🔒 ad-dem.media.mit.edu
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AD-DEM research project

Can Democracy
Be Advertised?

A global research initiative exploring how advertising strategies can strengthen democratic values, counter misinformation, and rebuild public trust.

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02The Democratic Challenge
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Polarization

72%

of countries are experiencing rising affective polarization.

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Misinformation

65%

of people say fabricated news causes confusion.

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Declining Trust

57%

of people say they do not trust the national government.

+

Democratic Backsliding

54%

of the world’s population lives in countries in democratic decline.

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03Why Advertising?

Advertising shapes what people notice, feel, and remember. When designed responsibly, it can amplify democratic values and collective action.

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Attention
CaptureEmotion
EngagementRepetition &
RecallCultural
SignalsDemocratic
Values
●●●Informed
CitizensCivic
DialogueCollective
ActionStronger
Democracy
04Research Framework
Our end-to-end research process
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01:01

Problem

Identify democratic threats through global data and evidence.

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02:2

Democratic Ads

Design advertising interventions around democratic values.

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03:3

Experiments

Test across cultures using randomized controlled trials.

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04:4

Results

Measure impact on attitudes, behaviors, and discourse.

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05:5

Impact

Translate insights into tools, campaigns, and policy recommendations.

05Global Research
Research CompletedIn Progress
07Research Findings
Results across 120+ experiments

Democratic Values Increase

Average change in key metrics

Misinformation Susceptibility Decreases

Average reduction

-22%

Sustained Impact Over Time

Effects remain strong after 8 weeks

73%

of effects sustained

What Participants Say

The ad made me think about how my actions impact my community and my country.

Impact & The Future

AD-DEM turns evidence into action. Our findings inform campaigns, policy, and platforms that strengthen democracy around the world.

See Our Impact Pathways →

Our Impact Pathways

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Campaigns
Evidence-based creative for civic engagement.

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Policy
Data-driven insights for democratic institutions.

⚭

Tools
Open resources for practitioners and researchers.

The Team

A multidisciplinary team of researchers, strategists, designers, and data scientists across 15+ institutions.

Meet the Team →

Let’s Strengthen Democracy Together

Join our global network to build a more informed, inclusive, and resilient democracy.

Get Involved →