Sela Sar

headshot of Sela Sar
Professor of Advertising; Director of the Institute of Communications Research
233 Gregory Hall
Education
  • Ph.D., University of Minnesota (Mass Communication) 
  • M.A., University of Minnesota (Mass Communication)
Course Specialties
  • ADV 483: Audience Analysis
Background

Prior to joining the Charles H. Sandage Department of Advertising, Sar taught advertising courses in both graduate and undergraduate levels at Iowa State University for 7 years. He mainly taught strategic communication (strategic planning, advertising and mass communication research methods, psychology of advertising and other mass communication related courses). His research background is in the area of the effects of mood, emotions, perceptions and memory on information processing and social advertising. Sar serves on editorial boards of the Journal of Advertising, and the International Journal of Advertising. He also serves as an Associate Editor for the Asian Journal of Communication. He is a recipient of the Journal of Advertisings Best Reviewer Award for 2010 and an ad hoc best Reviewer Award for the Journal of Current Issues & Research in Advertising for 2012.

Research/Creative Endeavor

Sar’s research interest is in the area of advertising and media effects. He researches mood, emotions, perceptions, memory, judgment and decision making related to social advertising/risk and health communications. Sar’s research agenda contributes to the scholarship of advertising by providing a deeper understanding of the mechanisms and processes of how mood and emotions interact with various social advertising/risk and health messages to influence attitudes and behavior. His articles have appeared in Journalism and Mass Communication Quarterly, the Journal of Advertising, Journal of Current Issues and Research in Advertising, Advances in Consumer Research, Proceedings of the American Academy of Advertising, International Communication Gazette, Journal of Social Marketing, International Journal of Integrated Marketing Communications, Advances in Consumer Research, Proceedings of the American Academy of Advertising, and Psychology & Marketing.