EAA-AAA Joint Panel: Advertising and Communication as a Contribution to Health and Wellbeing in the Digital Age

Ralf TerlutterWith the participation of Prof. Dr Sandra Diehl, Institute for Media and Communication Studies, and Prof. Dr Ralf Terlutter, Institute for Management, the 5th joint panel organised by the European Advertising Academy (EAA) and the American Academy of Advertising (AAA) on the topic of “How can advertising contribute to individuals’ health and wellbeing in the digital age?” took place as part of the 24th International Conference on Research in Advertising (ICORIA 2026) in Barcelona. The panel discussion, featuring a high-calibre line-up, focused on the opportunities and challenges of digital advertising for health and wellbeing.

The panellists included:

  • Prof. Dr Sela Sar (University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, USA; Past President of the American Academy of Advertising), who addressed the protection of vulnerable target groups – particularly children and young people – in digital advertising.
  • Prof. Dr Liselot Hudders (Ghent University, Belgium; Board Member of the European Advertising Academy), who discussed the role of health influencers, their credibility and their influence on health behaviour.
  • Prof. Dr Ralf Terlutter (University of Klagenfurt, Department of Management; Past President of the European Advertising Academy), who examined how advertising and communication can contribute to wellbeing in the workplace.
  • Prof. Dr Harsha Gangadharbatla (University of Colorado Boulder, USA; Past President of the American Academy of Advertising), who focused on the relationship between social media, algorithms, advertising and mental health.

The discussion was moderated by Prof. Dr Sandra Diehl (University of Klagenfurt; President of the European Advertising Academy) and Prof. Dr Chang Dae Ham (University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, USA; President-Elect of the American Academy of Advertising).
The panel made it impressively clear that, in the digital age, advertising does not merely pursue economic objectives, but also bears a social responsibility to promote health and well-being. The experts’ international perspective highlighted both the risks and opportunities of digital communication and provided valuable insights for research and practice.

Der Beitrag EAA-AAA Joint Panel: Advertising and Communication as a Contribution to Health and Wellbeing in the Digital Age erschien zuerst auf University of Klagenfurt.