Investigating the relationship between stereotyping and creativity during marketing campaigns in marketeers and audiences.

Stereotyping others in a creative process may negatively affect creative output, yet there is currently scant empirical evidence of a link between stereotyping and creativity; here, we explore this link in marketing communications. In a quasi-experiment, we introduced a novel intervention to disrupt marketeers' dependency on stereotypes and boost their creativity. The intervention decreased marketeers' use of stereotypes when selecting consumer labels-descriptive labels of a typical consumer based on consumer information-while enhancing the creativity of ideas. In another set of online experiments, we asked British residents to rate the creativity of advertisements and purchase intentions toward advertising products with different levels of stereotypical depictions of people. We found a linear relationship between the stereotypical depictions of people in advertisements and perceived creativity. We also observed a potential U-shaped relationship between stereotypical representations of people in advertisements and purchase intention, such that advertisements with low and high stereotypical representations induced greater purchase intention than did those with medium stereotypical representations. Finally, we discuss the psychological mechanisms that potentially link stereotyping and creativity and the implications for marketing communications.

Analytical Methods for Comparing Uncontrolled Trials with External Controls from Real-World Data: a Systematic Literature Review and Comparison to European Regulatory and Health Technology Assessment Practice.

OBJECTIVES: To provide an overview of analytical methods in scientific literature for comparing uncontrolled medicine trials to external controls from individual patient-level real-world data (IPD-RWD). In addition, to compare these methods with recommendations made in guidelines from European regulatory and health technology assessment (HTA) organizations and with their evaluations described in assessment reports. METHODS: A systematic literature review (until March 1st 2023) in PubMed and Connected Papers was performed to identify analytical methods for comparing uncontrolled trials with external controls from IPD-RWD. These methods were compared descriptively to methods recommended in method guidelines and encountered in assessment reports of the European Medicines Agency (2015-2020) and four European HTA organizations (2015-2023). RESULTS: Thirty-four identified scientific articles described analytical methods for comparing uncontrolled trial data to IPD-RWD-based external controls. The various methods covered controlling for confounding and/or dependent censoring, correction for missing data; and analytical comparative modelling methods. Seven guidelines also focused on research design, RWD quality and transparency aspects, and four of those recommended analytical methods for comparisons with IPD-RWD. The methods discussed in regulatory (n=15) and HTA (n=35) assessment reports were often based on aggregate data and lacked transparency due to the few details provided. CONCLUSION: Literature and guidelines suggest a methodological approach to comparing uncontrolled trials with external controls from IPD-RWD similar to target trial emulation, using state-of-the-art methods. External controls supporting regulatory and HTA decision-making were rarely in line with this approach. Twelve recommendations are proposed to improve the quality and acceptability of these methods.

A Systematic Literature Review and Future Research Agenda to Study Consumer Acceptance of Novel Foods and Beverages.

In response to the rising global demand for healthier and more sustainable food resources, novel and unconventional food and beverages are being developed and incorporated into our diets. However, existing literature provides a limited understanding of consumers' acceptance of these innovations. This study undertakes a systematic literature review to examine the dynamics between consumers and novel foods and beverages. The objectives are to uncover the factors that influence consumer choices of these products, identify future research needs, and contribute to the development of effective marketing strategies for novel food and beverage adoption. This systematic review analyses 99 research papers, selected from an initial pool of 4,280, sourced from Scopus and Web of Science databases. The papers were published between 2011 and 2023 in journals listed by Australian Business Deans Council and classified as Q1 in the SJR journal ranking. The articles have been reviewed using PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis) protocol and TCCM (Theory, Context, Characteristics and Methodology) framework. The findings highlight a reliance on data-driven methods and suggest that integrating relevant theories could enhance future research outcomes. Most studies focused on the acceptance of technology-based innovations in developed countries, indicating a need to explore novel foods and beverages in developing regions. Consumer-related factors, especially psychological aspects, were the primary focus, suggesting opportunities to investigate additional variables, such as product-related and situational factors, that influence acceptance. Finally, the predominance of quantitative research indicates a potential benefit in incorporating qualitative and multi-method approaches to gain deeper insights into consumer attitudes and motivations.

[Marketing authorisation for rare diseases: The European regulatory perspective using the example of gene and cell therapies]. / Arzneimittelzulassung im Bereich seltener Erkrankungen: die europäische regulatorische Perspektive am Beispiel der Gen- und Zelltherapeutika.

Technological and scientific innovations in the area of gene and cell therapies, so-called advanced therapy medicinal products (ATMPs), have contributed to the steep increase in treatment options for patients with rare diseases. They offer opportunities to address the underlying genetic defect by gene addition, i.e., the delivery of the gene of interest to the target cells, or by genome editing approaches through direct repair of disease-causing mutations. This paper outlines clinical evidence requirements in the context of marketing authorisations for rare diseases. Two out of fifteen gene therapies that have been approved in the European Union since 2018 are used as case studies: Libmeldy (atidarsagen autotemcel) for the treatment of patients with metachromatic leukodystrophy, and Roctavian (valoctocogen roxaparvovec) for the treatment of patients with haemophilia A. Special aspects of the evaluation of single-arm trials with small sample size and requirements with regard to the isolation and causal attribution of the treatment effect are discussed. The role of clinical data obtained under everyday conditions (real world data) to support the generation of evidence in the pre- and post authorisation phase is critically examined. Furthermore, the paper outlines aspects related to conditional versus standard marketing authorisations as well as aspects related to registry-based non-interventional studies in the context of market and patient access to urgently needed drugs.

Nigerian adolescents' exposure to fast food marketing via Instagram.

OBJECTIVES: To explore the promotion of fast food to lower-income adolescents on Instagram with the specific aims of (i) identifying the marketing strategies used by fast food brands on Instagram to promote fast food to Nigerian adolescents and (ii) examining the influence of these strategies on user engagement. DESIGN: A content analysis of posts from a 90-day period of the Instagram accounts of five fast-food brands in Nigeria was conducted. Overall, 576 posts were analysed, using a codebook developed based on the relevant literature, to identify adolescent-targeted strategies. User engagement was measured by number of likes each post received. RESULTS: The observed brands frequently utilised adolescent-targeted marketing strategies, with the most popular strategies being emotional appeal, 'teen language' and product appeal. The results of Mann-Whitney U tests revealed significant associations between the use of these promotional strategies and user engagement. Adolescent-aimed strategies like product appeal and competitions resulted in higher user engagement with fast food promotional content. CONCLUSION: Fast food companies heavily target lower income adolescents through the use of Instagram. This raises health concerns related to the consumption of unhealthy food that arises from regular advertising in that demographic. Further, this exposure increases ad interactions that could cause adolescents to view fast foods more positively. Overall, findings indicate the need for actions aiming to limit and reduce the effect of adolescents' exposure to fast food marketing on social media, to target the features of social media platforms which affords users the ability to interact with fast food advertisements.

Infant formula donations and code violations during earthquake relief efforts in Türkiye in 2023: an observational study.

BACKGROUND: On 6 February 2023, an Mw 7.8 earthquake struck southern and central Türkiye and north-western Syria, affecting the lives of 4.6 and 2.5 million children, respectively. In such crises, infants who are dependent on commercial milk formula (CMF) face increased vulnerability to diseases and malnutrition as safe preparation of CMF becomes difficult and sometimes impossible. The Operational Guidance on Infant and Young Child Feeding in Emergencies (OG-IFE) provides guidance on protecting and supporting recommended infant and young child feeding and minimizing the risks that come with CMF feeding. In addition, the International Code of Marketing of Breastmilk Substitutes (the Code) ensures adequate nutrition for infants by protecting and promoting breastfeeding and ensuring the proper usage of CMF. This study aims to document violations of the Code and the OG-IFE during the earthquake relief efforts to help strengthen infant and young child feeding emergency responses and inform future disaster relief policies. METHODS: Data was collected from 6 February to 10 March 2023 through Internet sources. Social media, news websites, and the Emergency Nutrition Network forum were used for data collection. Turkish content was translated into English for analysis, with a focus on donation-related information and Code violations related to baby food and infant feeding. RESULTS: A total of 40 reports on CMF, complementary food, and feeding equipment donations were collected. Three main types of violations of the OG-IFE and the Code were identified, with the majority of them being incidences of individuals, humanitarian organizations, and government agencies seeking or accepting donations. Infant formula companies continued to violate the Code by donating large quantities of CMF and feeding equipment to the Turkish Red Crescent, government agencies, and disaster relief infant and young child feeding (IYCF) coordination authorities. CONCLUSIONS: These incidents reflected a systematic violation of the Code and non-compliance with the OG-IFE. Globally accepted IYCF standards and recommendations were not consistently followed due to fragmented early responses. There is a critical need to step up efforts to ensure appropriate and safe IYCF practice protecting and supporting breastfed and non-breastfed infants in emergencies.

Tourism promotion during emergency response to Omicron subvariant outbreak.

This study aimed to explore optimal ways to promote all kinds of tourism during the phase of emergency response to the current outbreak of Omicron subvariants. A framework-based systematic literature review was conducted as the primary methodology, supported by the preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses checklist. Four analytical units were allocated to include United Nations agencies, governments, tour businesses, and local communities. Economic interest-based tourism promotion was examined to develop local temperature-based tourism promotion via the same four variables. The study found that the pursuit of economic interests was not a productive solution for tourism promotion any longer due to the matter of local weather. It concluded that the four stakeholders should work to replace economic interest-based tourism promotion with local temperature-based tourism promotion. Results of this study can guide the positive effects of warm temperatures, brand image, psychological impacts, digital marketing, and others.

Digital marketing innovation: New business models for pharmaceutical and medical device product marketing.

Background: Within the rapidly evolving healthcare landscape in Japan, digital marketing innovations are transforming pharmaceutical and medical device marketing. This study explores the emergence of new business models in the digital marketing, highlighting a transition from traditional methods to more dynamic, data-driven strategies. Methods: InsighTCROSS® is a business model that qualitatively and quantitatively examines three steps based on stratified persona images: (1) verifying the effectiveness of product marketing promotions, (2) identifying competitors from the users' perspective, and (3) developing marketing strategies to counter competition. To demonstrate the effectiveness of this model, a case study was conducted focusing on the current anticoagulant drugs, including apixaban, dabigatran, edoxaban, rivaroxaban, and warfarin. Results: Rivaroxaban, the only drug prescribed for the prevention of thrombus and embolism formation in patients with peripheral artery disease after lower limb revascularization, garnered the most interest from interventional cardiologists performing peripheral vascular interventions, as determined by InsighTCROSS® factor analysis, confirming that the manufacturer's marketing activities have effectively penetrated the market. A survey conducted between 20 September 2023 and 3 October 2023, among members of a cardiology website, identified edoxaban as the market leader with a 39.1% share, followed by apixaban (32.7%) and rivaroxaban (16.8%). The main competitor of edoxaban was warfarin, whereas that of rivaroxaban was apixaban. Decision tree analysis was conducted using InsighTCROSS®, highlighting the strengths and weaknesses of each anticoagulant, providing strategic approaches to exploit competitive weaknesses. For edoxaban, increased use was driven by elderly and poorly adherent patients; for apixaban, high-volume percutaneous coronary intervention centers; and for rivaroxaban, the influence of medical representative detailing. It is recommended to avoid markets where these drugs have a strong presence and to focus marketing activities on leveraging their specific strengths. Conclusion: The findings suggest that digital marketing enhances product visibility and patient engagement, providing valuable insights into market behavior and consumer preferences.

Ecological Momentary Assessment of Alcohol Marketing Exposure, Alcohol Use, and Purchases Among University Students: Prospective Cohort Study.

BACKGROUND: The relationships between alcohol marketing exposure, alcohol use, and purchase have been widely studied. However, prospective studies examining the causal relationships in real-world settings using mobile health tools are limited. OBJECTIVE: We used ecological momentary assessment (EMA) to examine both the within-person- and between-person-level effects of alcohol marketing exposure on any alcohol use, amount of alcohol use, any alcohol purchase, and frequency of alcohol purchase among university students. METHODS: From January to June 2020, we conducted a prospective cohort study via EMA among university students in Hong Kong who reported current drinking. Over 14 consecutive days, each participant completed 5 fixed-interval, signal-contingent EMAs daily via a smartphone app. Each EMA asked about the number and types of alcohol marketing exposures, the amount and types of alcohol used, and whether any alcohol was purchased, all within the past 3 hours. We used 2-part models, including multilevel logistic regressions and multilevel gamma regressions, to examine if the number of alcohol marketing exposure was associated with subsequent alcohol use and alcohol purchase. RESULTS: A total of 49 students participated, with 33% (16/49) being male. The mean age was 22.6 (SD 2.6) years. They completed 2360 EMAs (completion rate: 2360/3430, 68.8%). Participants reported exposure to alcohol marketing in 5.9% (140/2360), alcohol use in 6.1% (145/2360), and alcohol purchase in 2.4% (56/2360) of all the EMAs. At the between-person level, exposure to more alcohol marketing predicted a higher likelihood of alcohol use (adjusted odd ratio [AOR]=3.51, 95% CI 1.29-9.54) and a higher likelihood of alcohol purchase (AOR=4.59, 95% CI 1.46-14.49) the following day. Exposure to more alcohol marketing did not increase the amount of alcohol use or frequency of alcohol purchases the following day in participants who used or purchased alcohol. At the within-person level, exposure to more alcohol marketing was not associated with a higher likelihood of alcohol use, amount of alcohol use, higher likelihood of alcohol purchase, or frequency of alcohol purchases the following day (all Ps>.05). Each additional exposure to alcohol marketing within 1 week predicted an increase of 0.85 alcoholic drinks consumed in the following week (adjusted B=0.85, 95% CI 0.09-1.61). On days of reporting alcohol use, the 3 measures for alcohol marketing receptivity were not associated with more alcohol use or purchase (all Ps>.05). CONCLUSIONS: By using EMA, we provided the first evidence for the effect of alcohol marketing exposure on initiating alcohol use and purchase in current-drinking university students. Our findings provide evidence of the regulation of alcohol marketing for the reduction of alcohol use and purchase among young adults.

The role of culture in the representation of probiotic foods.

Functional foods, and specifically probiotics, are important products present in retail worldwide. Probiotics comprise "live microorganisms that, when administered in adequate amounts, can confer a health benefit on the host". This study aimed to investigate the effect of culture on probiotic foods social representation. A total of 818 consumers from seven countries (Argentina, Brazil, Honduras, Mauritius, Mexico, Peru, and Slovenia) participated in the study. A free word association task was performed with the inductor term "probiotic food," followed by lemmatization, categorization, and prototypical analysis of the social representation. The results indicated that the term health was common in all countries studied, as well as other positive aspects such as benefits, well-being, and functional foods. This study helped to shed light and better understand the role of culture in the social representation of probiotics.

Decoding Vaping: Empowering Youth through Media Literacy Based E-Cigarette Educational Program.

INTRODUCTION: E-cigarette industry's marketing and social media efforts have promoted adolescent vaping. We developed and pilot-tested an anti-vaping media literary program - MediaSense. METHODS: In addition to employing the Community-Based Participatory Research approach for program development, we applied a prospective, interventional, and single-arm design to assess the impact of MediaSense among students from five middle and high schools. Data were collected through REDCap surveys administered before and after the intervention. We performed generalized linear mixed models and median analysis to evaluate changes in vaping media literacy (i.e., Authors and Audiences [vAA], Messages and Meanings [vMM], and Representation and Reality [vRR]), knowledge, harm perception, and susceptibility to e-cigarette use before and after the intervention. RESULTS: A total of 384 students aged 11-18 years completed the pre-post survey assessment. After the intervention, students exhibited significantly improved vaping media literacy across all three domains (vAA,fold change [FC]=150%, p<0.0001; vMM, FC=143%, p<0.0001; vRR, FC=133%, p=0.0007). The intervention was associated with a reduction of vaping susceptibility (adjusted odds ratio [AOR]=0.7, p=0.04) and improvement in harm perception (AOR=1.6, p=0.009), knowledge of flavored e-cigarettes (AOR=4.4, p<0.0001) and Tobacco 21 policy (AOR=6.2, p<0.0001). Further mediation analysis unveiled the pathway of the intervention on reduction of vaping susceptibility through media literacy (ßindirect=-0.03, p=0.003) and harm perception enhancement (ßindirect=-0.02, p=0.03). CONCLUSION: The MediaSense program showed promise in vaping prevention among adolescents by reducing vaping susceptibility. Comprehensive vaping media literacy education, especially interventions aimed at decoding misleading marketing information and addressing emerging marketing themes, provides valuable evidence in curbing adolescent vaping. IMPLICATIONS: MediaSense (Media Education for Sensible Evaluation and Nurturing Substance-free Experiences) represents a promising e-cigarette education program designed for adolescent vaping prevention. The findings of this study highlight the positive impact of the program on media literacy, harm perception, and knowledge of tobacco control policies.

Real-world safety of nivolumab in patients with malignant pleural mesothelioma in Japan: post-marketing surveillance study.

OBJECTIVE: This post-marketing surveillance (PMS) was conducted to evaluate the incidence of adverse events with nivolumab in patients with unresectable, advanced or recurrent malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) that had progressed after first-line chemotherapy and to identify factors that potentially affected its safety in real-world clinical practice. METHODS: Patients who had not received nivolumab previously were registered between November 2018 and February 2021. Nivolumab was given intravenously 240 mg every 2 weeks or 480 mg every 4 weeks. Patients were followed up for 6 months after treatment initiation. Information on patient characteristics, treatment status, and adverse events was collected. RESULTS: This PMS enrolled 124 patients, involving 48 sites across Japan. At 6 months, nivolumab therapy was ongoing in 35.5% of patients (44/124) and had been discontinued in 64.5% (80/124). The overall incidence of treatment-related adverse events (TRAEs) was 40.3%; the incidence of Grade 3 or higher TRAEs was 12.9%. The pattern of TRAEs based on System Organ Class categories was generally consistent with those seen in the Japanese phase II MERIT study. The most common Grade 3 or higher TRAEs were interstitial lung disease (2.4%), lung disorder, and diarrhea (each 1.6%). The incidence of TRAEs was significantly higher in inpatients or patients who had good PS, high bodyweight, high body mass index, or autoimmune diseases than in those without these characteristics. CONCLUSION: The post-marketing incidence of TRAEs with nivolumab in patients with MPM has been evaluated, and no new safety signals were identified compared to the phase II clinical trial in Japan.

Evaluating Operation Good Food & Beverages, a Black Youth-Driven Public Advocacy Campaign.

BACKGROUND: Food and beverage (F&B) marketing practices that contradict health guidelines are particularly concerning for children and adolescents, who are developmentally more susceptible than adults to persuasive advertising and to Black communities, due to ethnically-targeted marketing, contributing to higher rates of obesity and other diet-related chronic diseases. Accordingly, here we evaluated Operation Good Food and Beverages (OGF&B), an online social marketing campaign calling for shifting toward more marketing of healthier F&B to Black youth and Black communities. METHODS: OGF&B was developed and implemented by a multidisciplinary team of academic, advocacy, and advertising partners and active for four months in 2022 during the COVID-19 pandemic. Primary campaign components were social media content (e.g., TikTok, Instagram), and an informational website with a signable petition and a social media toolkit. Our mixed-methods evaluation used qualitative data to contextualize quantitative metrics like online impressions, website visits, and petition signatures. Qualitative data consisted of analysis of social media content and thematic elements from 15 interviews with campaign advisors, youth consultants, and influencers. RESULTS: The campaign achieved 3,148,869 impressions, 3,799 unique website visits, and 1,077 petition signatures. Instagram Reels and content featuring people had higher engagement. Instagram Reels received more likes than static posts or TikTok videos. Interviewees who participated mentioned personal values and community welfare as key motivations. Social media influencers who declined participation noted time constraints and lack of compensation as barriers. CONCLUSION: Despite pandemic-related restrictions that precluded in-person engagement, this brief campaign implementation period provided useful insights for leveraging OGF&B or similar campaigns.

Examining the mediating and moderating roles of social marketing behavioural enhancers regarding consistent condom use.

Since their importance was highlighted by Ayikwa and De Jager, social marketing behavioural enhancers (SMBEs) have been investigated in terms of their causal and correlational relationships with the intention to use condoms (IUC) and consistent condom use (CCU), as people often fail to act on their intentions. However, scrutiny of their mediating and moderating roles could provide insights pertinent to the design of effective HIV and AIDS preventative programmes. This study examined whether perceived behavioural control (PBC) and IUC interact with exposure to HIV and AIDS information (EI), ease of access to condoms (EAC) and level of related knowledge (KN) in determining CCU. It also investigated whether PBC and IUC predict CCU through increasing EI, EAC, and KN. A quantitative approach was adopted and data were collected from 607 participants, aged at least 18, living in Gauteng Province, South Africa. The questionnaire administered included pre-existing items, validated through exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis procedures. Regression analyses of the data for mediation and moderation testing were performed using PROCESS macro software for SPSS. The results indicated that none of the SMBEs mediated the non-significant PBC-CCU relationship: B = -0.0258, SE = 0.0199, p = 0.195. Nor did they mediate the significant IUC-CCU relationship: B = 0.0395, SE = 0.0195, p = 0.043. Similarly, none of the SMBEs were found to moderate the PBC-CCU relationship (EI*PBC: B = 0.0034, SE = 0.0056, p = 0.540; KN*PBC: B = -0.0006, SE = 0.0064, p = 0.931; EAC*PBC: B = 0.0011, SE = 0.0059, p = 0.854) as IUC-CCU relationship (EI*IUC: B = 0.0036, SE = 0.0054, p = 0.513; KN*IUC: B = -0.0096, SE = 0.0060, p = 0.111; EAC*IUC: B = 0.0044, SE = 0.0061, p = 0.469). A recommendation is made to scrutinise the mediating and moderating roles of SMBEs in the context of health behavioural models other than the theory of planned behaviour, which was considered in this study.

Marketing sonified fragrance: Designing soundscapes for scent.

Auditory branding is undoubtedly becoming more important across a range of sectors. One area, in particular, that has recently seen significant growth concerns the introduction of music and soundscapes that have been specifically designed to match a particular scent (what one might think of as "audio scents" or "sonic scents"). This represents an exciting new approach to the sensory marketing of fragrance and for industries with strategic sensory goals, such as cosmetics. Crucially, techniques such as the semantic differential technique, as well as the emerging literature on crossmodal correspondences, offer both a mechanistic understanding of, and a practical framework for, those wishing to rigorously align the connotative meaning and conceptual/emotional/sensory associations of sound and scent. These developments have enabled those working in the creative industries to start moving beyond previously popular approaches to matching, or translating between the senses, that were traditionally often based on the idiosyncratic phenomenon of synaesthesia, toward a more scientific approach while nevertheless still enabling/requiring a healthy dose of artistic inspiration. In this narrative historical review, we highlight the various approaches to the systematic matching of sound with scent and review the various marketing activations that have appeared in this space recently.

Safety of baricitinib in Japanese patients with rheumatoid arthritis in clinical use: 3-year data of all-case post-marketing surveillance study.

OBJECTIVE: To assess safety of baricitinib in Japanese patients with rheumatoid arthritis in real-world clinical practice. METHODS: This all-case post-marketing surveillance study included patients initiating baricitinib for rheumatoid arthritis from September 2017 to April 2019. Treatment duration was recorded. Safety data were collected for up to 3 years from baricitinib initiation (up to 4 weeks post discontinuation in discontinuing patients). RESULTS: Safety analyses included 4720 patients; 2580 (54.7%) were ≥65 years old. Baricitinib persistence rate was 45.4% (3 year Kaplan-Meier analysis); the most common discontinuation reason was insufficient effectiveness (n = 1005, 21.3%). Serious adverse events occurred in 600 patients (incidence rate 10.42/100 patient-years; 95% confidence interval, 9.76-11.09). There were 39 deaths (incidence rate 0.43 [0.30-0.57]/100 patient-years). Incidence rate per 100 patient-years for adverse events of special interest were herpes zoster 4.68 (4.22-5.14), serious infection 3.05 (2.68-3.41), malignancy 1.09 (0.87-1.30), major adverse cardiovascular events 0.35 (0.23-0.48) and venous thromboembolism 0.25 (0.15-0.36). Incidence rates did not increase with prolonged exposure. CONCLUSIONS: No new safety concerns were identified during this 3 year post-marketing surveillance study of baricitinib in Japanese patients with rheumatoid arthritis. Patients and clinicians should be cognizant of herpes zoster and other serious infection risks during baricitinib treatment, especially in the first 6 months.

IQOS point-of-sale marketing: a comparison between Arab and Jewish neighborhoods in Israel.

BACKGROUND: Philip Morris International's IQOS, with its heatsticks (HEETS), is the heated tobacco product with the largest global market share. IQOS and/or electronic cigarettes use rate is higher among Arabs vs. Jews in Israel. This paper aims to compare IQOS point-of-sale marketing strategies, and regulatory compliance in Arab vs. Jewish neighborhoods in Israel. METHODS: We integrated data from two separate studies including a cross-sectional survey with IQOS retailers (December 2020-April 2021) and audits of points-of-sale that sold IQOS/HEETS (April 2021-July 2021) in 5 large cities in Israel, after marketing restrictions including a points-of-sale display ban and plain packaging became effective in Israel (January 2020). The survey included 69 points-of-sale (21 Arab, 48 Jewish neighborhoods) and the audits included 129 points-of-sale (48 Arab, 81 Jewish neighborhoods). Comparisons of IQOS marketing strategies between points-of-sale in Arab and Jewish neighborhoods were conducted using Chi-Square test, Fisher's exact test or Mann-Whitney test, as appropriate. Thematic analysis was used to analyze open-ended questions. RESULTS: The survey showed that most marketing strategies, such as promotions to customers, were uniform across points-of-sale in Arab and Jewish neighborhoods. The most noteworthy differences were that a higher proportion of retailers from Arab neighborhoods were invited to IQOS parties (47.6% vs. 21.7%, p < 0.05) and reported personal communication with a Philip Morris International's representative (80.0% vs. 51.2%, p < 0.05). Additionally, Philip Morris International's representatives assisted points-of-sale in both Arab and Jewish neighborhoods in implementing the display ban by providing free compliant cabinets and product placement instructions, and directly interacted with customers. The audits showed that points-of-sale in Arab neighborhoods were more compliant with the display ban (25.5% vs. 8.8%, p < 0.05), but less compliant with plain packaging (62.5% vs. 79.3%, p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: There were not many notable differences in IQOS marketing across points-of-sale in Arab vs. Jewish neighborhoods, but Philip Morris International utilized marketing elements of cultural significance, especially for points-of-sale in Arab neighborhoods, such as more personal communication and invitation to social events. Continuous surveillance of tobacco points-of-sale marketing and legislation compliance is needed, with a special focus on demographic/location-based differences.

Social marketing and happiness in employment. Evidences from Glassdoor.

BACKGROUND: With the increasing role of the Internet and social media, there are more significant opportunities for employees to express their opinions about the companies they work for more directly. A recognized job review website is Glassdoor.com, which collects employees' opinions anonymously and the scores they give to companies. This descriptive study analyzes the assessment that employees give to companies by studying the advantages in their comments from the perspective of Happiness Management and Social Marketing. In this sense, this research aims to analyze how the main benefits offered by companies, are linked to the happiness of employees and to the actions of social marketing that companies develop affect the general satisfaction of employees. METHODS: This study has used in the worker comments, text mining, and inferential analysis techniques. The sample was divided into two blocks, with comments that refer to issues about social marketing and happiness. In each one, an inferential analysis was carried out using the Student's T-test. This analysis allowed us to identify, in each sample of comments, in which advantages the differences in the mean ratings were significant depending on whether they were mentioned. RESULTS: The main results indicate that social marketing and happiness are linked to the advantages employees comment on in reviews on Glassdoor. Significant differences exist in the average ratings of certain advantages depending on whether they are mentioned or not in the comments. Likewise, the differentiation between comments on social marketing and happiness offers scientific evidence of the most valued advantages in each cluster. Specifically, the advantages grouped into the following dimensions are working conditions, company image, and social relations. DISCUSSION: This research contributes to happiness management theories by empirically demonstrating how positive work environments enhance productivity, loyalty, and creativity. These insights show how leadership quality, work-life balance, and recognition contribute to workplace happiness, enhancing productivity, loyalty, and creativity. Such feedback aids job seekers in making informed decisions, helps companies improve practices and attract talent, and provides researchers with valuable data on employment trends and corporate culture's effect on employee well-being.

How do perceptions of information usefulness and green trust influence intentions toward eco-friendly purchases in a social media context?

Drawing upon the stimulus-organism-response framework and incorporating green trust and perceptions of information usefulness, we formulated a model to explore how marketing on social media impacts consumers' intentions towards eco-friendly purchases, using eastern Chinese cities as a case study. The findings indicate that: (1) marketing on social media significantly boosts intentions for eco-friendly purchases, and green trust positively affects the perceptions of information usefulness. (2) Green trust and perceptions of information usefulness jointly act as mediators between social media marketing and eco-friendly purchase intentions, with green trust exhibiting a stronger effect (0.306 > 0.122). The multi-group analysis findings indicate significant disparities in several potential pathways as a result of moderating factors such as educational attainment, etc. The benefits are especially apparent in women, people with middle to high incomes, people with intermediate to high levels of education, and people who engage with social media for over three hours per day. Through the effect analysis between marketing on social media, green trust, and perceptions of information usefulness on consumers' intentions towards eco-friendly purchases, this study offers insights to social media platforms, businesses, and policymakers, enabling them to enhance strategies for fostering eco-friendly consumer behavior through social media channels.

Green practices and economic performance: Mediating role of green innovation in Ethiopian leather, textile, and garment industries-An integrated PLS-SEM analysis.

Incorporating green issues into business operations is indisputable, as this is mandatory in today's environmental era. The purpose of this study was to explore the structural link between green practices such as green manufacturing, green marketing orientation, green human resource management, green investment, and the economic performance of textile and leather firms in Ethiopia through green innovation. This study was carried out utilizing a quantitative method, and 201 surveys were used to gather the data from the top managers and general managers of medium and large textile and leather firms in Ethiopia using stratified random sampling. To test the hypothesis, partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) was used. The results of this study demonstrate that green practices, specifically green manufacturing practices (GMP), green marketing orientation (GMO), and green investment (GIV), have a positive and substantial contribution to firms' economic performance (EP) and green innovation (GIN). However, the advancement of GIN is not significantly affected by the adoption of sustainable human resources management (HRM). Moreover, green innovation facilitates the connection between economic success, GIV, and GMO. Nonetheless, when it comes to the relationship between GHRM, green manufacturing practices, and economic success, green innovation plays no mediating function. According to this research, a company's management ought to strengthen its green practices as lower expenses would boost its economic outcome.