EHCO's consulting practice is grounded in peer-reviewed academic research — connecting rigorous evidence to real-world strategy for our clients.
Most consultancies cite research. We produce it. Our published work in peer-reviewed journals informs the frameworks, methodologies, and audience strategies we bring to every client engagement.
The following papers have been published in academic journals and are available for review. Each one contributes to a growing body of evidence on how emerging audiences engage with digital media, brands, and persuasion.
This narrative literature review examined the psychological, social, and behavioral drivers influencing Generation Z's engagement with social media advertising. Interdisciplinary research from marketing, communication, psychology, and digital sociology was synthesized to assess the roles of identity formation, perceived authenticity, parasocial interaction, social comparison, and emotional mechanisms in digital persuasion. Findings showed that Gen Z's advertising responses were strongly shaped by identity expression, relational trust, and algorithmically mediated social environments. Authenticity cues and influencer relationships influenced engagement and consumer attitudes, while persistent scarcity and fear-of-missing-out appeals contributed to digital fatigue and reduced well-being.
As social media becomes the new marketplace, influencer credibility is redefining how brands connect with the next generation of consumers. This doctoral research examined how credibility — defined by attractiveness, trustworthiness, and expertise — influences Gen Z's attitudes toward Instagram ads, the brands featured, and their purchase intentions. Through a two-phase mixed-methods design combining survey data and qualitative analysis, the study produced actionable frameworks for brands seeking to engage Gen Z audiences with authenticity and precision.
This forthcoming paper extends prior research on influencer credibility by examining the theoretical and conceptual frameworks that explain how digital persuasion operates among Gen Z consumers. The work synthesizes existing models from communication theory, consumer psychology, and digital sociology to propose an integrated framework for practitioners and researchers.
Our research agenda is deliberately connected to the audiences and challenges our clients face — ensuring that academic inquiry translates directly into strategic advantage.
How the next generation makes decisions — what shapes their trust, drives their purchases, and determines which brands earn their loyalty in an algorithmically mediated world.
The mechanisms by which authenticity, expertise, and trustworthiness interact to shape engagement, attitudes, and purchase intent — with implications for brand strategy and campaign design.
How identity formation and authenticity cues operate in digital social environments — shaping how underheard audiences respond to advertising, content, and brand communications.
Applying research methodology to understand how underserved and underheard communities engage with health communications, public programs, and institutional messaging.
The same rigor we apply in the journal — synthesizing fragmented evidence into actionable frameworks — is what we bring to every client engagement. Research isn't separate from our consulting work. It is our consulting work.
Beyond our published work, EHCO conducts proprietary research engagements for enterprise clients. If your organization needs rigorous, audience-specific insight to inform a strategic decision, we can design and execute the study.