Can Social Media Ads Facilitate Retail Therapy? An Investigation of Psychological Outcomes of Ad Engagement in College Females

In modern professional marketing, digital communications, especially social media network marketing, are increasingly prevalent. Young adults are the primary users of social media networks, especially women, and are at greater risk for affective challenges associated with social media use, including fear of missing out (FOMO), anxiety and depressive symptoms. Through engagement with social media ads, young adults are delivered significant amounts of digital marketing messages, but to date the effect of engaging with such marketing messages on psychological well-being has not been adequately investigated. The present study examines relationships between engagement with social media ads, anxiety, depression, self-regulation and (FOMO) in college females. Overall, results reveal an interaction whereby engagement with social media ads is associated with better psychological outcomes for those with higher self-regulatory function, but poorer outcomes for those with reduced self-regulation. Such results point to the growing need for a nuanced, and likely digitally enhanced, approach to engaging in ethical advertising practices.