Computational Approaches to Advertising Research: Ongoing and Emerging Challenges

Itai Himelboim, proposal accepted: “Computational Approaches to Advertising Research: Ongoing and Emerging Challenges,” panel to take place at the March 2023 annual conference of the American Academy of Advertising, Denver.

Abstract: Big data have revolutionized advertising research in both academia and industry. The availability of large-scale, cross-platform, real-time data of consumer interactions with brands, products and one another provides new research opportunities. Computational approaches often utilize machine learning and other novel analytical tools to identify patterns and extract meaning from unstructured text, including large volumes of unstructured user generated content. However, the potential for new research avenues also raises challenges and concerns, some of which are theoretical and methodological, others practical and ethical. As computational analysis becomes more popular amongst advertising researchers, faculty and graduate students, this panel proposes a discussion among experts that will focus on these opportunities and challenges, lessons learned in recent years, as well as best practices for researchers.