://www.ama.org/"https:////www.ama.org//wp-content//uploads//2026//01//NADE-demo.jpg?resize=1024,990\%22 alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-218404\"\/><\/figure>\n<!-- \/wp:image -->\n\n<!-- wp:heading -->\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-using-nade-for-better-consumer-sentiment-analysis\">Using NADE for Better Consumer Sentiment Analysis<\/h2>\n<!-- \/wp:heading -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>NADE has wide-ranging applications across industries, helping companies gain deeper insights and make data-driven decisions:<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:list -->\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><!-- wp:list-item -->\n<li>In <strong>social media management<\/strong>, it empowers companies to go beyond simple sentiment analysis. NADE enables real-time monitoring of online conversations, allowing for rapid identification and effective mitigation of potential crises. Moreover, it can serve as a valuable proxy for traditional metrics like TV ratings, providing insights into audience engagement and sentiment surrounding specific events or campaigns.<br><br><\/li>\n<!-- \/wp:list-item -->\n\n<!-- wp:list-item -->\n<li>In <strong>product development<\/strong>, NADE can be a powerful tool for understanding customer emotions. By analyzing customer feedback, companies can pinpoint product features that evoke specific emotions such as frustration or excitement. This granular understanding can guide product improvements and ensure that products resonate with customer desires.<br><br><\/li>\n<!-- \/wp:list-item -->\n\n<!-- wp:list-item -->\n<li>Within <strong>customer service<\/strong>, NADE enhances both human agent and chatbot interactions. By providing real-time insights into customer emotions, NADE equips service agents with the information they need to respond empathetically and effectively. This can lead to improved customer satisfaction, reduced resolution times, and increased customer loyalty.<br><br><\/li>\n<!-- \/wp:list-item -->\n\n<!-- wp:list-item -->\n<li>Beyond these specific applications, NADE supports <strong>innovative advertising tactics<\/strong>. Mood-based targeting allows advertisers to reach specific audience segments based on their current emotional state, maximizing the impact of their campaigns.<br><br><\/li>\n<!-- \/wp:list-item -->\n\n<!-- wp:list-item -->\n<li>Additionally, NADE can be leveraged for <strong>market research<\/strong>, enabling more accurate emotion-driven demand prediction and providing valuable insights into brand loyalty and market trends.<br><br><\/li>\n<!-- \/wp:list-item -->\n\n<!-- wp:list-item -->\n<li>Finally, NADE <strong>empowers content creators<\/strong> by providing valuable insights into the emotional impact of their content. By understanding how their content resonates with audiences on an emotional level, creators can design and curate more engaging and effective user experiences.<\/li>\n<!-- \/wp:list-item --><\/ul>\n<!-- \/wp:list -->\n\n<!-- wp:heading -->\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-advantages-of-nade-for-researchers\">Advantages of NADE for Researchers<\/h2>\n<!-- \/wp:heading -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>For researchers, NADE offers several key advantages. First, it democratizes research by making sophisticated emotion analysis accessible to researchers with limited budgets. While commercial tools like LIWC offer similar capabilities, NADE provides more nuanced emotion analysis and is entirely free, opening doors for researchers who may have been previously deterred by technical or financial constraints. This removes a significant financial barrier, enabling broader participation in high-level research.<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>Second, NADE's user-friendly interface allows researchers to conduct in-depth analyses without requiring extensive programming expertise. Finally, the availability of R and Python packages provides researchers with the flexibility to adapt and extend NADE to other languages, emojis, and emotion theories, enabling further advancements in the field.<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph {\"align\":\"center\",\"style\":{\"typography\":{\"fontSize\":\"26px\"}},\"backgroundColor\":\"grey-500\"} -->\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center has-grey-500-background-color has-background\" style=\"font-size:26px\">Visit the NADE App to explore how it can enhance your research or business insights:<br><a href=https://www.ama.org/"https:////nade-explorer.inkrement.ai/" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">https:\/\/nade-explorer.inkrement.ai<\/a><\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:ama\/call-to-action {\"requires_login\":\"1\",\"new_target\":\"1\",\"cta_title\":\"Read the Full Study for Complete Details\",\"cta_button_label\":\"Get the Full Study\",\"cta_button_link\":\"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1177\/00222429251315088\",\"className\":\"is-style-default\"} \/-->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p><strong>Source:<\/strong> Christian Hotz-Behofsits, Nils Wl\u00f6mert, and Nadia Abou Nabout, \u201c<a href=https://www.ama.org/"https:////doi.org//10.1177//00222429251315088/" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Natural Affect DEtection (NADE): Using Emojis to Infer Emotions from Text<\/a>,\u201d <em><em><a href=https://www.ama.org/"https:////www.ama.org//journal-of-marketing///" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Journal of Marketing<\/a><\/em><\/em>.<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>Go to the <em><a href=https://www.ama.org/"https:////www.ama.org//journal-of-marketing///" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Journal of Marketing<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:acf\/ama-curated-posts {\"name\":\"acf\/ama-curated-posts\",\"data\":{\"title\":\"Related Articles\",\"_title\":\"field_5cf4b10fc4ef3\",\"picks\":[\"136169\",\"118200\",\"160718\"],\"_picks\":\"field_5cf4b131c4ef4\",\"columns\":\"1\",\"_columns\":\"field_5d65283c9b4d2\"},\"mode\":\"edit\"} \/-->","post_title":"An Innovative New Tool Draws on Emojis to Improve Consumer Sentiment Analysis","post_excerpt":"This Journal of Marketing study introduces \"NADE\" (Natural Affect DEtection), which leverages the power of emojis to give companies unprecedented insight into consumer emotions.","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"an-innovative-new-tool-draws-on-emojis-to-improve-consumer-sentiment-analysis","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2026-01-14 11:22:33","post_modified_gmt":"2026-01-14 17:22:33","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.ama.org\/?p=217981","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":209091,"post_author":"221814","post_date":"2025-10-21 11:40:38","post_date_gmt":"2025-10-21 16:40:38","post_content":"<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>Social media has transformed how brands interact with consumers, making platforms like Instagram and Facebook critical for advertising success. As businesses invest billions into social ads, understanding how users engage with these ads is more important than ever. But how do social signals such as likes influence user behavior?<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>A <a href=https://www.ama.org/"https:////doi.org//10.1177//00222429241307608/" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">new <em>Journal of Marketing<\/em> study<\/a> finds that the first like on a social ad has a profound impact, significantly boosting both clicks and likes. However, as the number of likes increases, their influence on clicks diminishes. The research reveals two key forms of social influence at play: normative and informational. Normative influence encourages users to conform to social norms, leading them to like an ad simply because others have done so. Informational influence, on the other hand, drives meaningful actions like clicking on an ad when users perceive it as credible or relevant.<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>This dual effect of likes provides critical insights for marketers and platforms aiming to optimize ad performance and user engagement.<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:heading -->\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-key-findings-how-likes-shape-user-behavior\"><strong>Key Findings: How Likes Shape User Behavior<\/strong><\/h2>\n<!-- \/wp:heading -->\n\n<!-- wp:list -->\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><!-- wp:list-item -->\n<li><strong>Initial Likes Are Critical:<\/strong> The first like on an ad acts as a powerful social cue, boosting both clicks and likes. It serves as a signal of credibility, encouraging users to engage with the content.<\/li>\n<!-- \/wp:list-item -->\n\n<!-- wp:list-item -->\n<li><strong>Normative vs. Informational Influence:<\/strong> While the first like generates both normative and informational influence, additional likes primarily encourage conformity rather than meaningful engagement. This results in more users liking the ad but fewer clicking through to learn more.<\/li>\n<!-- \/wp:list-item -->\n\n<!-- wp:list-item -->\n<li><strong>Plateau in Engagement:<\/strong> As the number of likes grows, their ability to drive clicks diminishes. This suggests that showing too many likes can dilute their informational value, leading to a plateau in meaningful engagement.<\/li>\n<!-- \/wp:list-item --><\/ul>\n<!-- \/wp:list -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>The first like is a critical moment for engagement. It signals to users that the content is worth their attention, encouraging both likes and clicks. However, as likes accumulate, their role shifts. Instead of driving deeper interactions, they primarily serve to reinforce conformity, leading users to simply like the ad without taking further action.<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:heading -->\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-practical-insights-for-marketers\"><strong>Practical Insights for Marketers<\/strong><\/h2>\n<!-- \/wp:heading -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>For marketers, these findings offer actionable strategies to enhance the effectiveness of social media ad campaigns:<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:list -->\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><!-- wp:list-item -->\n<li><strong>Optimize for Click-Through Campaigns:<\/strong> Campaigns designed to drive clicks should display only a few likes to preserve the informational value of the first like. This strategy helps maintain the ad\u2019s perceived credibility, encouraging users to take action.<\/li>\n<!-- \/wp:list-item -->\n\n<!-- wp:list-item -->\n<li><strong>Boost Brand Awareness:<\/strong> For campaigns focused on building brand awareness, showing higher like counts can leverage normative influence to make the ad appear more popular and widely accepted. This approach enhances brand perception and visibility.<\/li>\n<!-- \/wp:list-item -->\n\n<!-- wp:list-item -->\n<li><strong>Tailor Social Cues to Campaign Goals:<\/strong> Marketers should carefully consider the type of engagement they aim to achieve. Balancing normative and informational influences can help design campaigns that maximize both likes and clicks.<\/li>\n<!-- \/wp:list-item --><\/ul>\n<!-- \/wp:list -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>By aligning the visibility of likes with campaign objectives, brands can optimize their return on investment.<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:heading -->\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-implications-for-social-media-platforms\"><strong>Implications for Social Media Platforms<\/strong><\/h2>\n<!-- \/wp:heading -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>The study also has significant implications for social media platforms. Platforms like Instagram and Facebook continuously experiment with the visibility of likes, as seen in Instagram\u2019s recent tests on hiding like counts. These decisions impact user behavior and advertiser outcomes, making it critical for platforms to strike the right balance.<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>Platforms can use these insights to refine how they display likes in ads. For click-through campaigns, limiting the visibility of likes can preserve the informational value of the first like, driving deeper engagement. For awareness campaigns, showing higher like counts can enhance normative influence, boosting surface-level engagement and brand visibility.<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>Platforms must consider how their design choices influence both user behavior and advertiser performance.<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:heading -->\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-challenges-and-considerations\"><strong>Challenges and Considerations<\/strong><\/h2>\n<!-- \/wp:heading -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>While likes are a powerful tool for driving engagement, their effects are not universal. Campaigns that rely too heavily on normative influence may fail to drive meaningful actions like clicks or purchases. Similarly, campaigns that prioritize clicks without considering the role of social cues risk missing opportunities to build brand awareness.<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>Another challenge lies in balancing authenticity with strategy. Overemphasizing likes as a metric of success can lead to inauthentic interactions, where users engage with content superficially rather than meaningfully. Platforms and marketers must work together to ensure that social cues are used in ways that enhance user experience and drive real value.<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:heading -->\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-a-vision-for-the-future-of-social-advertising\"><strong>A Vision for the Future of Social Advertising<\/strong><\/h2>\n<!-- \/wp:heading -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>This study offers a framework for leveraging likes as a tool for both engagement and action. By recognizing the dual role of likes, marketers and platforms can design campaigns that deliver better results for advertisers while maintaining user trust.<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>In a world where attention is increasingly scarce, the ability to understand and harness the dynamics of social influence offers a competitive edge. Whether the goal is to drive clicks, increase likes, or boost brand awareness, leveraging the power of social cues is key to creating impactful campaigns.<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:ama\/call-to-action {\"requires_login\":\"1\",\"new_target\":\"1\",\"cta_title\":\"Read the Full Study for Complete Details\",\"cta_button_label\":\"Get the Full Study\",\"cta_button_link\":\"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1177\/00222429241307608\",\"className\":\"is-style-default\"} \/-->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p><strong>Source:<\/strong> Song Lin and Shan Huang, \u201c<a href=https://www.ama.org/"https:////doi.org//10.1177//00222429241307608/" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Do More \u2018Likes\u2019 Lead to More Clicks? Evidence from a Field Experiment on Social Advertising<\/a>,\u201d <em><a href=https://www.ama.org/"https:////www.ama.org//journal-of-marketing///" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Journal of Marketing<\/a><\/em>, 89 (5), 88\u2013110.<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>Go to the <em><a href=https://www.ama.org/"https:////www.ama.org//journal-of-marketing///" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Journal of Marketing<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:block {\"ref\":89390} \/-->\n\n<!-- wp:acf\/ama-curated-posts {\"name\":\"acf\/ama-curated-posts\",\"data\":{\"title\":\"Related Articles\",\"_title\":\"field_5cf4b10fc4ef3\",\"picks\":[\"195368\",\"159413\",\"151890\"],\"_picks\":\"field_5cf4b131c4ef4\",\"columns\":\"1\",\"_columns\":\"field_5d65283c9b4d2\"},\"mode\":\"edit\"} \/-->","post_title":"Do More Likes Lead to More Clicks? Evidence from a Social Advertising Field Experiment","post_excerpt":"A Journal of Marketing study finds that the first like on an ad has a powerful influence, but as more likes accumulate, their impact on clicks diminishes. Here's what this means for marketers.","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"do-more-likes-lead-to-more-clicks-evidence-from-a-social-advertising-field-experiment","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2025-10-21 11:46:19","post_modified_gmt":"2025-10-21 16:46:19","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.ama.org\/?p=209091","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":203298,"post_author":"21","post_date":"2025-08-18 10:32:49","post_date_gmt":"2025-08-18 15:32:49","post_content":"<!-- wp:heading {\"level\":4} -->\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-guest-editors-charles-r-taylor-shintaro-okazaki-chen-lou-and-aysegul-ozsomer\"><strong>Guest Editors<\/strong>: Charles R. Taylor, Shintaro Okazaki, Chen Lou, and Ay\u015feg\u00fcl \u00d6zsomer<\/h4>\n<!-- \/wp:heading -->\n\n<!-- wp:heading {\"level\":4} -->\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-submission-window-august-1-october-31-2026\"><strong>Submission Window: August 1\u2013October 31, 2026<\/strong><\/h4>\n<!-- \/wp:heading -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>Manuscripts are currently being solicited for an upcoming special issue of the <em>Journal of International Marketing<\/em> (<em>JIM<\/em>) dedicated to Global Endorsers (Influencers, Celebrities, and Opinion Leaders) in Marketing.<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:heading -->\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-background\"><strong>Background<\/strong><\/h2>\n<!-- \/wp:heading -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>Globally, expenditure on influencer marketing have exploded, increasing from US$1.2 billion in 2006 to $33 billion in 2025 (Statista 2025). According to a report issued by Allied Market Research (2023), global growth in the influencer market will average 28.6% over the next seven years, making it a $199.6 billion industry. In conjunction with this growth, there has been a high volume of research on influencer marketing that has investigated a wide range of factors related to its effectiveness (Fowler and Thomas 2023; Hudders and Lou 2023). While there have been several studies of social media marketing strategies for global influencers (Kara et al. 2021) and for brands (e.g., Wahid et al. 2023), relatively little academic work has focused on the global and cultural aspects of the influencer phenomenon.<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>Numerous influencers have massive social media followings, including some who can be regarded as global endorsers, as their appeal cuts across national boundaries. From a marketing standpoint, there are important distinctions between global, regional, and local influencers, yet relatively little is known about influencers who have global followings and what distinguishes them from those who do not. There are also political leaders who can be considered narrowband influencers and global icons (Peres et al. 2020). \u201cExtant research has found that there are \u201cdistinct associations attached to global vs. local brands\u201d (Sayin et al. 2024, p. 1) that potentially impact consumer expectations and consumer responses in different contexts, but similar frameworks have not been applied to better understand influencer marketing on a global level.<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>By the same token, the role of world-famous celebrities as global endorsers is increasingly important in marketing. Global celebrities with the largest number of followers include Cristiano Ronaldo (1.02 billion followers), Selena Gomez (683.9 million followers), and Justin Bieber (596.3 million followers) (Duarte 2025). Celebrities with large followings are not restricted to the Western world; several Chinese celebrities having large followings (Sun et al. 2022), and Korean pop acts such as BTS have fandoms that extend beyond their home country market. While there is much literature on factors associated with celebrity endorsement success, our knowledge is limited to a local context (e.g., Bergkvist and Zhou 2016). Few studies have focused on global campaigns using celebrities whose appeal transcends national boundaries (e.g., Shah, Olya, and Monkhouse 2023), on celebrities in emerging markets (e.g., Roy et al. 2019) or on cultural nuances and celebrities (Winterich, Gangwar, and Grewal 2018).<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>Opinion leaders are another group of global endorsers. They are consumers with higher expertise and\/or willingness to spend effort to understand products and propagate their recommendations to other consumers (Kuksov and Liao 2019). Opinion leaders differ from influencers because they do not necessarily hold positions of power and\/or prestige, and they may not have vast number of followers. Yet, compared with the literature on influencers and celebrities, research on the role of opinion leaders in international marketing and global branding is far less developed.<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>Collectively, global influencers, celebrities, and opinion leaders can be viewed as global endorsers in international marketing. There is a need for studies from the branding, consumer, and firm perspectives in terms of evaluation of and reaction to global endorsers. From a branding perspective, concepts of global brands (\u00d6zsomer, Batra, and Steenkamp 2024), perceived brand globalness (Liu et al. 2021), and self-identification with global consumer culture (Cleveland and Laroche 2006)\u2014among others\u2014may help unpack multiple questions: What leads to global endorsers\u2019 cross-border audience? What attributes associated with these endorsers lead to higher effectiveness (with some consumer groups) and, ultimately, whether and how global endorsers can contribute to <em>glocal<\/em> branding strategy outcomes (Schmidt-Devlin, \u00d6zsomer, and Newmeyer 2022)?<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>From a consumer perspective, global consumer culture theory suggests that there is a sizeable group of consumers, especially those who highly identify with global consumer culture, for whom perceived brand globalness is important in purchase decisions. Yet, antiglobalization forces have called into question the degree to which global brands have an advantage (e.g., Davvetas et al. 2023).  As a result, more insight into perceptions of global, regional, and local endorsers and their effectiveness is needed. Some recent studies of brand choice that have conceptualized globalness and localness as a product attribute (Davvetas et al. 2023; Steenkamp 2014) may provide a useful framework for such analyses, in addition to those that have focused on global versus local brand choice (e.g., Xie, Batra, and Peng 2015).<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>From a firm perspective, the selection, evaluation, and retention of global endorsers is a critical task. Frameworks, decision tools, and road maps that can assist in these processes are needed and are welcome for this special issue. The role of recent developments such as generative AI, deepfakes, large language models, and others are also ripe for investigation.<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:heading -->\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-topics\"><strong>Topics<\/strong><\/h2>\n<!-- \/wp:heading -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>We welcome studies that address the topic of global endorsers from the diverse angles explained above, including new developments, theories, models, methods, and frameworks. <strong>Single-country and single-study papers will not be considered. Multidisciplinary collaboration between international marketing scholars and scholars from other business disciplines is encouraged.<\/strong> We are also open to a wide variety of methods, including experiments, surveys, qualitative methods, conceptual development, meta-analysis, bibliographic study, and text mining, among others.<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>Potential research questions that may be addressed include (but are not limited to):<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:heading {\"level\":4} -->\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-defining-and-understanding-the-appeal-of-global-endorsers\">Defining and Understanding the Appeal of Global Endorsers<\/h4>\n<!-- \/wp:heading -->\n\n<!-- wp:list -->\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><!-- wp:list-item -->\n<li>Who are global endorsers? How can we define them? What kind of roles do they play in global branding and global brand management?<\/li>\n<!-- \/wp:list-item -->\n\n<!-- wp:list-item -->\n<li>How and why do global endorsers attract consumers and influence their behavior?<\/li>\n<!-- \/wp:list-item -->\n\n<!-- wp:list-item -->\n<li>What are the effects of global endorsers, both positive and negative (the dark side of global endorsers) on brand reputation, values, and trust?<\/li>\n<!-- \/wp:list-item --><\/ul>\n<!-- \/wp:list -->\n\n<!-- wp:heading {\"level\":4} -->\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-global-endorser-effectiveness\">Global Endorser Effectiveness<\/h4>\n<!-- \/wp:heading -->\n\n<!-- wp:list -->\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><!-- wp:list-item -->\n<li>How are global endorsers best employed in global promotional programs?<\/li>\n<!-- \/wp:list-item -->\n\n<!-- wp:list-item -->\n<li>How do global endorsers become effective brand ambassadors, icons, etc.?<\/li>\n<!-- \/wp:list-item --><\/ul>\n<!-- \/wp:list -->\n\n<!-- wp:heading {\"level\":4} -->\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-global-endorser-scope-and-reach\">Global Endorser Scope and Reach<\/h4>\n<!-- \/wp:heading -->\n\n<!-- wp:list -->\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><!-- wp:list-item -->\n<li>How do global endorsers navigate across regions\/markets in terms of standardization\/adaptation\/glocalization of their messages, execution, and delivery?<\/li>\n<!-- \/wp:list-item -->\n\n<!-- wp:list-item -->\n<li>What types of adaptation are effective, and under which circumstances?<\/li>\n<!-- \/wp:list-item -->\n\n<!-- wp:list-item -->\n<li>What kind of relationships do followers build with global endorsers (e.g., parasocial)?<\/li>\n<!-- \/wp:list-item -->\n\n<!-- wp:list-item -->\n<li>How does the size of audience, the reach, and the nature of the endorser (global\/regional\/local) affect these relationships?<\/li>\n<!-- \/wp:list-item -->\n\n<!-- wp:list-item -->\n<li>Are there differences in the perceived authenticity of an endorsement for local\/global brands based on whether the endorser is global\/local?<\/li>\n<!-- \/wp:list-item --><\/ul>\n<!-- \/wp:list -->\n\n<!-- wp:heading {\"level\":4} -->\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-trends-and-regulatory-factors-affecting-global-endorsement\">Trends and Regulatory Factors Affecting Global Endorsement<\/h4>\n<!-- \/wp:heading -->\n\n<!-- wp:list -->\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><!-- wp:list-item -->\n<li>Are antiglobalization forces creating more demand for local endorsers in some context?<\/li>\n<!-- \/wp:list-item -->\n\n<!-- wp:list-item -->\n<li>What are the institutional (legal, regulatory) issues such as privacy laws (e.g., General Data Protection Regulation, California Consumer Privacy Act) that influence the ability to effectively employ global endorsers? What are best and worst institutional settings for global endorsers?<\/li>\n<!-- \/wp:list-item --><\/ul>\n<!-- \/wp:list -->\n\n<!-- wp:heading {\"level\":4} -->\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-differences-in-endorser-strategy-based-on-country-or-level-of-economic-development\">Differences in Endorser Strategy Based on Country or Level of Economic Development<\/h4>\n<!-- \/wp:heading -->\n\n<!-- wp:list -->\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><!-- wp:list-item -->\n<li>Are there differences in the way in which endorsers from some markets (e.g., China, the U.S., Germany, Brazil) are portrayed when used globally in comparison to others?<\/li>\n<!-- \/wp:list-item -->\n\n<!-- wp:list-item -->\n<li>Are global endorsers perceived differently in emerging versus advanced markets and, if so, should they be used in different ways as part of promotional programs?<\/li>\n<!-- \/wp:list-item --><\/ul>\n<!-- \/wp:list -->\n\n<!-- wp:heading -->\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-submission-guidelines\"><strong>Submission Guidelines<\/strong><\/h2>\n<!-- \/wp:heading -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>Submissions should follow <a href=https://www.ama.org/"https:////journals.sagepub.com//author-instructions//JIG/" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><em>JIM<\/em>\u2019s manuscript format guidelines<\/a>. The manuscript length should be no greater than 50 pages, properly formatted and inclusive of title, abstract, keywords, text, references, tables, figures, footnotes, and print appendices (web appendices do not count toward the page limit).<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p><strong>The submission window is August 1, 2026 through October 31, 2026<\/strong><\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>\u2022 Authors should select \u201cSpecial Issue\u201d as their \u201cManuscript Type.\u201d Please also note in the cover letter that the submission is for the special issue on Global Endorsers.<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>\u2022 All articles will undergo double-anonymized peer review process.<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>\u2022 Authors will be notified the first round of decision on their manuscript by January 31, 2027.<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>\u2022 The anticipated publication date for the special issue is in late 2027 or early 2028, depending on revision times.<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>\u2022 For additional information regarding the special issue, please contact the guest editors at jimSIglobalEndorsers@gmail.com.<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:heading -->\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-references\"><strong>References<\/strong><\/h2>\n<!-- \/wp:heading -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>Allied Market Research (2023), \u201cInfluencer Marketing Market to Reach $199.6 Billion, Globally, by 2032 at 28.6% CAGR: Allied Market Research,\u201d PR Newswire (November 14), https:\/\/www.prnewswire.com\/news-releases\/influencer-marketing-market-to-reach-199-6-billion-globally-by-2032-at-28-6-cagr-allied-market-research-301987451.html.<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>Bentley, Kara, Charlene Chu, Cristina Nistor, Ekin Pehlivan, and Taylan Yalcin (2021), \u201cSocial Media Engagement for Global Influencers.\u201d <em>Journal of Global Marketing<\/em> 34 (3), 205\u201319.<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>Bergkvist, Lars and Kris Q. Zhou (2016), \u201cCelebrity Endorsements: A Literature Review and Research Agenda.\u201d <em>International Journal of Advertising, 35 <\/em>(4), 642\u201363.<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>Cleveland, Mark and Michel Laroche (2006), \u201cAcculturaton to the Global Consumer Culture: Scale Development and Research Paradigm, <em>Journal of Business Research,<\/em> 60 (3), 249-259.<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>Davvetas, Vasileios, Christina Sichtmann, Charalampos (Babis) Saridakis, and Adamantios Diamantopoulos (2023), \u201cThe Global\/Local Product Attribute: Decomposition, Trivialization, and Price Trade-Offs in Emerging and Developed Markets,\u201d <em>Journal of International Marketing<\/em>, 31 (3), 19\u201340.<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>Duarte, Fabio (2025), \u201cMost Followed Accounts on Social Media (2025),\u201d Exploding Topics (July 8), <a href=https://www.ama.org/"https:////explodingtopics.com//blog//social-media-following/">https:////explodingtopics.com//blog//social-media-following./n

Social Media

Social media involves the use of social networks as marketing communications media. These websites often have users actively participate to determine what is popular. Social marketing is a tactic that taps into the growth of social networks, encouraging users to adopt and pass along widgets or other content modules created by a brand, or to add a brand to the user’s social circle of friends.

Social marketing has traditionally referred to the branch of marketing that is concerned with the use of marketing knowledge, concepts, and techniques to enhance social ends, as well as the social consequences of marketing strategies, decisions, and actions. This type of marketing is designed to influence the behavior of a target audience in which the benefits of the behavior are intended by the marketer to accrue primarily to the audience or to the society in general and not to the marketer. Social marketing can be carried on by for-profit, public, and private nonprofit organizations or by individuals.

Examples would be attempts to influence individuals to stop smoking (by the private nonprofit American Cancer Society) or report crimes (by the public U.S. Department of Justice). An attempt of one friend to influence another to go on a diet is also social marketing. Here you will find a collection of marketing news articles and research insights regarding social media.

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