It was the Toilet Paper Panic of 2020 where calm neighbors turned into competitive shoppers at supermarkets across America due to COVID-19, creating a frenzy more intense and worrisome than the Tickle Me Elmo craze of the 1990s. This surge in panic buying had significant ramifications for economies and societies. Despite its impact, panic buying remains understudied, especially regarding its commercial effects and long-term trends. 

Remember the last time you donated to a preferred charity or cause. Was it because an advert caught your attention and you felt compassion, shame or outrage? Or was it because you know someone affected by the issue presented in the ad? It’s also likely you were aware of the non-profit organization work; you felt you were making a difference by paying attention or donating. Research suggests we make donations according to our personal preference and values, to reflect our own identity. That’s why we choose to give to different causes (Chapman et al., 2022).

A friend scrolling through her social media feed stumbled upon a post from an influencer. However, instead of diving into the caption, she found herself deterred by its length. The overwhelming amount of text made it challenging to connect with the message, prompting her to swiftly scroll past, feeling somewhat frustrated.

I invite you to play along and do a short thinking exercise. Try to identify these slogans and taglines. Can you also associate them with their brand? (Take a peak at the end of the article to check your answers): “Got milk?”; “Don’t leave home without it.”; “Where’s the beef?”; “Think different.”; “Melts in your mouth, not in your hands.”; “Reach out and touch someone.”; “A diamond is forever.”; “Finger-lickin’ good!”; “The uncola.”; “Let your fingers do the walking.”; “Think outside the bun.”;  “We bring good things to life”; “Think small.”

Is banner advertising dead and buried? It certainly doesn’t look like it: banners are still highly prevalent across the web. Nonetheless, today’s click-through rates of these traditional banner ads are identical to zero, if you were to round at a single decimal (yes, CTR rates hover around 0,05%).