Digital Commons Network^™

Investing In Love: The Finances Of Getting Married, Allison Frances Ivers

Honors Theses and Capstones

In attempts to examine the influence vendors have on consumers within the wedding industry, this study investigates the emotional and financial extremes brides will achieve to attain their definition of a “perfect” day. Additionally, the research shows the relationship between consumer behaviors related to wedding spending. The findings highlight the economic impacts associated with the bridal industry and the trends that define it. Couples value their wants and needs with their desire to be married. Although vendors can dictate their margin of the market, the couples getting married hold the purchasing power. During the search for secondary research, there was …

Consumer Preference In Politics: Polarization In The Us Two-Party System, Jocelyne Y. Bisson

Honors Theses and Capstones

This paper uses marketing analytics to analyze the current segmentation and positioning of the US two-party political system. In the literature review, the political parties will be illustrated as they exist in 2024 after a brief historical outline beginning with party politics post WWII. The current 2024 platforms and most polarizing issues will also be outlined in this section. This research aims to answer the following questions. Can marketing segmentation and positioning reveal the most and least polarizing party issues in the United States today? How do current presidential front runners fit into the larger US two-party system? Do their …

Consumer's Perceptions Of Sustainable Products Through Social Media, Alessandra M. Cutone

Honors Theses and Capstones

Within the past 10 years, marketing has shifted drastically. Companies have slowly made the switch from mailers and print marketing to a variety of digital marketing forms in order to keep the attention of their consumers. This research examines consumer’s perceptions of advertisements through social media influencers relating to sustainable products. More specifically, what drives consumers to buy eco-friendly products on social media? Does the sustainability focus of the influencer matter for product endorsement? And along with that, does there need to be a match between the sustainability focus of both the product and the influencer? The results of this …

The Search For Value For New England Skiers, Colin J. Liebert

Honors Theses and Capstones

No abstract provided.

Examining The Brand Image Of Paul College, Rebecca E. Milbury

Honors Theses and Capstones

The idea of a company’s brand image is a marketing subject that many companies need to consider. How consumers see or feel about a company is extremely important especially for higher education. Business schools are very competitive and in order to succeed, they need to understand how their students, alumni, faculty, and staff feel about their school. The results of the brand image survey are compared to those from a recent study completed in 2016. There are a few changes made to this survey, including adding alumni, faculty, and staff to the respondent pool. In doing so, this research will …

Understanding Secret Consumer Purchases And Their Effects On Brands, Jenna M. Peterson

Honors Theses and Capstones

Relationships created between brands and consumers are very important to establish loyalty and ensure repeat purchases. Our research examines the different ways that brands can help consumers keep their purchases a secret and how these methods help to develop relationships with the consumers. We also examine how the different secrecy methods affect feelings linked to the brand, such as, guilt, satisfaction, and more. We hypothesize that the secrecy methods which lead a consumer to feelings of guilt will directly correlate with feelings of dissatisfaction with their purchase and a higher connection with the brand. We find that although consumers link …

Ethical Use Of Beauty In Advertising, Koca Chan

Honors Theses and Capstones

The use of beauty images in advertising has been generally deemed to be unethical in society, based on the general negative presupposition in modern western culture. The ethicalness of the display of high standards of beauty in advertisements is especially controversial and questionable in the advertising industry. Advertising watchdogs, social groups, and individuals have investigated the possibility of banning the display of high standards of beauty to be displayed in advertisings and publications. This paper argues that image advertising of high beauty standards may not be necessarily unethical in all situations. And under certain conditions, by considering and combining image(s) …

College Football 150-Year Anniversary (Cfb150): Branding A Sesquicentennial Within Sport, Carlton F. Robie

Honors Theses and Capstones

No abstract provided.

Csr Communication Strategies: How To Steer Away From Consumer Skepticism, Margaret M. Dauphinais

Honors Theses and Capstones

CSR Communication Strategies: How to Steer Away from Consumer Skepticism and Distrust

Analyzing The Social Media Presence Of Nike, Adidas, And New Balance Using Social Listening, Sean P. Fontaine

Honors Theses and Capstones

No abstract provided.

Listening In: Investigating Social Media Activity In The Streaming Service Industry, Kara M. Macdonald

Honors Theses and Capstones

In this paper, we examine the social media activity surrounding three different brands (Hulu, Netflix, and Disney+) using two different and complimentary techniques. In Study 1, we use a popular social listening tool to examine quantitative data of different kinds including the share of voice of these brands as well as the major geographic markets and languages associated with these brands' social media activity. These are three of the biggest brands in the over-the-top (OTT) industry and all three of these companies offer streaming services that are highly popular with consumers around the world. To get a better sense of …

The Effect Of University Sales Education On The First After-College Sales Job, Ilya Feldman

Honors Theses and Capstones

This research investigates the relationship between the amount of sales education and the job performance of the recent UNH graduates on the first after-college sales job. The overarching hypothesis suggests that more sales education leads to better sales job performance. The results of the research found this correlation to be positive and significant. Also, this research found that job performance indicators that are affected the most significantly by the amount of sales education are confidence, passion, commitment, and on-target earnings. Moreover, it identifies the categories of sales education that were determined to be the most crucial in better first after- …

The Facts Behind Gmo Food, Wenbin Liu

Honors Theses and Capstones

No abstract provided.

Challenges International Students And Their Perceive Values At University Of New Hampshire, Win Phyu Phyu Aung

Honors Theses and Capstones

No abstract provided.

Brands Take A Stand For Good: The Effect Of Brand Activism On Social Media Engagement, Alexis A. Gray

Honors Theses and Capstones

Brands are entering an era where brand activism and corporate social responsibility strategies are holding a large influence on consumer purchase decision making, rather than the traditional brand product marketing. A major distribution outlet for the rising brand activism strategy is through social media, where users can directly interact with brands and other users surrounding major issues. Higher engagement with such activism campaigns suggests more consumer support for the brand, leading to higher sales performance potential. This study examines the influence of brand activism campaign qualities on social media engagement, specifically on the Twitter platform. Tweets for 8 different brands …

Brand & Celebrity Associations: An Investigation Into Brand & Celebrity Trait Congruence And The Potential For Trait Transference, Pamela S. Merriman

Honors Theses and Capstones

In today’s marketplace, a significant amount of brands are utilizing celebrity endorsers as a marketing tool. Traits of the brand and the endorser are typically not congruent. As a result, trait transference between a brand and a celebrity can occur once the brand and celebrity endorser are linked in the consumer’s mind. Further, celebrity endorsers often endorse multiple brands at one time. Therefore, it may be possible for traits to transfer from one brand to another via a common celebrity endorser. Although research has shown that the traits of celebrity endorsers can influence br and perceptions and vice versa, no …

Sports Celebrity Influence On The Behavioral Intentions Of Generation Z, Kayla M. Farren

Honors Theses and Capstones

The research is to determine what the effects, if any, professional athlete endorsers or spokespersons have on the generation Z cohort. There is a relative lack of published research that investigated the influence sport celebrity endorsers had on generation Z. This study primarily focused on the exploration of the role sports celebrities play as vicarious role models for members of generation, as well as touched upon whether sports celebrity endorsers affected generation Z’s behavioral intentions. In addition, the influence sports celebrity endorsers had on females in comparison to males was also studied. It was found that sports celebrity spokespersons or …

Why Do Makers Make? Examining Designer Motivations On Thingiverse.Com, Courtney H. Shaw

Honors Theses and Capstones

Technological advancements have made a once fictitious dream into a reality. 3D printing has become a popular manufacturing and design technique used all over the world. As this industry becomes more popular, users of these 3D printers are reaching out across the web to share designs, seek help, and build communities of users with similar interests. This study is meant to look at what motivates 3D printing users to participate in online user innovation communities such as Thingiverse.com. This study will explore motivations such as personal needs, financial gains, approval of peers, skill development, and enjoyment. Moreover, it will assess …

Do Hotel Guests Act According To Their Intentions As It Relates To Sustainability In A Hotel Setting?, Heather A. Price

Honors Theses and Capstones

As humans continue to use our planet’s resources at a rapid pace, we must act quickly to implement solutions and strategies that will create a positive impact on our environment. The hotel industry represents a huge opportunity for increasing sustainability practices, as these establishments tend to consume tremendous amounts of natural resources through energy and water usage; thus creating quite a bit of waste. For this customer-centric industry, change starts with consumer expectations and intentions to act. The purpose of this study was to assess hotel guests’ values and intentions for sustainable hotels, and compare how this aligns with their …

Study Of Selection Behavior Of Wine For Different Markets, Sarah C. Tobias

Honors Theses and Capstones

No abstract provided.

Making A Difference: The Impact Of Corporate Ethical Behavior On Consumers In The Beauty Industry, Paige M. Gould

Honors Theses and Capstones

Over the years, the cosmetic industry has struggled with a variety of ethical issues. This research examines the effects of these unethical practices on consumers’ perceptions and judgements. More specifically, do consumers consider ethical issues when evaluating cosmetics? Can consumers’ ethical perceptions and decision making be influenced? If so, are heuristic appeals or systematic appeals more persuasive? The results of this study indicate that unless prompted, most consumers do not consider ethical issues when purchasing cosmetics. The study also found that both heuristic and systematic appeals were effective in influencing general industry perceptions, but only the systematic appeal was successful …

Effectiveness, Efficiency, And Ethics Of Marketing Analytics, Julia Hopkins

Honors Theses and Capstones

Abstract

The concept of big data has influenced the marketing field in numerous ways. By having access to more information about their consumers than ever before, marketers are presented with a unique opportunity to make the marketing process more streamlined and effective than ever; however, this also creates a challenge in understanding how this targeted advertising affects the brand’s perception by consumers. This study looks at the concepts of data marketing and re-targeted ads from three aspects. First, are marketers being as effective as possible to ensure they are sending the right advertisement, to the right customer, at the right …

The Impact Of Motivational Factors On Daily Fantasy Sports Participation, Brendan Phelan, Matthew O'Hern

Honors Theses and Capstones

Since the passing of the Unlawful Internet Gambling Act (UIGEA) in 2006, the fantasy sports world has had a tumultuous decade. Shortly after the passing of UIGEA, daily fantasy sports became marketable, and saw several years of tremendous growth. However, recent legal issues have clouded the industry, and lawmakers have questioned whether daily fantasy sports indeed fall under the exception granted by UIGEA as a “game of skill”, or whether the games are illegal gambling. This study is meant to look at what motivates fantasy sports participants, especially through this time of turmoil in the industry. It specifically looks at …

Student Health Benefits Plan Market Research And Analysis, Zachary William Doucette

Honors Theses and Capstones

The University of New Hampshire (UNH) in Durham, New Hampshire requires all full-time students to have health insurance meeting set requirements as a condition of enrollment. UNH offers its own health plan, entitled the Student Health Benefits Plan (SHBP) through its Health Services Center to students as a way to procure this insurance if they lack insurance, or if their current insurance is insufficient or does not meet the insurance requirements. Health Services at UNH is looking for market research on current attitudes, perceptions, and beliefs of both students at UNH, and the parents of students who currently have a …

The Influence Of Movie Reviews On Consumers, Jacob R. Pentheny

Honors Theses and Capstones

No abstract provided.

Smart Phone Purchasing Habits Among The University Of New Hampshire Students, Alexa Lomonaco

Honors Theses and Capstones

College students are more connected to technology now than ever, especially because a smart phone that has all of the capabilities of a computer is right in their pockets. This study delves into why students at the University of New Hampshire purchase their smart phones, how they use their smart phones, and how to better market toward profitable segments. The two segments found were the technology buffs, who are smart phone experts and are constantly on their devices, and the practical users who mainly use their smart phones for texting and calling. The results from the study showed that students …

Dia-Beat-It: An Online Game For Children And Teenagers With Type 1 Diabetes, Emily M. Stone

Honors Theses and Capstones

No abstract provided.

Caffeine Consumption Habits And Perceptions Among University Of New Hampshire Students, Nicole L. Olsen

Honors Theses and Capstones

College students in today’s society have become dependent on caffeine in order to perform at their best in multiple facets of their hectic lives, including classes, clubs, and internships. This study focuses on the specific reasons why college students at the University of New Hampshire are consuming caffeine, where they purchase it, what types of caffeinated beverages they are consuming, and how much they are consuming on a daily basis. The results from the study indicate that coffee is the most popular caffeinated product on campus, and that Dunkin’ Donuts at the MUB is the most popular place to buy …

Reactions Of Generation Y To Luxury Hotel Twitter Promotions, Katherine M. Woods

Honors Theses and Capstones

Social media refers to the means of interactions among people in which they create, share, and exchange information and ideas in virtual communities and networks (Merriam-Webster, 2013). Social media marketing refers to the process of gaining website traffic or attention through social media sites (Evans, 2008). In today’s society, social media refers mainly to websites including (but not limited to) Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Google+. The most popular and fastest growing of these social media venues is Twitter. Twitter was founded in 2006 by Jack Dorsey, Evan Williams, and Biz Stone. Since 2006, almost 200 million users across the globe …

Higher Education Marketing To The Hispanic Student Population, Kimberly Greenwood

Honors Theses and Capstones

The Hispanic population in the United States is growing at an unprecedented rate. The U.S. Census Bureau projects the Hispanic population to make up nearly 25% of the entire United States population by the year 2050. This population growth points at a large market for products and services in the U.S., including higher education. This thesis discussion will address characteristics of the Hispanic population in the United States of America, explore the importance of a diverse student population including Hispanic students on a college or university campus, evaluate the competitiveness University of New Hampshire’s current situation with regard to Hispanic …