Unlike traditional advertising, brands pay for search ads only if they are effective, measured by clicks. Clicks, however, are not sales. This paper presents results from nine field experiments conducted with eight small, direct-to-consumer (DTC) brands selling exclusively online with all sales captured in the dataset. Despite variations in brand, product category, and search advertising formats, stopping branded search advertising had no significant effect on sales for all eight brands. For two of three brands that stopped generic search advertising, there was a significant effect on sessions (website visits), but not sales. A pre-registered online experiment was also conducted, confirming the null effects of branded search advertising on sessions (measured as click intentions) found in the field experiments. These results indicate that brands should reallocate search-related marketing expenditure from branded to generic search ads, or search engine optimization to appear on the first results page.
The cell cycle regulator p16 is known as a biomarker and an effector of aging. However, its function in intervertebral disc degeneration (IVDD) is unclear. In this study, p16 expression levels were found to be positively correlated with the severity of human IVDD. In a mouse tail suspension (TS)-induced IVDD model, lumbar intervertebral disc height index and matrix protein expression levels were reduced significantly were largely rescued by p16 deletion. In TS mouse discs, reactive oxygen species levels, proportions of senescent cells, and the senescence-associated secretory phenotype (SASP) were all increased, cell cycling was delayed, and expression was downregulated for Sirt1, superoxide dismutase 1/2, cyclin-dependent kinases 4/6, phosphorylated retinoblastoma protein, and transcription factor E2F1/2. However, these effects were rescued by p16 deletion. Our results demonstrate that p16 plays an important role in IVDD pathogenesis and that its deletion attenuates IVDD by promoting cell cycle and inhibiting SASP, cell senescence, and oxidative stress.
PurposeThis research aims to explain the effectiveness of mobile apps in establishing a visual linkage to the brand behind the app, enhancing its distinctiveness and, overall, leading to greater correct brand recognition (brand lift).Design/methodology/approachThe study analyzes online survey data (n = 6,819) for 29 apps across 17 countries in a popular category: travel booking. It compares respondents' ability to correctly recognize brands from debranded app versions. It also considers app usage (e.g. number of travel booking apps owned/used), broader consumer behavior (e.g. travel booking in the last year) and demographics (e.g. age, gender and country).FindingsHaving the app on one's device results in significantly higher correct brand recognition. The brand lift effect is greater for consumers using more travel booking apps and those who have recently booked travel. In contrast, consistent with advertising clutter effects, the number of travel bookings on one's device reduced recognition odds. Some demographic differences appear, such as a greater lift for younger users and females. Finally, countries with higher digital competitiveness show a greater brand lift of apps, confirming both macro and micro influences on consumer memory.Practical implicationsThe findings of this study translate into practical guidelines on how to leverage mobile apps to increase correct brand recognition, which is a prerequisite to attain other brand outcomes, including potential flow-on effects on buying behavior.Originality/valueThis research advances branding literature by showing how mobile apps drive correct brand recognition, using multiapp, multicountry data and robust analytical methods to ensure strong conclusions.
Activism has the potential to both positively and negatively impact an athlete's brand meaning (e.g., the perceptions held by others about the athlete). The present research extends prior work into how this occurs by adopting, for the first time, a multi-actor perspective. The data comes from the Instagram posts of 608 German athletes who participated in one of three mega sporting events (Tokyo 2021 Olympics, Beijing 2022 Olympics, and the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar). Using an qualitative research design, we uncovered ten actor groups that contribute to the co-creation of branding meaning for activist athletes, and four different "levels" of co-creation performances: Autonomous activism, collaborative activism, sports-network activism, and beyond-network activism. We also found that brand meaning co-creation can be influenced by the number of actors involved, independent to the activism issue. Theoretically, the research contributes a novel framework for understanding the co-creation of an athlete's brand meaning when engaging in activism and offers strategic insights for brand managers on the need to balance activism with other brand building efforts.
Recently, safeguarding children in early childhood has received widespread media coverage. This has shone a light on the critical work of early years teachers in supporting the learning, care and safety of young children. However, there has been limited exploration into what early years teachers actually do at the coalface to identify and support children with high levels of complex trauma. Drawing from a research project that examined early years teacher self-efficacy beliefs, this paper provides an analysis of the specific practices and beliefs of three early years teachers working in a complex, integrated early years site, in a disadvantaged community in Australia with a high number of children with complex trauma. Analysing segments of interview data collected over a 10-month period, findings revealed what the participants considered to be successful or challenging within their practice whilst working within a community shaped by complex trauma. This paper provides a hopeful account of the work of early years teachers and the role their teacher self-efficacy beliefs play in supporting children with complex trauma.
