International Journal of Advertising CFP

Please consider submitting a manuscript to the International Journal of Advertising

for a Special Issue on Centering the societal impacts of AI, social media, and emerging technologies in advertising.

Manuscript deadline: 31 August 2026

Special Issue Editors

Linda Tuncay Zayer, Loyola University Chicago, ltuncay@luc.edu

Jing Yang, Boston University, jyang15@bu.edu

Shu-Chuan (Kelly) Chu, DePaul University, SCHU7@depaul.edu

With the rapid evolution of artificial intelligence, social media algorithms, robotic interfaces, and immersive technologies such as virtual and augmented reality (VR/AR), the boundaries between technology, persuasive influence, and human activities have blurred (Chu et al., 2024). In this evolving landscape, the individual and collective well-being of consumers, as well as society at large, is increasingly at risk and warrants critical scholarly attention.

Consumer well-being is a multidimensional concept that encompasses individual and shared experiences, which can be manifested through cognitive (e.g., Tang et al., 2016), affective (e.g., Kemp et al., 2020), and psychophysical states (e.g., Zarantonello et al., 2024). Moreover, well-being is contextualized (Gilbert et al., 2021; Stafford and Pounders, 2021), with advertising holding the potential to enhance or diminish well-being at various micro, meso, and macro levels (Gurrieri, Zayer, and Coleman, 2022). At a broader level, societal well-being extends these concerns to collective equity, inclusion, and information integrity, highlighting how advertising technologies shape civic life, cultural representation, and public trust (e.g., BarGill et al., 2023; Zarouali et al., 2022).

Emerging technologies such as generative AI have revolutionized how advertising messages are created, optimized, and delivered. Scholars have highlighted the emerging issues related to AI including societal and policy issues (Huh, Nelson, and Russell 2023; Rodgers 2021). While AI promises efficiency and personalization, research has also highlighted the risk of deception, diminishment of authenticity, and misrepresentation (Baek et al., 2024; Sands et al., 2024; Yang and Lee, 2026). At the same time, when human-AI collaboration is transparent and meaningful, it may enhance empowerment, creativity, and perceived control (Feng and Sun, 2025).

Similarly, robotic and embodied agents, such as in-store robots or voice-enabled AI assistants, are emerging as persuasive venues. These technologies can increase comfort and engagement, such as through emotional support (Kim and Wang, 2025), but may also evoke discomfort or distrust if perceived as overly human-like or manipulative (Castelo et al., 2023; Khoa et al., 2024). Their deployment raises new ethical questions about safety, accessibility, labor replacement, and the equitable distribution of technological benefits (Santoni de Sio, 2024).

Aligned with the development of these technologies, examining the ethics and well-being impacts of social media platforms, drawing on advanced algorithmic targeting, is crucial due to the prevalence of deepfakes, misinformation, and extreme and misogynistic content. Although algorithms can enhance the relevance of information and increase efficiency and effectiveness, there could be negative results for consumer and societal well-being (Voorveld et al., 2024), along with other dark sides to social media (Hudders and Lou, 2022; Scheinbaum 2024; Breves et al., 2025). Building digital literacy among vulnerable populations and diminishing the harms of social media must be a priority for future scholarship.

Lastly, immersive and metaverse advertising further redefines persuasion through embodiment and sensory engagement and holds sociological and psychological implications as well as new challenges to consumer well-being and consciousness (Dwivedi et al. 2022). The heightened presence might enhance the learning and persuasion outcomes but could also result in consumer vulnerability if the ad boundaries or data protection are unclear (Song et al., 2021; Taylor, 2022; Yuan et al., 2021). Ethical design, consent, inclusion, and transparency are crucial to protecting autonomy in such sensor-rich environments.

Collectively, these transformations signal both opportunity and responsibility. This special issue thus seeks contributions that advance conceptual, empirical, and policy insights to ensure that innovation in advertising remains human-centered, ethical, and responsible and enhances well-being. All methodological approaches are welcome.

Please click below for the definitive version of the CFP.

https://think.taylorandfrancis.com/special_issues/centering-the-societal-impacts-of-ai-social-media-and-emerging-technologies-in-advertising/