The Community Impact of High-Pressure Advertising

Dive into how high-pressure ads shape communities and what we can do about it—online and interactive!

Cultural Autism Studies at Yale (CASY, ethnography project led by Dr. Dawn Prince-Hughes) is delighted to welcome Chelsea Verrette, M.S. on Friday, May 1, 2026, 3-4 p.m. EDT (2 p.m. CDT, 12 p.m. PDT, 8 p.m. BST, 9 p.m. CEST). There is no cost to attend, and international participants are welcome.

TITLE: The Community Impact of High-Pressure Advertising

DESCRIPTION: Advertising doesn’t just sell products—it shapes the pressures we feel and how we use our money and energy in the consumer marketplace. This session shares research on how Autistic and non-autistic adults respond to high-pressure advertising tactics like urgency, fear, and seemingly exaggerated promises. Findings show that Autistic participants reported higher stress and were less likely to recognize these messages as advertising, raising important questions about ethics and inclusion in the marketplace. Together, we’ll explore what this means for Autistic well-being and how Autistic consumers can engage with these tactics in daily life.

BRIEF BIO: Chelsea Verrette is a PhD student in Curriculum Studies at Texas Christian University and an Autistic researcher focused on advertising as a form of public pedagogy. She also holds a Master of Science in Strategic Communication, which informs her work at the intersection of media, ethics, and equity. Her research examines how high-pressure advertising affects neurodivergent consumers and argues for ethical communication that values equity over manipulation. Chelsea’s work has been published in the Journal of Critical Study of Communication and Disability, and she partners with organizations to design messaging that is inclusive, accessible, and aligned with community values. Learn more: www.yourpinkeasel.com

ABOUT Cultural Autism Studies at Yale (CASY): An 'ethnography' is an exploration of how a group of people express themselves in a cultural way. Autistic people have a growing kind of culture, and each autistic experience is a vital part of it. Dr. Dawn Prince-Hughes is an anthropologist, ethnographer, primatologist, and author who is autistic. Join her for an exploration of the importance of autistic self-expression and the culture that grows from it. Those who wish to share their content are free to do so on our private Facebook groups, organically contributing to a growing autistic culture: CASY Cultural Autism Studies at Yale (recommended for autistic adults) and SOCIAL CONNECTIVITY FOR AUTISM (recommended for allies, professionals, and family members).

CREDITS: The preparation of this material was financed under an agreement with the Connecticut Council on Developmental Disabilities (CTCDD). CASY Sparks membership and events are free. CASY Sparks is sponsored in part by The Daniel Jordan Fiddle Foundation Adult Autism Research Fund, and Dr. Roger Jou

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