Celebrity endorsements can drive advocacy by fans, VCU researcher finds

Examining the popular South Korean boy band BTS and their preferred causes, the study found three factors that shape the behavior of their devoted followers.

Virginia Commonwealth University

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RICHMOND, Va. (March 6, 2025) — The South Korean boy band BTS boasts a fanbase of tens of millions of dedicated listeners, known for their devotion to the group and its social causes. New research from Virginia Commonwealth University researcher Baobao Song, Ph.D., finds that endorsements and advocacy campaigns from BTS and other celebrities could change fans’ advocacy behavior.

 

“A fan might think, ‘I’m involved in this because my celebrity is advocating for it. I want to see them succeed. I want the fandom to succeed,’” said Song, who studies corporate social responsibility as an assistant professor in VCU’s Richard T. Robertson School of Media and Culture in the College of Humanities and Sciences. “So that’s why we singled out fandom as the subject for this study, because fans naturally are already attached to the celebrity.”

 

Song, who herself is a BTS superfan, wanted to find out if celebrity advocacy campaigns can actually cause fans to change their behavior. She focused on BTS because the band’s large, international fanbase, referred to as the BTS ARMY, is known for being extremely engaged with the band and active online — in 2020, ARMY members matched BTS’ $1 million donation to Black Lives Matter within 24 hours, unprompted by the band.

 

The seven-member musical group also has a history of appealing to their fans in advocacy campaigns. In 2017, BTS worked with UNICEF to launch the “Love Myself” campaign, serving as global ambassadors to combat youth violence and promote self-esteem in young people. In 2021, the musical group addressed the United Nations General Assembly on the global organization’s sustainable development goals.

 

“What’s unique about BTS fans is that they are highly participative in their content creation,” Song said. “Usually, we see fandoms as content consumers, but BTS fans have a very high interest in producing their own content and connecting with each other.”

 

Song wanted to assess how the band’s ongoing partnership with the U.N. influences BTS fans’ intentions to engage in sustainability volunteering and advocacy work. Song and the study’s co-author, Minhee Choi, Ph.D., an assistant professor at Texas Tech University, first interviewed BTS fans in both the U.S. and South Korea. Then, they recruited Gen Z and millennial adults from the U.S. who self-identified as BTS fans to participate in an online survey.

 

The survey’s questions centered on the respondents’ general perceptions of celebrity, fandom interactions and fandom advocacy, as well as on their own identification as a member of the BTS ARMY and the BTS ARMY’s participatory culture. The respondents were then presented with information about BTS’ advocacy for the U.N.’s sustainable development goals and asked about their own sustainability intentions.

 

The 424 survey responses supported the idea that celebrity endorsements shape the behavioral intentions of their fans. That effect was driven by three factors: interdependence between fans and the celebrity, the fans’ individual identification within the fandom, and the fandom’s norms.

 

And while not all celebrity fandoms are as large and influential as BTS’, other celebrities can still use the power of their fandoms to push their own social goals. The findings could be especially important for organizations hoping to work with celebrities to advance their causes.

 

However, Song said, brands and organizations should be aware that celebrities need to have a strong personal connection with their fans, like that of BTS and the BTS ARMY, for their advocacy to actually change behavior and intentions.

“How can you maximize the benefits of a celebrity partnership?” Song said. “You may want to understand whether the fans and the celebrity have an interdependence that is strong enough to motivate their fans to follow the celebrity in actual behavior, to support your cause.”

Song’s research was funded by the Page Center at Pennsylvania State University’s Bellisario College of Communications.

 

 

 

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Journal

Public Relations Review

Subject of Research

People

Article Title

From celebrity advocacy to fandom advocacy: Harness the power of participatory fandom culture

 

Sand topdressing in turfgrass management: insights into organic matter control and soil health

Maximum Academic Press

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Layering observed from 2.4 L·m-2·yr-1 autumn and spring only treatments at the conclusion of a three-year sand topdressing study on an annual bluegrass turf mowed at 2.8 mm.

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Credit: The authors

A study on an annual bluegrass putting green suggests that consistent sand applications reduce organic matter by dilution, forming a mat layer that impacts soil and plant health. The findings highlight the need for a more comprehensive understanding of organic matter dynamics beyond simple content thresholds.

​Sand topdressing, the application of a thin sand layer over turf, has been a cornerstone in turfgrass management for over a century, originating at the Old Course in St. Andrews, Scotland. This practice is pivotal for enhancing root zone physical properties, supporting robust root systems, and mitigating soil compaction in high-traffic turf areas. A significant advantage of using unamended sand is its role in preventing excessive organic matter, or thatch, accumulation. However, debates persist regarding the sufficiency of topdressing alone in organic matter control, highlighting the need for a deeper understanding of its long-term effects.

A review (DOI:10.48130/grares-0024-0028) published in Grass Research on 23 January 2025 by Ruying Wang’s team, Oregon State University, suggests that organic matter dynamics in turfgrass systems are more complex than previously thought, requiring adjustments in cultivation practices to maintain a balance between soil health and playability.

In a three-year study on an annual bluegrass (Poa annua) putting green, researchers investigated the impact of sand topdressing on organic matter dynamics. The study revealed that consistent sand applications effectively reduced organic matter content by diluting thatch and forming a mat layer. This mat layer not only integrates organic material but also contributes to soil carbon sequestration. Additionally, the practice was found to enhance turfgrass health, leading to increased organic matter accumulation at the soil surface. These findings underscore the importance of tailoring topdressing programs to align with the specific growth patterns of turfgrass in various climates. The historical data indicate that topdressing plays a crucial role in organic matter management by forming a protective sand layer, improving surface conditions, and enhancing root zone properties. However, inconsistencies in application methods across different eras and locations underscore the need for further research into optimizing sand texture, rate, and frequency for sustainable turf management. The findings reinforce the importance of a balanced approach that considers factors beyond organic matter thresholds, such as soil infiltration, root health, and surface firmness, for effective turfgrass maintenance.

In summary, sand topdressing plays a crucial role in managing organic matter within turf systems. The study’s findings highlight the practice’s effectiveness in reducing thatch and promoting soil health. However, the research also emphasizes the necessity for a comprehensive understanding of organic matter accumulation and its implications for soil and plant health. Future turfgrass management strategies should consider factors such as layering, root health, water infiltration, and surface firmness alongside organic matter content to optimize cultivation practices.

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References

DOI

10.48130/grares-0024-0028

Original Source URL

https://doi.org/10.48130/grares-0024-0028

Funding information

The case study presented in this review paper was supported by the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture Hatch Multistate project 0206183 through the New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station, Hatch Multistate project NJ12294. Additional support was provided by the Rutgers Center for Turfgrass Science, United States Golf Association, Golf Course Superintendents Association of America, Golf Course Superintendents Association of New Jersey, Tri-State Research Foundation, and New Jersey Turfgrass Foundation.

About Grass Research

Grass Research (e-ISSN 2769-1675) is an open access, online-only journal focused on mechanistic aspects of biology of grasses with broad international and disciplinary interests. Research papers and review articles published in Grass Research represent significant advances in the mechanistic understanding of the genetic, genomic, molecular, cellular, biochemical, and physiological processes and pathways involved in plant growth and development, as well as interactions with the environment and other organisms, and cultural management practices. Original research and review articles will also cover the development and application of new emerging methodologies and technologies in plant biology, such as gene editing, "Omics", non-invasive imaging, remote sensing, and artificial intelligence and machine learning technologies. Grass Research also publishes editorials and perspectives for expressing opinions on a specific issue or novel insights about existing research on a particular topic.

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Journal

Grass Research

DOI

10.48130/grares-0024-0028 

Method of Research

Experimental study

Subject of Research

Not applicable

Article Title

Sand topdressing: the history, current knowledge, and new perspectives of its role in organic matter management

 

Rice University's McCary earns NSF CAREER Award to address invasive plants’ disruption to native ecosystems

Rice University

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Matt McCary, assistant professor of biosciences at Rice (Photo credit: Rice University).

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Credit: Rice University

Matt McCary, assistant professor of biosciences at Rice University, has been awarded a Faculty Early Career Development (CAREER) Award from the National Science Foundation (NSF). The NSF CAREER Award is one of the foundation’s most prestigious honors, recognizing early career faculty with the potential to serve as academic role models in research and education.

The $1.26 million grant will support McCary’s research on the spread of invasive plants — aggressive non-native species that disrupt native ecosystems, threaten biodiversity and contribute to billions in economic damages each year.

McCary’s project seeks to understand why some non-native plants become invasive while others do not. His research will work to identify key plant traits that drive invasions, assess their effects on soil food webs and investigate how invasive plants alter nutrient cycling. Specifically, the study will explore the interplay between analogous traits — such as leaf area with root length and leaf nitrogen with root nitrogen content — to understand their role in plant invasions.

By comparing invasive plants with closely related native and exotic naturalized species, McCary’s research aims to advance ecological theory while generating actionable insight to help conservationists manage invasive species more effectively.

“Invasive plants have significant ecological and economic consequences, yet we still don’t fully understand why some species become problematic while others don’t,” McCary said. “By pinpointing the traits that promote invasiveness, we can improve our ability to predict and mitigate their impacts on ecosystems.”

Beyond its scientific contributions, the project will foster the development of a skilled scientific workforce through mentorship programs for high school, undergraduate and graduate students. Additionally, McCary’s team will offer independent research opportunities, summer educational programs and a community-oriented ornamental garden initiative to engage the broader public in ecological research.

“This research aims to not only advance ecological theory but also provide practical tools for land managers and conservationists,” McCary said.

McCary said his fascination with the natural world began during his childhood in Chicago, where he accompanied his father, a pest control technician, on jobs. An encounter with thousands of German cockroaches behind a refrigerator ignited his curiosity about ecosystems. This interest deepened during his graduate studies in ecology and evolution at the University of Illinois Chicago, where he shifted focus from predator-prey interactions to the biodiversity within soils. His research has since highlighted the profound impact of soil health on broader ecological processes, emphasizing that “life as we know it really depends on the health of the soil.”

McCary’s work continues to explore how human activities, such as the introduction of invasive species, disrupt these vital soil processes, leading to significant consequences for both natural ecosystems and human well-being.

GEMOLOGY

Super sapphire resists scratches, glare, fog and dust

University of Texas at Austin

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A sample of the sapphire.

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Credit: The University of Texas at Austin

A phone screen you can't scratch no matter how many times you drop it. Glasses that prevent glare. A windshield that doesn't get dusty. These are all possibilities thanks to a new way to produce sapphire.

Researchers at The University of Texas at Austin have discovered techniques to bestow superpowers upon sapphire, a material that most of us think of as just a pretty jewel. But sapphire is seen as a critical material across many different areas, from defense to consumer electronics to next-generation windows because it's nearly impossible to scratch.

"Sapphire is such a high-value material because of its hardness and many other favorable properties," said Chih-Hao Chang, associate professor in the Walker Department of Mechanical Engineering and leader of the new research. "But the same properties that make it attractive also make it difficult manufacture at small scales."

Chang and his team hope to ease this challenge with new sapphire-based nanostructures as documented in Materials Horizons. The nanostructures show the highest aspect ratio yet for this material, which enables its superpowers without completely losing its stiffness and hardness.

The research: While not quite as scratch-resistant as traditional bulk sapphire – the nanostructures are comparable to tungsten or traditional glass in that way – these new sapphire nanostructures repel fog, dust and glare with self-cleaning capabilities.

“This is very exciting since nanostructures are traditionally seen as being fragile, but making them in sapphire can solve this problem,” said Kun-Chieh Chien, a recent Ph.D. graduate from Chang’s lab and one of the lead authors.

Inspired by the moth eye, the tapered profile of the sapphire nanostructures enhance light transmission and reduce glare. The nanostructures' high surface energy and aspect ratio create a superhydrophilic surface to prevent fog. The structures can also be treated to be a superhydrophobic surface to allow water droplets to roll off the surface, mimicking the lotus leaf effect.

"Our sapphire nanostructures are not only multifunctional but also mechanically robust, making them ideal for applications where durability and performance are critical," said Mehmet Kepenekci, a graduate student in Chang’s lab and one of the lead authors.

 

Why it matters: This technology has a wide variety of benefits. For consumers, it could lead to smartphones that are easier to read in challenging lighting conditions, lenses and windows that don't fog up, cameras that aren't prone to glare and hardy windshields that don't get dusty.

As we embark on the next generation of space travel, the anti-dust properties could ensure mission-critical equipment doesn't get caked in dust during landing missions on other planets, for example. It could lead to the creation of stronger infrared sensors and protective windows in defense applications.

"Our self-cleaning sapphire surfaces can maintain 98.7% dust-free area using gravity alone," said Andrew Tunell, the student who conducted the dust adhesion experiments. "This is a significant improvement over existing dust-mitigation technologies and is particularly beneficial for applications in space, where water is not readily available for cleaning."

What's next: The researchers aim to bring this technology to life, and they're looking to improve it several ways. They're scaling up fabrication to apply these nanostructures over larger samples, improving mechanical and chemical properties to enhance its abilities and exploring even more real-world applications.

Professor Chih-Hao Chang with Mehmet Kepenekci and Andrew Tunell, members of his lab.

The nanostructures, plus anti fog and glare capabilities.

Credit

The University of Texas at Austin

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Journal

Materials Horizons

DOI

10.1039/D4MH01844C 

Article Title

Scratch-resistant sapphire nanostructures with anti-glare, anti-fogging, and anti-dust properties†

 

Engineers took apart batteries from Tesla and China’s leading EV manufacturer to see what’s inside

Cell Press

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Graphic rendition of the 4680 Tesla Cell (silver cell in the picture) and BYD Blade Cell (blue cell in the picture), including cross sections of both cells.

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Credit: Jonas Gorsch

Two main manufacturers dominate the EV (electric vehicle) market: Tesla, which is most popular in Europe and North America, and BYD, which leads the Chinese EV market. However, both manufacturers have released limited data about their batteries, so the mechanical structure and characteristics of these battery cells has remained mysterious. To compare the batteries used by each manufacturer and better understand how EV batteries function overall, a team of researchers took one of each apart. 

The results publish on March 6 in the Cell Press journal Cell Reports Physical Science and show that Tesla’s batteries prioritize high-energy density and performance, whereas BYD’s batteries prioritize volume efficiency and lower-cost materials. Overall, the study revealed that BYD’s battery is more efficient because it allows easier thermal management. 

“There is very limited in-depth data and analysis available on state-of-the-art batteries for automotive applications,” said Jonas Gorsch, a researcher at Production Engineering of E-Mobility Components at RWTH Aachen University in Germany and lead author of the study.  

To address this, the researchers looked under the hood of Tesla’s battery—the Tesla 4680 cell—and BYD’s battery—the BYD Blade cell—and focused on the specific design and performance features of each. They assessed the mechanical designs and dimensions of the cells, the exact material compositions of their electrodes, and the cells’ electrical and thermal performances. They also deduced the processes used to assemble the cells and the costs of the materials used to make them. 

“We were surprised to find no silicon content in the anodes of either cell, especially in Tesla’s cell, as silicon is widely regarded in research as a key material for increasing energy density,” said Gorsch. 

The team found that the two types of batteries had significant differences in the speed at which a battery charges (or discharges) relative to its maximum capacity. The researchers also discovered that the BYD Blade employs a different method of keeping the electrode sheets in place—by using an electrode stack featuring a novel processing step to laminate the edges of the separator that sits between the anode and the cathode. The Tesla battery also uses a novel binder—a substance that holds together the active materials in the electrodes—in comparison to those used by most manufacturers in the industry. 

The batteries also showed unexpected similarities: both use an unusual way of connecting their thin electrode foils: with laser welding instead of ultrasonic welding, used by many others in the industry. Also, although the BYD cell is much larger than the Tesla cell, the fraction of passive cell components—such as current collectors, housing, and busbars—is similar. 

The results of this study illuminate how Tesla’s battery—the Tesla 4680 cell—and BYD’s battery—the BYD Blade cell—achieve two “highly innovative” but “fundamentally different” design approaches, says Gorsch. Further studies are needed to determine the impact of mechanical cell-design choices on electrode performances in EV batteries, as well as the lifespans of the Tesla and BYD cells, he added. 

“The findings provide both research and industry with a benchmark for large-format cell designs, serving as a baseline for further cell analysis and optimization,” said Gorsch, adding that the data can help battery-cell developers make informed choices when deciding on format, size, and active materials. 

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This work was supported by financial support from the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research. 

Cell Reports Physical Science, Gorsch et al., “Contrasting a BYD Blade prismatic cell and Tesla 4680 cylindrical cell with a teardown analysis of design and performance.” https://www.cell.com/cell-reports-physical-science/fulltext/S2666-3864(25)00052-9

Cell Reports Physical Science (@CellRepPhysSci), published by Cell Press, is a new broad-scope, open access journal that publishes cutting-edge research across the spectrum of the physical sciences, including chemistry, physics, materials science, energy science, engineering, and related interdisciplinary work. Visit https://www.cell.com/cell-reports-physical-science/home. To receive Cell Press media alerts, please contact press@cell.com. 

 

Graphic rendition of the outside of the 4680 Tesla Cell.

Graphic of the outside view of the BYD Blade Cell.

Credit

Jonas Gorsch

Journal

Cell Reports Physical Science

DOI

10.1016/j.xcrp.2025.102453 

Method of Research

Experimental study

Subject of Research

Not applicable

Article Title

Contrasting a BYD Blade prismatic cell and Tesla 4680 cylindrical cell with a teardown analysis of design and performance

Article Publication Date

6-Mar-2025