Research

Published work

Cross-Platform Spillover Effects in Consumption of Viral Content: A Quasi-Experimental Analysis Using Synthetic Controls

Haris Krijestorac, Rajiv Garg, and Vijay Mahajan

Published in Information Systems Research (2020)

https://pubsonline.informs.org/doi/10.1287/isre.2019.0897

Decisions Under the Illusion of Objectivity: Digital Embeddedness and B2B Purchasing

Haris Krijestorac, Rajiv Garg, and Prabhudev Konana

Published in Production and Operations Management (2021)

https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/poms.13363

Working Papers

Personality-Based Content Engineering for Rich Digital Media

Haris Krijestorac, Rajiv Garg, and Maytal Saar-Tsechansky

https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=3366561

In Progress

To Use or Not to Use Samuel L. Jackson? The Role of Acoustic Vocal Characteristics on Consumer Decisions

Haris Krijestorac, Rajiv Garg, and Vijay Mahajan

Abstract:

With the rise of voice-based digital interfaces, such as Alexa and Siri, firms are increasingly leveraging voice to market products. Indeed, voice AI devices have invested in hiring speech actors, notably including prominent figures such as Samuel L. Jackson. However, it remains unclear whether the success of a voice like that of Jackson is due to its unique acoustic properties (e.g., pitch, loudness, tempo), and what contextual or user factors inform the effectiveness of such a voice. Our research explores the effect of acoustic properties of voice on consumer decisions regarding utilitarian and hedonic products. To achieve this, we empirically identify and label six generalizable voice clusters, based on eight stochastic acoustic features of 571 voices. We then present 355 subjects with voice ads generated by the Google Voice API, using pre-written scripts for hedonic and utilitarian product ads. Based on reactions to these ads collected in a survey, we find that while “ostentatious” voices tend to be more effective, those that are “seductive” are less effective. Meanwhile, voices that are “suave” and “colloquial” are more effective for hedonic products only. We discuss implications for voice AI devices and voice actors, voice AI personalization, and future directions in voice analytics.

The Role of Emotional Arcs in Generating User Engagement on Social Media Platforms 

Reza Alibakhshi, Haris Krijestorac, and Shirish Srivastava

Abstract:

As online platforms containing short-form videos (e.g., Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok) gain traction, a challenge for content creators is converting passive consumption of these media (views), which is plentiful, into active engagement (likes), which is comparatively rare. Prior studies demonstrate that narrative arcs, whether in the context of movies or sports, are key to stimulating such engagement with media. Building on this, our study explores how embedding strategic “emotional arcs” (i.e., extent of expression of various emotions over time) in Instagram videos may help convert views into likes. Using a dataset of 765 videos from 80 corporate Instagram accounts, we employ machine learning tools to extract levels of expression of five key emotions over time within these videos. Using an ensemble of empirical approaches, we demonstrate that emotional arcs alone can predict whether a video is high- or low-engagement, establishing that these arcs are indeed meaningful to stimulating engagement. Building on this, we unpack the black box to understand what specific emotional arcs lead to high engagement, and support these findings through causal analysis. Overall, our results suggest that considering multiple complex emotions, including a mixture of positive (e.g., happiness), and negative (e.g., anger, fear) emotions that fluctuate strategically over time have the greatest impact in creating engaging short-form videos. We discuss implications for content creators, marketers, and platforms.