Visual narratives and audience engagement: edutainment interactive strategies with computer vision and natural language processing Xinyue Hao, Sijo Valayakkad Manikandan, Emrah Demir, Daniel Eyers Journal of Research in Interactive Marketing, 2026 PurposeThis study aims to explore how the integration of visual storytelling and textual elements within edutainment content drives recursive, emotionally grounded consumer engagement in interactive marketing environments. It challenges linear models of the consumer journey by emphasizing cyclical, meaning-making processes shaped by visual-symbolic and narrative cues.Design/methodology/approachUsing a multimodal artificial intelligence (AI)-assisted analytical approach, this study draws on natural language processing and computer vision to analyze over 10,000 social media posts from leading educational media brands. It identifies underlying engagement mechanisms by examining how visual themes and textual expressions interact to influence consumer behavior across different stages of the edutainment experience.FindingsVisual themes, especially those featuring human or natural elements, trigger early-stage attention, while emotionally resonant language anchors deeper involvement. This co-activation supports a recursive engagement model, where consumers continuously reinterpret and contribute to brand narratives through micro-actions and user-generated content. Engagement becomes a dynamic, participatory loop rather than a discrete outcome.Research limitations/implicationsFuture research could explore how different visual and narrative elements influence emotional and cognitive engagement across diverse consumer groups. Additionally, investigating the long-term impact of recursive engagement on brand loyalty and consumer behavior will be valuable for further advancing interactive marketing theory.Practical implicationsFor practitioners in interactive marketing, this research underscores the importance of using visually compelling narratives to craft personalized content that resonates emotionally with consumers. By integrating both emotional and cognitive dimensions into content strategies, brands can enhance consumer engagement. Furthermore, incorporating interactive features, such as user-generated content and real-time feedback loops, is crucial for fostering deeper consumer involvement and strengthening long-term brand loyalty.Social implicationsThe growing influence of interactive marketing via edutainment and visual storytelling presents opportunities for brands to create more meaningful content that fosters engagement and learning. By aligning with consumers’ values, brands can contribute to societal change, advocating for social and environmental causes while enhancing public awareness and participation.Originality/valueThis research reframes interactive marketing as a psychologically layered and dialogic process, offering new theoretical insight into the symbolic and affective mechanics of edutainment. It provides a data-driven foundation for designing content strategies that foster long-term emotional resonance and participatory brand relationships. By demonstrating how AI tools can decode and optimize multimodal engagement, the study contributes both conceptual advancement and methodological innovation to the field.
Vehicle routing problem: Past and future Emrah Demir, Katy Huckle, Aris Syntetos, Andrew Lahy, Mike Wilson Contemporary Operations and Logistics Achieving Excellence in Turbulent Times, 2019
Multi-objective Optimization for the Sensor Allocation Problem in Heterogeneous Wireless Sensor Networks LF Pinheiro, FR Henriques, F Usberti, E Demir, LS Assis Available at SSRN 6571603 , 2026 2026
Resilient supply chain network design under super-disruption considering inter-arrival time dependency: a new data-driven stochastic optimization approach MM Vali-Siar, H Tikani, E Demir, Y Shamstabar Transportation Research Part E: Logistics and Transportation Review 207, 104615 , 2026 2026 Citations: 1
Visual narratives and audience engagement: edutainment interactive strategies with computer vision and natural language processing X Hao, S Valayakkad Manikandan, E Demir, D Eyers Journal of Research in Interactive Marketing 20 (1), 68-90 , 2026 2026 Citations: 24
Circular logistics and operations: transportation across a product’s lifecycle E Demir, TE Goltsos, S White Circular Economy Supply Chains: Optimizing via Data Science, 187-205 , 2026 2026
Impact of imputation methods for ship technical parameters on emission estimations in ports R Sun, W Abouarghoub, E Demir, A Potter Maritime Policy & Management 53 (1), 70-92 , 2026 2026 Citations: 4
Geopolitical disruptions and maritime transitions: Environmental and economic costs of rerouting R Sun, W Abouarghoub, E Demir, A Potter Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice 203, 104737 , 2026 2026 Citations: 4
Susceptible-infected diffusion of food safety opinion dissemination: Infrastructure-driven spread and behavior-embedded substance X Hao, D Dong, C Liu, E Demir, SF Wamba Expert Systems with Applications 295, 128886 , 2026 2026 Citations: 4
Value creation in parcel delivery: A systematic literature review and research agenda W AlMazrouei, E Demir Sustainable Futures 10, 101557 , 2025 2025 Citations: 2
A matheuristic approach for the mobile parcel locker delivery system with delivery robots and drone resupply C Chen, E Demir, W Li, X Hu, H Huang, J Li Swarm and Evolutionary Computation 99, 102182 , 2025 2025 Citations: 2
An advanced hybrid approach for emergency healthcare pickup and delivery with unmanned aerial vehicles under a stochastic environment Z Lin, E Demir, X Xu, G Laporte Transportation Research Part E: Logistics and Transportation Review 204, 104395 , 2025 2025 Citations: 3
Beyond human-in-the-loop: Sensemaking between artificial intelligence and human intelligence collaboration X Hao, E Demir, D Eyers Sustainable Futures 10, 101152 , 2025 2025 Citations: 24
A metaheuristic approach for the multi-objective sustainable vehicle routing problem R Moghdani, K Salimifard, E Demir, S Barak, A Aazami, SAH Shekarabi Annals of Operations Research, 1-50 , 2025 2025 Citations: 4
Reinforcement Learning for the Vehicle Routing Problem: Methodologies, Applications, and Research Outlook M Liu, E Demir, L Jian Arabian Journal for Science and Engineering, 1-28 , 2025 2025 Citations: 4
A simulation-based analysis for the road freight transport decarbonization: A case study of Colombia C Gil, A Rey-Ladino, G Wilmsmeier, AM Montes, E Demir, ... Energy and Climate Change, 100216 , 2025 2025 Citations: 3
Beyond lotka-volterra: A game-theoretic exploration of two-dimensional airline competition NT Khan, A Al Hanbali, E Demir, Y Kim Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice 200, 104619 , 2025 2025
Parcel locker solutions for last mile delivery: A systematic literature review and future research directions Q Zhang, E Demir Frontiers in Future Transportation 6, 1654621 , 2025 2025 Citations: 14
A green multi-period request assignment problem for road freight transport EJ Mamaghani, Y Ghiami, E Demir, T Van Woensel Journal of Cleaner Production 519, 145855 , 2025 2025 Citations: 2
When customers know it’s AI: Experimental comparison of human and LLM-Based Communication in service recovery X Hao, D Dong, Y Zhang, E Demir Journal of Marketing Communications, 1-28 , 2025 2025 Citations: 14
A reinforcement learning framework using pointer networks to address tampering of pollutant control systems in freight transportation MM Bidgoli, E Demir Expert Systems with Applications, 129178 , 2025 2025 Citations: 2
Operational research on dengue: critical review and research agenda LS Assis, FL Usberti, E Demir, C Cavellucci, G Laporte Journal of the Operational Research Society 76 (7), 1391-1413 , 2025 2025 Citations: 3
MOST CITED SCHOLAR PUBLICATIONS
A review of recent research on green road freight transportation E Demir, T Bektaş, G Laporte European journal of operational research 237 (3), 775-793 , 2014 2014 Citations: 1063
An adaptive large neighborhood search heuristic for the pollution-routing problem E Demir, T Bektaş, G Laporte European journal of operational research 223 (2), 346-359 , 2012 2012 Citations: 943
The bi-objective pollution-routing problem E Demir, T Bektaş, G Laporte European journal of operational research 232 (3), 464-478 , 2014 2014 Citations: 609
A comparative analysis of several vehicle emission models for road freight transportation E Demir, T Bektaş, G Laporte Transportation Research Part D: Transport and Environment 16 (5), 347-357 , 2011 2011 Citations: 576
A selected review on the negative externalities of the freight transportation: Modeling and pricing E Demir, Y Huang, S Scholts, T Van Woensel Transportation research part E: Logistics and transportation review 77, 95-114 , 2015 2015 Citations: 341
The adoption of self-driving delivery robots in last mile logistics C Chen, E Demir, Y Huang, R Qiu Transportation research part E: logistics and transportation review 146, 102214 , 2021 2021 Citations: 324
The green vehicle routing problem: A systematic literature review R Moghdani, K Salimifard, E Demir, A Benyettou Journal of Cleaner Production 279, 123691 , 2021 2021 Citations: 319
An adaptive large neighborhood search heuristic for the pickup and delivery problem with time windows and scheduled lines V Ghilas, E Demir, T Van Woensel Computers & Operations Research 72, 12-30 , 2016 2016 Citations: 310
A green intermodal service network design problem with travel time uncertainty E Demir, W Burgholzer, M Hrušovský, E Arıkan, W Jammernegg, ... Transportation Research Part B: Methodological , 2016 2016 Citations: 286
An adaptive large neighborhood search heuristic for the vehicle routing problem with time windows and delivery robots C Chen, E Demir, Y Huang European journal of operational research 294 (3), 1164-1180 , 2021 2021 Citations: 283
A metaheuristic for the time-dependent pollution-routing problem A Franceschetti, E Demir, D Honhon, T Van Woensel, G Laporte, ... European Journal of Operational Research , 2017 2017 Citations: 203
The dial-a-ride problem with electric vehicles and battery swapping stations MA Masmoudi, M Hosny, E Demir, KN Genikomsakis, N Cheikhrouhou Transportation research part E: logistics and transportation review 118, 392-420 , 2018 2018 Citations: 188
Exploring collaborative decision-making: A quasi-experimental study of human and Generative AI interaction X Hao, E Demir, D Eyers Technology in Society 78, 102662 , 2024 2024 Citations: 179
A scenario-based planning for the pickup and delivery problem with time windows, scheduled lines and stochastic demands V Ghilas, E Demir, T Van Woensel Transportation Research Part B: Methodological 91, 34-51 , 2016 2016 Citations: 158
Last mile logistics: Research trends and needs E Demir, A Syntetos, T Van Woensel IMA Journal of Management Mathematics 33 (4), 549-561 , 2022 2022 Citations: 142
Green vehicle routing T Bektaş, E Demir, G Laporte Green transportation logistics, 243-265 , 2016 2016 Citations: 135
An exact approach for a variant of the pollution-routing problem S Dabia, E Demir, TV Woensel Transportation Science 51 (2), 607-628 , 2016 2016 Citations: 133
Artificial intelligence in supply chain decision-making: an environmental, social, and governance triggering and technological inhibiting protocol X Hao, E Demir Journal of Modelling in Management 19 (2), 605-629 , 2024 2024 Citations: 130
Branch-and-price for the pickup and delivery problem with time windows and scheduled lines V Ghilas, JF Cordeau, E Demir, TV Woensel Transportation Science 52 (5), 1191-1210 , 2018 2018 Citations: 129
Green intermodal freight transportation: bi-objective modelling and analysis E Demir, M Hrušovský, W Jammernegg, T Van Woensel International Journal of Production Research 57 (19), 6162-6180 , 2019 2019 Citations: 123
