Deidre Popovich

Clickbait evolved into AI slop — here's why it's more dangerous Once upon a time, someone had to personally type your scam

Clickbait was bad. AI slop is worse.
I am quoted in Tom’s Guide on why the low-effort AI content flood is a bigger trust problem than people may realize.
www.tomsguide.com/ai/clickbait... #AI #MediaLiteracy #Marketing

“100% human” to become luxury label amid AI craze Amid rising concerns about the impacts of AI and the proliferation of AI slop, companies are labeling their products as “100% human” to signal luxury and authenticity.

New status symbol: “made by humans.” 😅
I was quoted in @cybernews.bsky.social on the growth of anti-AI marketing and why it may resonate with consumers.
cybernews.com/ai-news/anti...

#Marketing #AI #BrandTrust #ConsumerBehavior #GenAI

Instacart AI Pricing Could Trigger Backlash - The Food Institute Instacart’s AI driven pricing tests are drawing FTC scrutiny and risking a consumer trust meltdown as shoppers balk at higher costs.

I was quoted in The Food Institute on Instacart’s AI pricing and why it may trigger consumer backlash.

In groceries, consumers expect stable, fair prices. When the same items fluctuate across trips, trust erodes fast, regardless of the tech behind it.

🔗 foodinstitute.com/focus/instac...

The end is in sight for the penny as retailers find themselves short We may be seeing the beginning of the end for the penny as local shortages are showing up in pockets of the country, but most Americans haven't felt it — yet.

The penny might be on its way out 🪙 I shared my thoughts with Scripps News about what that means for consumers — from price perception to fairness at the register.
Check it out: www.scrippsnews.com/us-news/the-...

#ConsumerPsychology #BehavioralEconomics #Marketing

Target & Walmart shoppers hit with long lines & fees as payment option vanishes DESPITE the coin sitting at the heart of American culture for more than two centuries, the US Mint is quietly winding down penny production. Experts say it could mark the beginning of the end for A…

The end of the penny? 🪙 I spoke with The U.S. Sun about how losing that little coin could reshape how we think about prices, spending, and value.
Check it out: www.the-sun.com/money/153144...

#BehavioralEconomics #ConsumerPsychology #MarketingInsights

4 years. 208 weeks. Countless workouts. 🚴‍♀️
Peloton keeps me strong on the outside and grounded on the inside. Grateful for every mile and every moment of calm. #Peloton #4YearStreak #StrongerEveryDay #MindBodyBalance

Halloween 2025: Consumers Crave Flavor Mashups, Value - The Food Institute Halloween spending is rather strategic in 2025, with consumers craving novelty, better-for-you treats, and – above all else – value. Budget-conscious buying is especially reshaping the candy aisle.

🎃 Halloween candy is getting a major glow-up! I shared thoughts with The Food Institute on flavor mashups, better-for-you treats & playful packaging.
Full article 👉 foodinstitute.com/focus/hallow...
#Halloween2025 #FoodTrends #CandyMashups

What we know about the Atlanta shooting near the CDC and Emory University One DeKalb County officer was fatally shot when a man opened fire Friday afternoon. The suspect was also shot and died from his injuries, police said.

I hope we can move past this anti-science climate and remember that public health saves lives. The CDC is made up of people dedicated to protecting our communities. Violence is never the answer. www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news...

Thank you! 😊

Insurance warning signs in doctors’ offices might discourage patients from speaking openly about their health Those signs about surprise insurance charges are intended to keep patients informed – but new research points to a negative side effect.

We just published in @theconversation.com: Insurance warning signs in doctor’s offices may unintentionally silence patients. Even brief mentions of cost can suppress important conversations. Read our research → theconversation.com/insurance-wa...

#healthcare #patients #behavioralscience #trust

Is Dubai Chocolate the Next Pumpkin Spice? Social media fueled a flavor mix of chocolate, pistachio and kataifi dough—and now big food companies are betting on its staying power.

Okay, I have to admit I have been somewhat obsessed with Dubai chocolate lately. Not sure how I feel about the comparison to pumpkin spice... www.wsj.com/tech/dubai-c...

Social media influencers try to get us to buy more: Here's how to beat them at their game How do you save money when everyone on social media from NFL star Travis Kelce to a hot New Jersey influencer is tempting you with an impulse buy.

🛍️ Wish lists aren't just shopping tools—they're self-control in disguise.

Honored to be featured in the Detroit Free Press discussing our research on how wish lists help curb impulse buying.

Add to list ➡️ Pause ➡️ Rethink ➡️ Save 💸
#BehavioralScience #Consumers

www.freep.com/story/money/...

It's exhausting. Hang in there! 💪 ✨

Caitlin Clark is lifting the entire WNBA — higher ticket sales, ratings, merch, and visibility. The hostility she faces reflects what many overachieving women endure: jealousy over impact. Success for one woman can be a win for all. Act like it. #WNBA #WomenSupportingWomen

Tariffs as a marketing strategy? Here's how companies are framing the import tax Brands leverage tariff headlines in marketing to connect with consumers amid economic uncertainty and heightened urgency.

Just spoke with ABC 10 News about how some companies are using tariffs as part of their marketing strategy—framing import taxes as a rationale for price increases or a signal of national loyalty. Economic policy meets brand narrative.
Watch: www.10news.com/politics/eco...

Excited to share this new @ttu.edu feature on our research about the illusion of calorie fluency—how confidence in understanding calorie info can outpace actual knowledge.
🔗 www.ttu.edu/now/posts/20...
#Nutrition #BehavioralScience #PublicHealth #AcademicResearch

Excited to share our latest publication in the Journal of Business Research!

doi.org/10.1016/j.jb...

This paper introduces the concept of pain exchange consumption—a new framework for understanding how consumers trade one form of pain to avoid another.

#ConsumerPsychology

Quoted in this piece: "As Prices Rise, Repair and Resale Could Become Economic Lifelines."

I talked about how inflation is reshaping how people spend—and how repair and resale are becoming not just budget solutions, but behavioral shifts. 💸🛠️♻️

dismalscience.journalism.cuny.edu/2025/05/10/a...

Calorie counts on menus and food labels may not help consumers choose healthier foods, new research shows Knowing how many calories a food contains has become a familiar part of eating. But it may muddy rather than clarify a person’s understanding of how healthy that food is.

Calorie counts on menus may confuse consumers rather than help them make healthier choices.

A marketing professor found that in studies that diners rated unhealthy foods as less unhealthy and healthy foods as less healthy when shown calorie information. buff.ly/6NjlHvP @drpop.bsky.social @ttu.edu

Calorie counts on menus and food labels may not help consumers choose healthier foods, new research shows Knowing how many calories a food contains has become a familiar part of eating. But it may muddy rather than clarify a person’s understanding of how healthy that food is.

New piece in The Conversation: People often trust their gut when reading calorie labels—but that confidence can mislead them. We explore the "illusion of calorie fluency" and what it means for informed eating.
Read more 👉 theconversation.com/calorie-coun...
#BehavioralScience #Nutrition #FoodPolicy

When I was 3, Sesame Street taught me to read. Decades later, I became a business professor—and my voice has aired on NPR.

PBS & NPR shape lives. Mine included.

📺 Donate.
📞 Call your reps.
🎓 #SavePublicMedia #ISupportPBS #NPR

🚨 Just published in the Journal of Retailing!
People are flooded with calorie info—on menus, labels, and more. But our new research shows that this leads to an illusion of understanding, not actual comprehension.
Calorie familiarity masks confusion.
Visibility ≠ clarity.
doi.org/10.1016/j.jr...

This week, the Texas Legislature is debating two bills that would triple funding for charter schools and would set aside $1 billion to create a private school voucher program.
But do these things work? The experts say no. app.sosha.ai/s/1ypNrZq0

Seems like a good day to remind everyone that Auschwitz — a complex of over 40 concentration and extermination camps — was not located in Nazi Germany either.

When boycotts go your way Podcast Episode · Marketplace Morning Report · 03/06/2025 · 8m

I am briefly discussing Costco on the Marketplace podcast this morning. #Costco #earnings #socialresponsibility

So honored and grateful to have been awarded the Chancellor’s Council Distinguished Research Award at Texas Tech University. This is the highest faculty honor in the Texas Tech University System.

#FacultyResearchAward #Gratitude #AcademicJourney #Research #ThankYou

Finally my starting word was the word! 🤩🎉

Wordle 1,290 1/6

🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩

Opinion | No, You Don’t Get an A for Effort High marks reward excellence, not grit.

I’m seeing a growing number of students complain: “My grade doesn’t reflect the effort I put into the course.”

Public service announcement: An A is for excellence, not for effort.

The true measure of learning is not the time and energy you put in. It’s the knowledge and skills you take out.

bit.ly/pet-human-bond

Davis College @texastechuniv.bsky.social is currently conducting a brief research study about pets. Please participate if you have a cat or dog! 🐶🐱