The Chair of Smart Services of Prof. Dr. Martin Adam is pleased to announce the publication of the research article in the Journal of the Association for Information Systems (VHB: A):

“From Detractors to Enhancers: Harnessing the Power of Ad Customization for User Engagement on Media Websites”

In Greek mythology, Prometheus is known to have brought fire to mankind, enabling a “Promethean leap” - a fundamental and previously unimaginable development of humanity and society. In analogy to this Greek myth, modern information systems are often “celebrated as carriers of unprecedented power that could enable Promethean leaps of various kinds” (Kieran Conboy).

In line with this development, user empowerment is examined in the context of adapting the display of advertisements on media websites. A particular focus is placed on user interaction with media websites that offer choice-based or direct ad insertion. Through a field experiment on a European news website, we reveal an unexpected dynamic: while advertising is typically seen as detrimental to user engagement, it can also be used strategically to promote it.

We are particularly proud of this work as it demonstrates the positive impact of user empowerment in an increasingly digital world.

The pre-publication is available in the AIS eLibrary.