Steffi De Jans
Biographic Data
| ID | 6087384 |
|---|---|
| NAME | Steffi De Jans |
| GIVEN NAMES | Steffi |
| FAMILY NAME | De Jans |
| SIGNATURE | DE JANS S |
| AFFILIATIONS | Ghent University |
| ORCID | 0000-0002-2733-353X |
| VERIFIED | Yes |
| TOTAL WORKS | 24 |
| TOTAL CITATIONS | 11 |
| AUTHOR COUNT | 24 |
| EDITOR COUNT | 0 |
| FIRST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2018 |
| LATEST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2026 |
| H-INDEX | 2 |
A narrative review of qualitative studies exploring the normalization of gambling for youth and younger adults
Gambling is a highly visible and socially embedded activity among young people, with marketing, social practices, and digital platforms shaping perceptions and behaviours. This article presents a narrative review of qualitative studies (2015–25) exploring how gambling is normalized among youth and younger adults (up to 35 years), and how they perceive and respond to these processes. Four themes were constructed from n = 22 articles using a reflex…
‘I’ll come across something within a minute, guaranteed’
Given the influence of gambling advertising on individuals’ perceptions and behaviors, policymakers in various jurisdictions have introduced restrictions to mitigate harm. In Belgium, most forms of gambling advertising have been banned since 2023, although exemptions, transitional measures for sports sponsoring, and potential loopholes remain. Using semi-structured in-depth interviews with 16 young adults, this study explored how people who gambl…
Exploring the potential of evaluative conditioning to alter attitudes towards gambling
The rise of online gambling activities increases the risk of developing a gambling disorder (listed in the DSM-5), with serious personal and societal consequences. This study explores whether an evaluative conditioning (EC) intervention, suitable for social marketing campaigns, can reduce gambling-related attitudes and intentions. In a longitudinal between-subjects experiment (EC vs. control condition) among 170 participants, both groups showed d…
Shaping the odds
Major sports events, such as the UEFA European Football Championship 2024 (EURO 2024), offer gambling companies an opportunity to promote their products to large audiences. This gambling communication raises public health concerns due to its association with higher rates of gambling participation and related harm. In Belgium, gambling advertising has been restricted since 2023, raising questions about how these restrictions impact gambling commun…
The Place of a Child on Platforms
This panel delves into the complex entanglement of children within our 'platform society,' spotlighting their roles amidst the dynamics of platformisation, datafication, and monetisation. It scrutinises the emergence of child influencers, mapping their integration and active participation within the influencer economy. This exploration underscores the critical intersection between childhood and platformization, highlighting the commodification an…
Pedaling partnerships
Sponsorship has played a pivotal role in the growth and development of professional road cycling, contributing to the sport's worldwide popularity (Arthur et al., 1998; Benijts & Lagae, 2012; Lagae, 2022). The professional cycling teams operate within a unique environment where more than 90% of cycling teams’ revenues depend on sponsorship deals (Van Reeth, 2022a, 2022b). On average, a professional cycling team has between 20 and 30 sponsors (Bre…
Insights into the Belgian gambling advertising ban
Are gambling company sports sponsorships a losing game? Investigating consumer responses on gambling, brand and team outcomes
The current study investigates the causal relationships between exposure to gambling sports sponsorship and consumers’ gambling-linked, team, and brand outcomes, as well as the underlying explanatory mechanisms. We conducted two single-factor between-subjects experiments (sponsoring brand: banking company vs. commercial gambling provider), among 200 adult participants per experiment. The results reveal that the participants did not see a good fit…
Sponsored
This systematic review of research on gambling sponsorship provides insight into the current state of the art of gambling sponsorship research, a theoretical framework for understanding the mechanisms underlying gambling sponsorship’s effects, and a future research agenda to guide advertising scholars. Literature searches in Scopus and Web of Science resulted in a total of 46 publications that focus on gambling sponsorships, which can be grouped …
Red Light or Green Light? Netflix Series’ Squid Game Influence on Young Adults’ Gambling-Related Beliefs, Attitudes and Behaviors, and the Role of Audience Involvement
Media exposure for dark consumption products mostly shows glamorized and positive portrayals, rarely showing the negative consequences of consuming those products. However, the Netflix series Squid Game addresses the issue of gambling in its most extreme forms and shows the negative consequences related to it in a shocking manner, which begs the question whether watching the series could act as a preventive tool to increase risk perceptions, de-n…
Preschoolers and Advertising
Preschool children’s (ages three to five) advertising exposure is expected to increase over the coming years, mainly due to their changed media use. This increasing exposure might be problematic as research has shown a correlation with unfavorable outcomes, such as obesogenic eating tendencies. However, research on preschoolers and advertising is not unequivocal, and, to the best of our knowledge, no literature reviews are currently available. Th…
Food Promotion and Children's Health
Food marketing to children is ubiquitous and persuasive. It primarily promotes foods of poor nutritional quality, influences children's food preferences and habits, and is a factor in childhood obesity. Given that food marketing relentlessly targets children in traditional/digital media and the built environment, children need critical media literacy skills that build their understanding of food marketing's persuasive effects. However, little res…
Gender effects in influencer marketing
Women largely dominate the influencer business, and previous studies often either have focused on female social media influencers, or else matched the influencer’s gender with the participant’s gender in experimental research, as it is assumed that same-gender endorsements may increase persuasion. However, no empirical research is available yet that examines how the influencer’s gender affects the persuasiveness of sponsored content posted by thi…
Exploring Teenagers’ Folk Theories and Coping Strategies Regarding Commercial Data Collection and Personalized Advertising
New data collection methods and processing capabilities facilitate online personalization of advertisements but also challenge youth’s understanding of how these methods work. Teenagers are often unaware of the commercial use of their personal information and are susceptible to the persuasive effects of personalized advertising. This raises questions about their ability to engage in privacy-protecting behaviors. This article examines teenagers’ c…
My Mom Got Influenced by Yours’
Children's resilience during Covid‐19 confinement. A child's perspective–Which general and media coping strategies are useful
This study explored how children (9–13 years old) coped with the uncertain situation during the first Covid‐19 confinement period (Spring 2020) and whether media helped them handle the situation. Based on a survey among 667 West‐European (Belgian) children, we concluded that children used various strategies to cope with the situation. Seeking social support via social media and searching for distraction was applied by most children. Creating a co…
How Adolescents Use Social Media to Cope with Feelings of Loneliness and Anxiety During Covid-19 Lockdown
Next to physical health problems and economic damage, the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic and associated lockdown measures taken by governments of many countries are expected to cause mental health problems. Especially for adolescents, who highly rely on social contacts with peers, the prolonged period of social isolation may have detrimental effects on their mental health. Based on the mood management theory, the current study exami…
The commercialization of social media stars
This review provides insight into the research on the strategic use of social media influencers. A search in the Scopus database yielded a total of 154 peer-reviewed academic publications focussing on influencer marketing, published mostly in the last three years (2018–2020). Most of these studies were empirical and used survey research, an experimental design, content analysis, or interview methodology. While a few studies examined how influence…
Keeping Up with Media Multitasking
Multitasking with media is increasingly popular among all age groups. Previous research has revealed that this media consumption behavior affects the way people respond to advertising messages, but such research thus far has predominantly focused on young adults. This study, using eye-tracking technology, compares how children (8 to 12 years) and adults (18 to 65 years) navigate their attention when simultaneously using television and Internet co…
The Value of Influencer Marketing for Business
Influencer marketing appears to be an effective and cost-efficient marketing tool, as it is often not perceived by consumers as advertising and guarantees a wide reach to very engaged audiences. Many businesses harness social media influencers to promote their brands to target audiences. However, influencer marketing has mainly been adopted through a process of trial and error without in-depth insight into how social media influencers should be u…
Digital food marketing to children
Sponsored! How the recognition of sponsoring on Instagram posts affects adolescents’ brand evaluations through source evaluations
Serious games going beyond the Call of Duty
As adolescents’ advertising literacy is not yet fully developed with regard to non-traditional advertising, they should be made more resilient to this contemporary advertising. Therefore, the current study conducted a three-level, between-subjects experiment (advertising literacy intervention: control condition versus informational booklet versus serious mini-game platform) to examine the effectiveness of advertising literacy interventions among …
How an Advertising Disclosure Alerts Young Adolescents to Sponsored Vlogs
Sponsored vlogs (video blogs that embed advertising) are increasingly targeting young adolescents and challenging their abilities to critically process advertising. This study examined the impact of an advertising disclosure on young adolescents’ advertising literacy (i.e., advertising recognition and affective advertising literacy) for sponsored vlogs. In addition, the underlying mechanisms, including advertising literacy and influencer effects …
Digital food marketing to children
My Mom Got Influenced by Yours’
Children's resilience during Covid‐19 confinement. A child's perspective–Which general and media coping strategies are useful
This study explored how children (9–13 years old) coped with the uncertain situation during the first Covid‐19 confinement period (Spring 2020) and whether media helped them handle the situation. Based on a survey among 667 West‐European (Belgian) children, we concluded that children used various strategies to cope with the situation. Seeking social support via social media and searching for distraction was applied by most children. Creating a co…
How an Advertising Disclosure Alerts Young Adolescents to Sponsored Vlogs
Sponsored vlogs (video blogs that embed advertising) are increasingly targeting young adolescents and challenging their abilities to critically process advertising. This study examined the impact of an advertising disclosure on young adolescents’ advertising literacy (i.e., advertising recognition and affective advertising literacy) for sponsored vlogs. In addition, the underlying mechanisms, including advertising literacy and influencer effects …
Serious games going beyond the Call of Duty
As adolescents’ advertising literacy is not yet fully developed with regard to non-traditional advertising, they should be made more resilient to this contemporary advertising. Therefore, the current study conducted a three-level, between-subjects experiment (advertising literacy intervention: control condition versus informational booklet versus serious mini-game platform) to examine the effectiveness of advertising literacy interventions among …
Sponsored! How the recognition of sponsoring on Instagram posts affects adolescents’ brand evaluations through source evaluations
How Adolescents Use Social Media to Cope with Feelings of Loneliness and Anxiety During Covid-19 Lockdown
Next to physical health problems and economic damage, the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic and associated lockdown measures taken by governments of many countries are expected to cause mental health problems. Especially for adolescents, who highly rely on social contacts with peers, the prolonged period of social isolation may have detrimental effects on their mental health. Based on the mood management theory, the current study exami…
The commercialization of social media stars
This review provides insight into the research on the strategic use of social media influencers. A search in the Scopus database yielded a total of 154 peer-reviewed academic publications focussing on influencer marketing, published mostly in the last three years (2018–2020). Most of these studies were empirical and used survey research, an experimental design, content analysis, or interview methodology. While a few studies examined how influence…
Keeping Up with Media Multitasking
Multitasking with media is increasingly popular among all age groups. Previous research has revealed that this media consumption behavior affects the way people respond to advertising messages, but such research thus far has predominantly focused on young adults. This study, using eye-tracking technology, compares how children (8 to 12 years) and adults (18 to 65 years) navigate their attention when simultaneously using television and Internet co…
The Value of Influencer Marketing for Business
Influencer marketing appears to be an effective and cost-efficient marketing tool, as it is often not perceived by consumers as advertising and guarantees a wide reach to very engaged audiences. Many businesses harness social media influencers to promote their brands to target audiences. However, influencer marketing has mainly been adopted through a process of trial and error without in-depth insight into how social media influencers should be u…
Digital food marketing to children
Food Promotion and Children's Health
Food marketing to children is ubiquitous and persuasive. It primarily promotes foods of poor nutritional quality, influences children's food preferences and habits, and is a factor in childhood obesity. Given that food marketing relentlessly targets children in traditional/digital media and the built environment, children need critical media literacy skills that build their understanding of food marketing's persuasive effects. However, little res…
Gender effects in influencer marketing
Women largely dominate the influencer business, and previous studies often either have focused on female social media influencers, or else matched the influencer’s gender with the participant’s gender in experimental research, as it is assumed that same-gender endorsements may increase persuasion. However, no empirical research is available yet that examines how the influencer’s gender affects the persuasiveness of sponsored content posted by thi…
Exploring Teenagers’ Folk Theories and Coping Strategies Regarding Commercial Data Collection and Personalized Advertising
New data collection methods and processing capabilities facilitate online personalization of advertisements but also challenge youth’s understanding of how these methods work. Teenagers are often unaware of the commercial use of their personal information and are susceptible to the persuasive effects of personalized advertising. This raises questions about their ability to engage in privacy-protecting behaviors. This article examines teenagers’ c…
My Mom Got Influenced by Yours’
Children's resilience during Covid‐19 confinement. A child's perspective–Which general and media coping strategies are useful
This study explored how children (9–13 years old) coped with the uncertain situation during the first Covid‐19 confinement period (Spring 2020) and whether media helped them handle the situation. Based on a survey among 667 West‐European (Belgian) children, we concluded that children used various strategies to cope with the situation. Seeking social support via social media and searching for distraction was applied by most children. Creating a co…
Red Light or Green Light? Netflix Series’ Squid Game Influence on Young Adults’ Gambling-Related Beliefs, Attitudes and Behaviors, and the Role of Audience Involvement
Media exposure for dark consumption products mostly shows glamorized and positive portrayals, rarely showing the negative consequences of consuming those products. However, the Netflix series Squid Game addresses the issue of gambling in its most extreme forms and shows the negative consequences related to it in a shocking manner, which begs the question whether watching the series could act as a preventive tool to increase risk perceptions, de-n…
Preschoolers and Advertising
Preschool children’s (ages three to five) advertising exposure is expected to increase over the coming years, mainly due to their changed media use. This increasing exposure might be problematic as research has shown a correlation with unfavorable outcomes, such as obesogenic eating tendencies. However, research on preschoolers and advertising is not unequivocal, and, to the best of our knowledge, no literature reviews are currently available. Th…
Insights into the Belgian gambling advertising ban
Are gambling company sports sponsorships a losing game? Investigating consumer responses on gambling, brand and team outcomes
The current study investigates the causal relationships between exposure to gambling sports sponsorship and consumers’ gambling-linked, team, and brand outcomes, as well as the underlying explanatory mechanisms. We conducted two single-factor between-subjects experiments (sponsoring brand: banking company vs. commercial gambling provider), among 200 adult participants per experiment. The results reveal that the participants did not see a good fit…
Sponsored
This systematic review of research on gambling sponsorship provides insight into the current state of the art of gambling sponsorship research, a theoretical framework for understanding the mechanisms underlying gambling sponsorship’s effects, and a future research agenda to guide advertising scholars. Literature searches in Scopus and Web of Science resulted in a total of 46 publications that focus on gambling sponsorships, which can be grouped …
Shaping the odds
Major sports events, such as the UEFA European Football Championship 2024 (EURO 2024), offer gambling companies an opportunity to promote their products to large audiences. This gambling communication raises public health concerns due to its association with higher rates of gambling participation and related harm. In Belgium, gambling advertising has been restricted since 2023, raising questions about how these restrictions impact gambling commun…
The Place of a Child on Platforms
This panel delves into the complex entanglement of children within our 'platform society,' spotlighting their roles amidst the dynamics of platformisation, datafication, and monetisation. It scrutinises the emergence of child influencers, mapping their integration and active participation within the influencer economy. This exploration underscores the critical intersection between childhood and platformization, highlighting the commodification an…
Pedaling partnerships
Sponsorship has played a pivotal role in the growth and development of professional road cycling, contributing to the sport's worldwide popularity (Arthur et al., 1998; Benijts & Lagae, 2012; Lagae, 2022). The professional cycling teams operate within a unique environment where more than 90% of cycling teams’ revenues depend on sponsorship deals (Van Reeth, 2022a, 2022b). On average, a professional cycling team has between 20 and 30 sponsors (Bre…
A narrative review of qualitative studies exploring the normalization of gambling for youth and younger adults
Gambling is a highly visible and socially embedded activity among young people, with marketing, social practices, and digital platforms shaping perceptions and behaviours. This article presents a narrative review of qualitative studies (2015–25) exploring how gambling is normalized among youth and younger adults (up to 35 years), and how they perceive and respond to these processes. Four themes were constructed from n = 22 articles using a reflex…
‘I’ll come across something within a minute, guaranteed’
Given the influence of gambling advertising on individuals’ perceptions and behaviors, policymakers in various jurisdictions have introduced restrictions to mitigate harm. In Belgium, most forms of gambling advertising have been banned since 2023, although exemptions, transitional measures for sports sponsoring, and potential loopholes remain. Using semi-structured in-depth interviews with 16 young adults, this study explored how people who gambl…
Exploring the potential of evaluative conditioning to alter attitudes towards gambling
The rise of online gambling activities increases the risk of developing a gambling disorder (listed in the DSM-5), with serious personal and societal consequences. This study explores whether an evaluative conditioning (EC) intervention, suitable for social marketing campaigns, can reduce gambling-related attitudes and intentions. In a longitudinal between-subjects experiment (EC vs. control condition) among 170 participants, both groups showed d…
Business (18 works) · Psychology (18 works) · Advertising (16 works) · Marketing (9 works) · Digital Marketing and Social Media (8 works) · Impact of Technology on Adolescents (8 works) · Political science (8 works) · Social Psychology (8 works) · Gambling Behavior and Treatments (7 works) · Computer Science (6 works)