JAR Inside the Research Podcast
This podcast gives listeners a look at the latest research articles published in the Journal of Advertising Research. Listen to authors describe their work and what motivated it, explore challenges they faced in the research process, and describe what they'd like to researched next.
JAR Inside the Research Podcast
Advertising Professionals' Views on Advertising Seemingly Related to Offline Conversations
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In this episode, we speak with Claire Segijn (University of Minnesota) and Joanna Strycharz (University of Amsterdam) to discuss their article, "Advertising Professionals' Views on Advertising Seemingly Related to Offline Conversations," coauthored with Rongjin Zhang (University of Minnesota), published in the March 2026 issue of JAR.
Claire and Joanna explain conversation-related advertising: the widespread consumer belief that phones and smart devices are listening to offline conversations and serving up ads based on what was said. Drawing on a survey of 74 U.S. advertising professionals and the first study to examine this phenomenon from the industry side, they unpack a striking disconnect. Nearly all professionals agree the technology is possible, yet there is no consensus on whether it is actually happening. Those who believe it is happening point to their own experiences as consumers rather than any campaign evidence, while those who say it is not offer four concrete reasons: it isn't an option platforms let them select, it's unnecessary given how much data advertisers already have, it faces real technical hurdles, and it carries legal risk. The bigger story is an information asymmetry that has shifted from one between industry and consumers to one between advertisers and the platforms themselves, with professionals often unsure what data actually powers their own campaigns.
The practical takeaway for advertisers is that perceptions matter even when the practice isn't real: consumers who believe an ad came from an overheard conversation react negatively, so greater transparency about data collection, more internal conversations within agencies, and possibly regulatory mandates are needed. Our discussion also digs into how the project began with student examples in the classroom, the challenges of recruiting busy (and sometimes skeptical) advertising professionals, and a rich future research agenda spanning why consumers hold this belief, how to inform the large group sitting on the fence, and whether reactions differ across product categories.
Read the full paper here: https://doi.org/10.1080/00218499.2025.2531594
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