Call for Academic Research Proposals

MSI-Adobe Initiative on Brand Equity and Financial Impact

The Marketing Science Institute (MSI), in collaboration with Adobe, invites academic researchers to submit proposals for a new research initiative exploring the causal relationships between brand marketing, brand equity, and financial outcomes.

This initiative offers a unique opportunity to access proprietary Adobe data, experiments, and tools, collaborate directly with industry stakeholders, and conduct rigorous, high-impact academic research that advances both theory and practice.

 

Project Overview

As brand investments grow more complex and performance-focused, understanding the long-term, causal impact of brand marketing on financial metrics is an urgent priority. This research program seeks to support academic work that:

• Builds causal models connecting brand marketing to financial outcomes via brand equity.
• Develops novel, validated brand equity metrics that are empirically grounded and operationalizable in real-world settings.
• Advances experimental or quasi-experimental methods that isolate brand effects from confounding factors.
• Fosters collaboration between academia and industry, enabling shared insight and co-created innovation.

 

Priority Research Themes

Proposals may address (but are not limited to) the following research questions:

• What is the magnitude and persistence of long-term ROI from brand marketing on topline metrics such as gross new orders and revenue?
• How does sustained brand marketing interact with performance media (e.g., paid search, paid social, promotions) to influence conversion lift?
• How can generative AI be integrated with traditional survey or behavioral data to create scalable, valid, high-frequency brand equity indices?
• What is the causal effect of brand marketing on consumer-perceived brand equity over time, and how does it vary across segments or market conditions?

 

Methodological Approaches

Researchers are encouraged to employ innovative and rigorous methods, such as:

• Generative AI – Use GenAI to derive brand signals from unstructured data (e.g., surveys, social media, reviews) or simulate brand outcomes under counterfactual scenarios.
• Causal Inference – Apply techniques such as difference-in-differences, synthetic control, or instrumental variables to establish causal effects.
• Experimentation – Design large-scale randomized experiments (e.g., geo-split, creative tests) that ensure internal validity and real-world realism.
• Quasi-Experimentation – Leverage natural experiments or exogenous variation in media to estimate brand impacts on financial outcomes.

 

Support & Resources

Selected academic teams will receive direct access to Adobe’s:

• Data Assets: Internal media spend logs, subscription and conversion metrics, brand-tracking surveys (e.g., Morning Consult, Disqo), and external market data (e.g., SimilarWeb, SEMrush).
• Experimental Collaboration: Where feasible, Adobe may support controlled field experiments or test designs, including geo-split campaigns, creative message variations, or channel-level interventions. Researchers are encouraged to propose experimental ideas that can be implemented in partnership with Adobe teams.
• Tools & Infrastructure: Adobe’s compute cloud, APIs for generative AI and LLMs, and engineering support as needed.
• Stakeholder Engagement: Regular collaboration with Adobe’s marketing, data science, and brand strategy teams through meetings, and research reviews.

 

Deliverables & Timeline

• Proposal Submission (Due March 29, 2026): A detailed research plan outlining the theoretical framing, methodological design, and required data/tools.

• Preliminary Report (Due June 30, 2026): A 2-3 page summary and short presentation of early findings, including emerging implications for brand measurement and strategy.

• Full Working Paper (2026–2027): A complete, publication-ready manuscript to be reviewed by MSI and Adobe prior to public dissemination.

 

Evaluation Criteria

Proposals will be reviewed by MSI and Adobe based on the following dimensions:

• Novelty – Theoretical and methodological innovation (e.g., use of GenAI with causal identification).
• Feasibility – Practical alignment with Adobe’s resources, data access, and timelines.
• Rigor – Clarity and strength of identification strategy, robustness checks, and power estimation.
• Contribution – Potential to impact both scholarly knowledge and marketing practice.
• Ethical Considerations – Attention to transparency, fairness, and consumer privacy.

 

Funding & Selection Process

MSI will coordinate the evaluation process in partnership with Adobe. Selected proposals will receive research funding administered by MSI, with individual project budgets starting in the range of $5,000 to $10,000 (USD). Researchers may request higher amounts based on the scope, data needs, or experimental design, and should provide a justified, itemized budget in their proposal.

Funding will be disbursed in two phases:

• 50% upon project launch (following approval and agreement execution)
• 50% upon completion of project deliverables, including submission of the working paper and final presentation

These terms are designed to support rigorous, timely execution while ensuring alignment between research progress and funding milestones.

 

Virtual Information Session

To support interested researchers, MSI and Adobe will host a virtual information session to provide additional context on the call for proposals. The session will offer an overview of the project scope, expectations for submission, and available resources. Participants will also have the opportunity to ask questions about the proposal process, data access, methodological considerations, and other aspects of the initiative.

• March 12, 2026 at noon – 1 pm Eastern
• Questions may be submitted in advance or raised during the session.

All interested researchers are welcome to attend. Register HERE

 

How to Apply

Submit your proposal HERE

Deadline: March 29, 2026

Application Instructions

(This document is intended to help you identify and prepare the data and information you will need to submit for the Adobe application in advance; it is not the actual application.)

 

For questions, contact: research@msi.org

 

About MSI

The Marketing Science Institute, founded in 1961, is the longest-standing organization dedicated to aligning academic marketing research with real-world business needs. As part of the Advertising Research Foundation (ARF), MSI bridges theory and practice by funding original research, hosting collaborative events, and disseminating evidence-based insights to the global marketing community.

About Adobe

Adobe is a global leader in digital experience and creative software, empowering individuals and businesses to design, deliver, and optimize content across channels. With products like Creative Cloud, Experience Cloud, and Document Cloud, Adobe enables marketers to create impactful storytelling, personalize at scale, and drive measurable outcomes. A pioneer in AI and generative technologies, Adobe integrates Adobe Sensei and proprietary GenAI tools across its platforms to unlock deeper insights and accelerate innovation.