It’s early morning and you’re having your first coffee. Not too strong, not too weak. Just as you like it. You feel energized. Ten minutes later you’re on your laptop checking your emails and your social media. You decide to look at your Amazon account and see if your favourite coffee table is still available. Yes, it is, and it now includes free shipping! Add to cart. You’re now recommended luxury scented candles to match the table design. As well as beautiful decor items such as a chic lamp, a stylish vase and a set of artificial plants in pots that are way too expensive (even if water-wise)! Not a planned shopping spree, but you feel compelled to get them all. OK, done! Just four days until they’re shipped!

Wait, how did this happen? Did your coffee have anything to do with it? And if so, is coffee capable of making me shop more every time I have a cup of it?

It’s Saturday night and you’re watching your favorite show. As the show reaches a thrilling climax, it cuts to a commercial break, and that is when your eyes catch something extraordinary. You come across a mouthwatering food ad that stands out from the rest. The perfectly plated dish looks incredibly delicious. However as a health-conscious individual, you are curious about the nutritional information of this tempting meal.

Emojis have taken over how the world communicates online. From social media platforms to text messages, emojis have become an integral part of our daily communication. These little expressive icons have taken over our digital conversations. They add a splash of color, humor and personality to our messages making them more engaging and relatable. It’s amazing how a simple string of symbols can convey emotions and ideas, with just a touch of playfulness. 

Do you know any of the people in these picture? 

Neither do I. Actually, I ‘created’ them using this AI-powered website: https://thispersondoesnotexist.com

These people do not exist. Yet the powerful realism of these faces has the ability to create the belief that they do relate to actual people. This may be a problem in consumers’ perceptions of a brand, especially for the charity sector. And we’ll see why.

More and more consumers are interested in ethically produced meat. This includes the place and ways animals are raised and cared for. Previous research has found that telling about the better living conditions or organic production of beef products made them more preferable and increased willingness to buy these products (Risius & Hamm, 2017). Could providing this information also influence how beef products taste? Let’s find out!