Dr. Nathaniel J. Evans

Associate Professor, Advertising

About: Dr. Evans teaches advertising and society, advertising management, and graduate level advertising foundations courses. His research interests examine consumers’ processing and evaluation of immersive and non-traditional advertising formats that include advergames, branded apps, in-game advertising, and native advertising with a focus on public policy implications.

View Curriculum Vitae

Education

Ph.D., Communication and Information, University of Tennessee
M.S., Communication and Information/ Advertising, University of Tennessee
B.A., Psychology, Eckerd College

Research Interests and Activities

Dr. Evans’ research examines the blurring of boundaries between entertainment and commercial content, and the impact on issues related to consumer information processing, evaluation, and policy. He uses experimental and survey methodology to examine consumers’ information processing, evaluation, and behavioral outcomes of exposure to in-game advertising, advergames, branded games, native advertising, and other immersive or covert advertising formats. His research has examined regulatory and policy related topics in advertising, marketing, communication and health. Dr. Evans’ published work is featured in the Journal of Advertising, Journal of Interactive Advertising, Journal of Current Issues and Research in Advertising, Journal of Consumer Affairs, Health Affairs, andTelevision and New Media.

Selected Research

Can Virtual, CGI-Generated, Influencers Help Sell Products on Instagram? Effects of Perceived Realism and Disclosure on Brand-Related Attitudes and Behavioral Intentions Nathaniel J. Evans and JeongHyun (Janice) Lee

Joe Phua, Nathaniel J. Evans, Youngjee Ko (Ph.D. candidate), and Janice Lee (Ph.D. candidate) (Forthcoming) “Can Virtual, CGI-Generated, Influencers Help Sell Products on Instagram? Effects of Perceived Realism and Disclosure […]

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Leveraging Influencers to Improve Quality of Life: Implications and Insights for Healthy Behaviors and Prosocial Outcomes Nathaniel J. Evans

Nathaniel Evans, “Leveraging Influencers to Improve Quality of Life: Implications and Insights for Healthy Behaviors and Prosocial Outcomes.” Keynote conference talk presented at, “Under the Influence: A Comprehensive Look at […]

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How the Impact of Social Media Influencer Disclosures Changes over Time. Discounting Cues and Exposure Level Can Affect Consumer Attitudes and Purchase Intention Nathaniel J. Evans

Nathaniel Evans and Delia Balaban presented their forthcoming published article in the Journal of Advertising Research titled, “How the Impact of Social Media Influencer Disclosures Changes over Time. Discounting Cues […]

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Covert Advertising and Consumer Understanding: Implications for Practice and Policy Nathaniel J. Evans

Nathaniel Evans, “Covert Advertising and Consumer Understanding: Implications for Practice and Policy.” Research talk presented to Babeș-Bolyai University, Faculty of Political, Administrative and Communication Sciences, Cluj-Napoca, Romania, October 5th, 2022.

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Disclosure-Driven Recognition of Native Advertising: A Test of Two Competing Mechanisms Nathaniel J. Evans and Bartosz Wojdynski

Eline Brussee, Eva Van Reijmersdal, Nathaniel Evans, and Bart Wojdynski (forthcoming), “Disclosure-Driven Recognition of Native Advertising: A Test of Two Competing Mechanisms,” Journal of Interactive Advertising Abstract: This study aims […]

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How the Impact of Social-Media Influencer Disclosures Changes Over Time: Discounting Cues and Exposure Level Can Affect Consumer Attitudes and Purchase Intent Nathaniel J. Evans

Nathaniel J. Evans, Delia Cristina Balaban, Brigitte Naderer, Meda Mucundorfeanu (forthcoming), “How the Impact of Social-Media Influencer Disclosures Changes Over Time: Discounting Cues and Exposure Level Can Affect Consumer Attitudes […]

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International Journal of Advertising’s Best Reviewer Award Nathaniel J. Evans

Nathaniel J. Evans was awarded the International Journal of Advertising’s Best Reviewer Award at the 2022 ICORIA conference, Prague, Czech Republic.

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Best Article Award in the Journal of Interactive Advertising Nathaniel J. Evans and Marilyn Primovic

Nate Evans, associate professor of advertising, Jay Lim (MA ’16, Ph.D. ‘21) and Ph.D. student Marilyn Primovic (AB ’18, MA ’18) received runner-up for the Best Article Award in the […]

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How Disclosure Source and Content-Publication Fit Impact Consumers’ Recognition and Evaluation of Native E-Cigarette Public Service Announcements Nathaniel J. Evans and Joe Phua

Abstract: Given the increasing amount of public and government related attention devoted to issues surrounding e-cigarette use, the current study examined how disclosure source and content-publication fit in an ENDS […]

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Study finds Grady College Advertising/Public Relations excels in advertising research productivity. Hye Jin Yoon, Karen Whitehill King & Nathaniel J. Evans

Faculty and doctoral graduates in the Department of Advertising and Public Relations in Grady College were the most visible authors or co-authors in the three leading peer-reviewed advertising research journals from 2008-2019, […]

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Effects of Disclosure, Placement Type and Ad-Context Congruence on Brand and Advertising Recognition: An Exploration of CARE Model Processing Nathaniel J. Evans and Shuoya Sun

Abstract:  Despite industry and academic attention to disclosures in sponsored content over recent years, questions remain on how consumers process message and context related characteristics. Primarily building upon the Covert […]

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Increasing COVID-19 Vaccine Acceptance Among Vaccine Hesitant Parents Using Psychological Inoculation Nathaniel J. Evans

Nathaniel Evans has been awarded OIBR seed funding ($5020) through the Grantsmanship Development Program (GDP) for his proposed project titled, “Increasing COVID-19 Vaccine Acceptance Among Vaccine Hesitant Parents Using Psychological […]

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Exploring how disclosure works for listicle-style native advertising: the role of persuasion knowledge, persuasion appropriateness and supplementary disclosure effect of brand social media Dong Jae (Jay) Lim, Nathaniel J. Evans & Marilyn Primovic

Abstract: Listicles are a new media phenomenon that appear on a news organization’s website; they are articles that use a ranked list and offer concise details about a topic to […]

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Time Heals All Wounds: How Discounting Cues and Multiple Exposures Impact the Effectiveness of Infleuncer Advertising Over Time Nathaniel J. Evans

Abstract: Through an online experiment with a 2 (no ad disclosure/standardized ad disclosure ’paid partnership with the (brand)’) x 2 (single exposure to the influencer content/multiple exposure to the influencer […]

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Using Immersive Virtual Reality to Improve the Beliefs and Intentions of Influenza Vaccine Avoidant 18-to-49-Year-Olds: Considerations, Effects, and Lessons Learned. Nathaniel J. Evans, Glen Nowak, Bartosz Wojdynski, Sun Joo (Grace) Ahn & María E. Len-Ríos

Abstract: Only one-third of adults 18 to 49 years old in the United States receive a recommended annual influenza vaccination. This study examined whether supplementing vaccine information statements (VIS) with […]

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An Interdisciplinary Examination of the Material Effects of Deceptive Sport Beverage Advertisements Nathaniel J. Evans

Abstract: Sport companies frequently make product claims in advertisements to influence consumer purchase decisions. Sport beverages, in particular, often tout health benefits and performance claims. Unfortunately, some sport beverage claims […]

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The Covert Advertising Recognition and Effects (CARE) model: Processes of persuasion in native advertising and other masked formats Nathaniel J. Evans and Bartosz Wojdynski

Abstract: Covert advertisements, or those that utilize the guise and delivery mechanisms of familiar non-advertising formats, differ from other more direct forms of advertising in several ways that are important […]

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Changing the game: The effects of cognitive load and brand prominence on covert advertising recognition Nathaniel J. Evans, Bartosz Wojdynski & Michael Harman

Abstract: The purpose of this study was to investigate the role of advertising format and cognitive load in shaping the effect of covert advertisements on participants advertising recognition and outcomes. […]

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Changing the game: The effects of cognitive load and brand prominence on covert advertising recognition. Nathaniel J. Evans, Michael Harman & Bartosz Wojdynski

ABSTRACT: The present study (N=82) employed a 2 (advertisement format: advergame vs. video commercial) x 2 (brand prominence: low (Asus) vs. high (KFC)) between-subjects factorial experiment to investigate the effect […]

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“Parental Gender Effects On The Regulation Of Sponsored Child Influencer Unboxing Videos.” Nathaniel J. Evans Read More
“Changing the Game: The Effects of Cognitive Load and Brand Prominence on Covert Advertising Recognition.” Nathaniel J. Evans, Michael Harman & Bartosz Wojdynski

Abstract: This study first investigated the effect of advertising format (advergames vs online video commercials) on consumers’ ability to recognize advertising. Second, we tested how advertising format differentially impacted consumers’ […]

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The 2014-15 U.S. measles outbreak and parents’ vaccination beliefs, confidence, and intentions Michael Cacciatore, Glen Nowak & Nathaniel J. Evans

Abstract: While it seems intuitive that highly visible vaccine-preventable disease outbreaks should impact perceptions of disease risk and facilitate vaccination, few empirical studies exist to confirm or dispel these beliefs. […]

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Parenting YouTube Natives: The Impact of Pre-Roll Advertising and Text Disclosures On Parental Responses to Sponsored Child Influencer Videos Nathaniel J. Evans

Abstract: The Children’s Advertising Review Unit’s (CARU) recent cases involving child influencer unboxing videos expressed concern that they did not appropriately disclose sponsorship. Placement of pre-roll advertising was also cited as […]

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Awards and Fellowships

Dr. Evans has received top paper awards at the American Academy of Advertising (2016), best article in the Journal of Interactive Advertising (2014), and the Research Fellowship Award from the American Academy of Advertising (2015).

Nathaniel J. Evans
In the News

Focus on the Faculty: Nathaniel Evans

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