On Monday, May 18, 2026, the Master of Science and Doctoral Program (MD) at the Faculty of Economics and Business, Gadjah Mada University (FEB UGM) held a guest lecture entitled “Hidden Visual Signals in Digital Advertising: Machine Learning and Consumer Response,” featuring Dr. Prabirendra Chatterjee, Assistant Professor of Marketing & Strategy from Cardiff University Business School, as the keynote speaker. This guest lecture took place offline from 1:00 PM to 3:00 PM in the Lippo Room, on the second floor of the Master of Science and Doctoral Building, FEB UGM.
This session focused on how hidden visual signals in digital advertising can influence consumer decision-making. Students were introduced to changes in consumer behavior in the digital era, where social media has become a primary source of product information. Furthermore, Dr. Prabirendra explained how machine learning is used to extract visual features from advertisements, such as contrast and energy, to understand the indirect influence of visual elements on consumer response.
Dr. Prabirendra also presented preliminary experimental results showing that high-contrast social media ads tend to generate higher levels of purchase intention than low-contrast ads, even when the information displayed is similar. These findings suggest that visual elements not only influence consumer attention but also enhance ad appeal and product credibility. Students were encouraged to understand how visuals in advertising can act as hidden signals that subconsciously influence consumer decisions.
In this session, Dr. Prabirendra highlighted the development of artificial intelligence and machine learning in digital marketing research, as well as the ethical challenges arising from the use of these technologies in advertising. The session was interactive, with discussions and exploration of research ideas encouraging students to think more critically about the relationship between digital technology, advertising visual design, and consumer behavior. Through this activity, it is hoped that MD FEB UGM students will be increasingly able to develop marketing research that is relevant, innovative, and provides meaningful scientific contributions.
