For best experience please turn on javascript and use a modern browser!
You are using a browser that is no longer supported by Microsoft. Please upgrade your browser. The site may not present itself correctly if you continue browsing.
Amsterdam School of Communication Research / ASCoR ASCoR

Dr. Z.M.C. (Zeph) van Berlo

Faculty of Social and Behavioural Sciences
CW : Persuasive Communication
Area of expertise: Immersive technologies, Virtual reality (VR), Augmented reality (AR), Gamified advertising, AI
Visiting address
  • Nieuwe Achtergracht 166
  • Room number: C 9.03
Postal address
  • Postbus 15791
    1001 NG Amsterdam
Contact details
Links
Social media
  • Profile

    Zeph M. C. van Berlo is an Assistant Professor of Persuasive Communication at the University of Amsterdam, within the Amsterdam School of Communication Research (ASCoR). He investigates how technological innovations, such as virtual and augmented reality, influence the way people process information and how this relates to behavior change. In addition, his research focuses on the role of gamification in persuasive communication, and he is considered a leading scholar in the field of gamified advertising. In 2025, Zeph was recognized by the American Academy of Advertising (AAA) as a Mary Alice Shaver Promising Professor, an honor awarded to promising early-career academics who demonstrate excellence and innovation in advertising teaching and research.

    His work has been published in leading academic journals such as the Journal of Advertising, Journal of Interactive Marketing, and Journal of Business Research. For his research on the use of artificial intelligence in developing stimulus materials, he received the Best Article Award from the prestigious Journal of Advertising. He has also received recognition for his research from the International Association of Immersive Technology Innovation (IAITI), the American Academy of Advertising (AAA), and the European Advertising Academy, as well as several teaching awards.

    Administrative roles

    • Honours programme coordinator

    Board and associate memberships

  • Research

    Research methods

    • Experimentation
    • Meta-anlaysis
    • Systematic review

    Current research projects

    Using virtual reality as a platform to promote sustainable behavior | In this project, we examine how virtual reality can be used to promote sustainable behavior by confronting people with the consequences of their plastic consumption. 

    Science in and with Society: reducing emissions of TExtile Microplastics in the Netherlands​ [SISTEM-NL] | In this project, we investigate, in a multidisciplinary team, together with citizen scientists, the relationship between washing synthetic clothing and the emission of microplastics. Visit the project website.

  • Teaching & PhD supervision

    Courses

    PhD Supervision

    • Yuyao Lu
      The ‘less is more’ illusion: Understanding the potential of diminished reality for driving sustainable consumption behavior
  • Publications

    2025

    • Breves, P. L., Liebers, N. T., Meijers, M. H. C., & van Berlo, Z. M. C. (2025). Beyond likes: The persuasive potential of romantic parasocial relationships with influencers. International Journal of Advertising, 44(4), 651-673. https://doi.org/10.1080/02650487.2024.2407737
    • Breves, P. L., van Berlo, Z. M. C., Teunissen, L. S., König, L., Binder, A., & Naderer, B. (2025). Happier and healthier? Investigating the longitudinal impact of body-positive and fitspirational influencers on weight satisfaction, healthy eating, and physical activity. Health Communication. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1080/10410236.2025.2465795
    • Dubèl, R., Wolfers, L. N., Jonkman, J. G. F., van Berlo, Z. M. C., & Azrout, R. (2025). The next media-fueled moral technology panic? News media’s and audience’s views on ChatGPT. AI & Society. Advance online publication.
    • Li, J., & van Berlo, Z. M. C. (2025). Video games for good: Active perspective-taking fosters empathy and reduces implicit bias toward gendered violence victims. Entertainment Computing, 53, Article 100928. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.entcom.2025.100928
    • Mazerant, K., Schouten, A., Smit, S. B. T., van Berlo, Z. M. C., & Willemsen, L. M. (2025). Mind Perception of Avatars: A Focus Group Study. In J. M. Krüger, D. Pedrosa, D. Beck, M.-L. Bourguet, A. Dengel, R. Ghannam, A. Miller, A. Peña-Rios, & J. Richter (Eds.), Immersive Learning Research Network: 10th International Conference on Immersive Learning, iLRN 2024, Glasgow, UK, June 10–13, 2024 : revised selected papers (Vol. II, pp. 123-137). (Communications in computer and information science; Vol. 2272). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-80472-4_9 [details]
      • Downloads
    • van Berlo, Z. M. C., Sungur, H., & Gyarmati, F. (2025). Learning in virtual reality: The relationship between cognitive load, interactivity, and learning outcomes. Journal of Media Psychology, 38(2), 77–88. https://doi.org/10.1027/1864-1105/a000460

    2024

    2023

    2022

    2021

    • Abels, E. A. M., Toet, A., Stokking, H., Klunder, T., van Berlo, Z. M. C., Smeets, B., & Niamut, O. (2021). Augmented reality-based remote family visits in nursing homes. In IMX 2021: proceedings of the 2021 ACM International Conference on Interactive Media Experiences : June 21st-23rd, 2021, New York, USA (Virtual) (pp. 258–263). Association for Computing Machinery. https://doi.org/10.1145/3452918.3465502 [details]
    • van Berlo, Z. M. C., van Reijmersdal, E. A., & Eisend, M. (2021). The Gamification of Branded Content: A Meta-Analysis of Advergame Effects. Journal of Advertising, 50(2), 179-196. https://doi.org/10.1080/00913367.2020.1858462 [details]
    • van Berlo, Z. M. C., van Reijmersdal, E. A., Smit, E. G., & van der Laan, L. N. (2021). Brands in virtual reality games: Affective processes within computer-mediated consumer experiences. Journal of Business Research, 122, 458-465. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusres.2020.09.006 [details]

    2020

    2019

    • van Berlo, Z. M. C., van Reijmersdal, E. A., & van Noort, G. (2019). Branded App Engagement: Comparing Apps from Goods and Service Brands. In E. Bigne, & S. Rosengren (Eds.), Advances in Advertising Research X : Multiple Touchpoints in Brand Communication (pp. 3-13). (European Advertising Academy). Springer Gabler. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-658-24878-9_1 [details]

    2018

    • van Berlo, Z. M. C., & Ranzini, G. (2018). Big dating: A computational approach to examine gendered self-presentation on Tinder. In Proceedings of the 9th International Conference on Social Media and Society (pp. 390-394). ACM. https://doi.org/10.1145/3217804.3217951

    2017

    2024

    2023

    2025

    • An, D., Breves, P. L., & van Berlo, Z. M. C. (2025). Presence in augmented reality: A systematic review of definitions, conceptualizations, and measures. Poster session presented at Etmaal van de Communicatiewetenschap 2025, Brugge, Belgium.
    • Cai, S., Nguyen, M. H., & van Berlo, Z. M. C. (2025). The effectiveness of health belief model in predicting intentions for environmentally sustainable behavior: A meta-analysis. Abstract from Etmaal van de Communicatiewetenschap 2025, Brugge, Belgium.
    • Mazerant-Dubois, K., Schouten, A. P., Snoeij-Smit, S., van Berlo, Z. M. C., & Willemsen, L. M. (2025). A qualitative exploration of mind perception and avatars. Abstract from Etmaal van de Communicatiewetenschap 2025, Brugge, Belgium.

    2024

    • Breves, P. L., & van Berlo, Z. M. C. (2024). The development and effects of parasocial relationships with virtual vs. human influencers: An experience sampling study. Abstract from Annual conference of the DGPuK’s advertising communication division, Amsterdam, Netherlands.
    • Li, J., van Berlo, Z. M. C., Sungur, H., Breves, P. L., Rubens, D., Barış, L., & Meijers, M. H. C. (2024). Can virtual reality decrease the psychological distance to climate change. Paper presented at ECREA European Communication Conference, Ljubljana, Slovenia.
    • Mazerant, K., Schouten, A., Smit, S., van Berlo, Z. M. C., & Willemsen, L. M. (2024). Mind perception of avatars: A focus group study. Paper presented at Annual international conference of the Immersive Learning Research Network, Glasgow, United Kingdom.
    • Pfeuffer, A. P., Smit, E. G., van Reijmersdal, E. A., van Berlo, Z. M. C., He, X., & Antsipava, D. (2024). Counterfeit chronicles: Describing and explicating counterfeit advertising in the Netherlands. Paper presented at The 22nd International Conference on Research in Advertising (ICORIA) 2024, Thessaloniki, Greece.
    • Swapnil, A., Sosunova, I., Kurnia, S., van Berlo, Z. M. C., Garcia, M., & Happonen, A. (2024). Business sustainability performance through augmented reality: A literature review on applications, benefits and challenges. Paper presented at IEEE International conference on humanoid, nanotechnology, information technology, communication and control, environment, and management, Baguio City, Philippines.
    • Wang, Y., Bušljeta Banks, I., & van Berlo, Z. M. C. (2024). In thy recommendation we trust: The role of message framing and consumption motivation in building consumers’ trust in the recommender system output . Paper presented at Annual conference of the European Marketing Academy, Bucharest, Romania.
    • Wang, Y., van Berlo, Z. M. C., & Bušljeta Banks, I. (2024). In thy recommendation we trust: The role of message framing and consumption motivation in building consumer trust in the recommender system output. Abstract from Etmaal van de Communicatiewetenschap 2024, Rotterdam, Netherlands.
    • van Berlo, Z. M. C., Campbell, C., & Voorveld, H. A. M. (2024). ChatGPT, can you create my stimulus material? Best practices for generating experimental stimuli with generative AI . Abstract from Etmaal van de Communicatiewetenschap 2024, Rotterdam, Netherlands.
    • van Berlo, Z. M. C., Campbell, C., & Voorveld, H. A. M. (2024). Using generative AI to create experimental stimuli for advertising research. Paper presented at International Conference on Research in Advertising, Thessaloniki, Greece.

    2023

    • Sungur, H., van Berlo, Z. M. C., & Hartmann, T. (2023). Out of sight, out of mind? Testing the effectiveness of VR as an intervention tool for reducing psychological distance to scientific advice. Abstract from General Meeting of the European Association of Social Psychology, Krakow, Poland.
    • Wang, Y., van Berlo, Z. M. C., & Bušljeta Banks, I. (2023). The role of message framing and consumption motivation in building consumers'trust in the recommender system output. Poster session presented at Dutch-Belgian workshop on recommender systems, Antwerp, Belgium.
    • van Berlo, Z. M. C., Breves, P. L., & Liebers, N. T. (2023). More than friends? The persuasiveness of amicable and romanic parasocial relationships in green advertising. Paper presented at International conference on research in advertising, Bordeaux, France.
    • van Berlo, Z. M. C., Meijers, M. H. C., Sungur, H., Rubens, D., & Breves, P. L. (2023). Can virtual reality decrease the psychological distance to climate change?. Abstract from Etmaal Communicatiewetenschap 2023, Enschede, Netherlands.

    2022

    • Sungur, H., van Berlo, Z. M. C., Hegyiova, H., & Hartmann, T. (2022). Designing virtual reality experiences for promoting sustainable behaviors: The role of learning prompts and environmental self-efficacy. Paper presented at 72nd Annual International Communication Association Conference.
    • van Berlo, Z. M. C., & Stikos, D. (2022). Can AR enhance brand storytelling? The role of flow in explaining the effectiveness of AR storytelling . Paper presented at International XR Conference, Lisbon, Portugal.
    • van Berlo, Z. M. C., Meijers, M. H. C., Eelen, J., Voorveld, H. A. M., & Eisend, M. (2022). When the medium is the (advertising) message: A meta-analysis of creative media advertising effects. Paper presented at ICORIA 2022, Prague, Czech Republic.
    • van Berlo, Z. M. C., Sungur, H., & Hartmann, T. (2022). Virtual reality — a window to the future: Using VR to reduce psychological distance toward the consequences of plastic consumption. Paper presented at Etmaal van de Communicatiewetenschap, Brussel, Belgium.
    • van Berlo, Z. M. C., Sungur, H., & Hartmann, T. (2022). Virtual reality — a window to the future: Using VR to reduce psychological distance toward the consequences of plastic consumption. Paper presented at International XR Conference, Lisbon, Portugal.

    2020

    • van Berlo, Z. M. C., van Reijmersdal, E. A., & Eisend, M. (2020). Spelen of bespeeld worden? Een meta-analyse van advergame effecten. Paper presented at Etmaal van de Communicatiewetenschap, Amsterdam, Netherlands.

    2019

    • van Berlo, Z. M. C. (2019). Let’s talk about our emojis: A descriptive study of gender differences in ideographic self-presentation in an online dating context. Poster session presented at International Conference on Computational Social Science (IC2S2), Amsterdam, Netherlands. https://doi.org/10.13140/RG.2.2.16892.90245
    • van Berlo, Z. M. C., van Reijmersdal, E. A., Smit, E. G., & van der Laan, L. N. (2019). Immersive advergames: Persuasiveness of branded immersive virtual reality games. Abstract from Etmaal van de Communicatiewetenschap, Nijmegen.
    • van Berlo, Z. M. C., van Reijmersdal, E. A., Smit, E. G., & van der Laan, L. N. (2019). Inside advertising: The role of presence in the processing and consolidation of branded VR content. Paper presented at International Augmented and Virtual Reality Conference, München, Bavaria, Germany.
    • van Berlo, Z. M. C., van Reijmersdal, E. A., Smit, E. G., & van der Laan, L. N. (2019). ‘I can’t believe it’s not chocolate!’: Meaningful consumer-product interactions in branded virtual reality experiences. Paper presented at International Conference on Research in Advertising, Krems, Austria.
    • van der Laan, L. N., Dewitte, S., & van Berlo, Z. M. C. (2019). Development and evaluation of a virtual reality puzzle game to decrease food intake. Abstract from Supporting Health by Technology, Groningen, Netherlands.

    2018

    • van Berlo, Z. M. C., van Reijmersdal, E. A., & Rozendaal, E. (2018). Persuasion knowledge in the pocket: The role of smartphone attachment in persuasion knowledge activation by mobile advergames. Paper presented at Etmaal van de Communicatiewetenschap, Ghent, Belgium.
    • van Berlo, Z. M. C., van Reijmersdal, E. A., & van Noort, G. (2018). App engagement experience types: On the value of branded app engagement. Paper presented at International Conference of Research in Advertising (ICORIA), Valencia, Spain.
    • van Reijmersdal, E. A., Rozendaal, E., Hudders, L., Cauberghe, V., Van Wesenbeeck, I., & van Berlo, Z. M. C. (2018). Effects on children of disclosing sponsoring in vlogs. Paper presented at International Conference on Research in Advertising (ICORIA), Valencia, Spain.

    2017

    • van Berlo, Z. M. C. (2017). A date with big data: An automated content analysis of Dutch Tinder profiles. Abstract from Etmaal van de Communicatiewetenschap, Tilburg, Netherlands.
    • van Berlo, Z. M. C., van Reijmersdal, E. A., & Rozendaal, E. (2017). A new kid on the block: The role of brand familiarity in advergames. Paper presented at ICORIA 2017, Ghent, Belgium.
    • van Reijmersdal, E. A., van Berlo, Z. M. C., & Rozendaal, E. (2017). Smartphone Attachment & Brand Familiarity in Advergames: New Kids on the Block?. Paper presented at Etmaal van de Communicatiewetenschap, Tilburg, Netherlands.

    2016

    • van Berlo, Z. M. C., Fransen, M. L., Boerman, S. C., & van Reijmersdal, E. A. (2016). Are they even looking? Why disclosing product placement triggers resistance (or fails to).. Abstract from Etmaal van de Communicatiewetenschap, Amsterdam, Netherlands.

    Prize / grant

    • van Berlo, Z. (2025). Mary Alice Shaver Promising Professor Award. https://aaasite.memberclicks.net/promising-professor
    • van Berlo, Z. & Voorveld, H. (2025). Journal of Advertising Best Article of the Year Award 2024.
    • van Berlo, Z., Meijers, M., Smit, E., Lu, Y. & Belleman, R. (2025). Healthy Future Seed Grant. https://healthyfuture.uva.nl/en/shared-content/news/news/2025/03/new-seed-grant-project-immune-using-diminished-reality-to-navigate-healthie…
    • van Berlo, Z. & Breves, P. (2023). MSI Research Grant.
    • Breves, P. & van Berlo, Z. (2023). SWOCC Research Grant.
    • Jacobs, L., Praetorius, A., Brick, C. & van Berlo, Z. (2023). IMPETUS Sustaining Grant.
    • Jacobs, L., Praetorius, A., Brick, C. & van Berlo, Z. (2023). Midsize Project Grant.
    • van Berlo, Z. & Sungur, H. (2022). Best Conference Paper – Research.
    • Sungur, H. & van Berlo, Z. (2022). Grassroots Grant.
    • van Berlo, Z., van Reijmersdal, E. & Rozendaal, E. (2022). Top cited paper in Journal of Consumer Behaviour 2020-2021: ‘Adolescents and handheld advertising: The roles of brand familiarity and smartphone attachment in the processing of mobile advergames’.
    • van Berlo, Z. (2019). ICORIA Grant.
    • Sungur, H. & van Berlo, Z. (2019). Creative Industries KIEM Grant. https://www.nwo.nl/en/projects/ki18051

    Media appearance

    Talk / presentation

    • van Berlo, Z. (speaker) (6-2-2025). Creatief met media: Hoe je met adverteren via fysieke objecten impact kan maken, SWOCC Symposium 2025, Amsterdam.
    • Breves, P. (speaker) & van Berlo, Z. (speaker) (22-11-2024). Will virtual influencers become the future of influencer marketing?, SWOCC presenteert: Virtuele Influencers, Amsterdam.
    • van Berlo, Z. (keynote speaker) (14-10-2024). Immersive interventions: Can virtual reality help us envision a sustainable future?, Innovation through research, Heerlen. https://osf.io/79hfx/
    • van Berlo, Z. (speaker) & Meijers, M. (speaker) (19-6-2024). Workshop: Virtual reality – Possibilities and limitations of for sustainability communication, Environmental Communication Event '24, Amsterdam.
    • van Dolen, W. (speaker), van Berlo, Z. (speaker) & Gillis, F. (speaker) (23-9-2023). Samen naar een duurzamere toekomst?, Universiteitsdag 2023, Amsterdam. https://www.uva.nl/nieuws-agenda/agenda/evenementen/universiteitsdag/samen-naar-een-duurzamere-toekomst-panelgesprek.html
    • van Berlo, Z. (speaker), Sungur, H. (speaker), Meijers, M. (speaker) & van Harreveld, F. (speaker) (19-6-2023). Een ver-van-mijn-bedshow? Over virtual reality en het beïnvloeden van gedrag, Spui 25. https://spui25.nl/programma/een-ver-van-mijn-bedshow-over-virtual-reality-en-het-beinvloeden-van-gedrag
    • van Berlo, Z. (speaker) (4-5-2023). Branding and advertising — in XR: Guest lecture in the 'Emergent communication technologies' course, Antwerp University.
    • van Berlo, Z. (speaker) (7-3-2023). Duurzaamheid + Virtual reality (VR), Meet the FMG, Amsterdam.
    • van Berlo, Z. (speaker) (8-12-2022). Duurzaamheid + Virtual reality (VR), Meet the FMG, Amsterdam.
    • van Berlo, Z. (speaker) (10-11-2022). Speel mee! – Gamificatie in reclame, SWOCC Symposium 2022, Amsterdam.
    • van Berlo, Z. (speaker) (7-3-2022). Gamification: To play or to be played, Designing persuasive texts, Nijmegen.
    • van Berlo, Z. (speaker) (9-2-2022). Duurzaamheid + Virtual reality (VR), Meet the FMG, Amsterdam.

    Others

    • Breves, P. (chair), van Reijmersdal, E. (organiser), Busljeta Banks, I. (organiser), Pfeuffer, A. (organiser), Starke, A. (organiser) & van Berlo, Z. (organiser) (27-11-2024 - 29-11-2024). Annual conference of the DGPuK’s advertising communication division, Amsterdam (organising a conference, workshop, ...).
    • van Berlo, Z. (participant) (19-10-2023 - 20-10-2023). Computational advertising research thought leadership forum, Minneapolis. This event brings together scholars to examine the most critical methodological developments and issues in the advertising research field in (…) (participating in a conference, workshop, ...).

    2020

    2023

    This list of publications is extracted from the UvA-Current Research Information System. Questions? Ask the library or the Pure staff of your faculty / institute. Log in to Pure to edit your publications. Log in to Personal Page Publication Selection tool to manage the visibility of your publications on this list.
  • Ancillary activities
    No ancillary activities
edit contact information   edit profile page