Digital Commons Network^™

Reshaping The Event Horizon‑ Marketing Utopia At Music Festivals, Justin D. Joffe

Capstones

Imagine a world where every leisure activity is tracked, recorded, and then analyzed as market research according to your age and gender demographic. Imagine the next phase after smartphone payments, when a chip linking your finances isn’t in your phone, but on your wrist. Imagine a vast field of fellow fun-­‐seekers, eating, drinking and dancing in hedonistic, chemically enhanced utopia. Such a scene certainly requires some open-­‐ mindedness and improvisation, sure, a willingness to submit oneself to a vulnerable environment of whimsy. Now imagine being subtly exposed to advertisements in such a mindset. It’s no Orwellian controlled dystopia, really. You’ve …

Daily Fantasy Sites Engage In A Legal War For Survival, Danni R. Santana

Capstones

Over the past two years, the world has changed its perception of daily fantasy sports. FanDuel and DraftKings have taken the world by storm, making huge profits off even the casual fans desire to win money everyday, instead of just once at the end of a season. Lawmakers have noticed and are eager to regulate the business or ban it altogether, as seen in New York. What was once a weekend hobby is now a multi-billion dollar business. A business lawmakers say is just another form of gambling and doesn't require skill.

Three Essays On Managing Customer-Based Strategies: A Pricing And Revenue Management Approach, Foad Hassanmirzaei

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Many firms and organizations with already-optimized business functions are under market pressure to protect their narrow profit margins. Their need for supplemental and reliable revenues calls for performance optimization beyond the core business functions. Motivated by applications from online social media and the airline industry, in my dissertation, I focus on the revenue management and pricing decisions of customer-based plans and programs. More formally, the research question addressed in this study is: How can firms effectively use customer-based pricing strategies to boost revenues?

My dissertation consists of three essays. In the first essay, I analyze the ongoing competition among online …

Student Perception Of Barriers To Study Abroad, Jessica Walker

HIM 1990-2015

Studying abroad during the collegiate experience is an idea sought by the many high school seniors and college freshmen alike. The social, intellectual, and cultural benefits received from participating makes it a seemingly easy decision. Yet, lack of action plagues the nation as there exists a miniscule number of students who follow through with their desire to study abroad. Prior research exemplifies that students rely on the perceptions of their peers and family when approaching an unfamiliar subject. These perceptions result in concocted barriers that dissuade the student from participating in study abroad before they seek concrete information. There are …

Kiler Ridge Olive Oil Farm, David Ayala, Martin Andersen, Rudy Raimondi

Case Studies in Agribusiness

Gregg Bone, a Cal Tech trained engineer, is a serial entrepreneur who has started 13 successful businesses, mostly in the tech industry. After a bicycle trip through Tuscany, his wife Audrey wanted to plant 40 olive trees in their backyard, which Gregg thought would be an expensive hobby. Better to plant 835 trees on a 58 acre property near Paso Robles, CA, in 2010. Five years later Gregg modified and installed an Italian olive mill for his own olives and as a custom crush operation. As a craft olive oil business, they marketing similarly to how neighboring wineries market their …

Consumer Assessment Of New Creative Products Across China And The United States, Eva Teruzzi

Creative Studies Graduate Student Master's Theses

This cross-cultural research investigates how consumers assess creativity in new products and if their assessment impacts desire to own. Implicit and explicit scale-based measures were tested in China and the U.S. in online consumer samples and were positively correlated. Novelty, affect and importance dimensions of creative products were tested through Horn and Salvendy’s (2006, 2009) Product Creativity Measurement (PCM) scale. Findings point to a different role of novelty in determining desirability of creative new products across-cultures.In fact, novelty and affect are key to explain desire to own in China, while affect and importance are the drivers in the U.S. Affect, …

Marketing Alaskan Seafood: Strategies With Brand Identification, Differentiation, And Promotions, Anna Jacobson

Journalism

Everyday the globe experiences changes with food. New methods in growing and harvesting are becoming approved, while others are frowned upon. People care more about where their food comes from than ever before. This research is to explore how Alaska seafood can successfully market their products in an ever-changing world. As challenges present themselves in the industry, opportunities are there as well.

This study sets out to explore marketing strategies for promoting a seafood brand. Through exploring current literature and interviewing experts to obtain data, conclusions will be drawn and analyzed. These findings will help to understand the best practices …

Assessment Of Orthodontic Patients' Preferences Regarding Treatment From General Dentists Or Orthodontists, Brian Robert Wilde

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

This study evaluated how parents of prospective orthodontic patients choose between taking their child to a general dentist or an orthodontist for orthodontic treatment. It also looked at which factors influence patients’ satisfaction with the progress of treatment and likelihood to refer other patients to the practice. This study included two phases. The first phase was a qualitative assessment of the decision making process through conducting and analyzing focus groups. The second phase was the development and administration of a nationwide online survey regarding the topics covered in the focus groups. Influential factors in the decision making process fell into …

Branding A Professional American Football Franchise, John J. Ragone Jr.

Theses

The original intent of my thesis was to create a professional-level team identity that a community can embrace and emotionally bond with by utilizing contemporary design trends. As I researched the visual aspects of the brand strategy, it became apparent that current trends toward multiplicity of uniform designs could become a threat to an organization’s brand equity.

A corporate identity is the strategically engineered “personality” of an organization created to facilitate business objectives. How that identity is perceived and accepted supports relationship building between an organization and its audience or customers. Brand equity is developed through ease of recognition and …

Reconceptualizing Markets: Hip- Hop Artists, Marketing, Distribution, And Consumers, Ronald Pikes

Theses and Dissertations

Sociologists have made many contributions to the current understanding of markets. In spite of these contributions, individuals and market practices in sociology are generally overlooked, but both are important because individuals and their practices give markets their form. By overlooking market practices, sociologists disregard two of the most important forces within markets, distribution and marketing. These oversights significantly reduce our ability to understand how modern economic markets operate. Thus, the focus of this study is centered on market actions of independent hip-hop music artists and consumers of hip-hop music especially in regards to music distribution technology. Data was collected via …

A Social Marketing Plan For The Arkansas Miracle League, Abby Stuart

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Miracle League is a baseball league specially designed to allow disabled children, teens, and adults have the same opportunity to play baseball as able-bodied individuals on a field specifically designed to accommodate all disabilities. This thesis offers the Miracle League of Arkansas a specified Social marketing plan. In order to assist Miracle League in the acquisition of new players, volunteers, and donors, research was compiled and conducted to implement a successful Social marketing plan for the spring 2016 Miracle League season. This Social marketing plan gives Miracle League recommendations on how to appeal to parents of potential Miracle League players, …

The Dove Real Beauty Campaign: How Does It Wash, Jessica Dieny

Journalism

This study analyzes the Dove Real Beauty Campaign including branding successes and failures, corporate responsibilities, and the evolution of the brand development and management through a two-way symmetrical model. It analyzes the DRBC from a marketing and public relations perspective as well as a women’s and gender studies perspective. Dove’s Real Beauty Campaign sprung from the idea that all women are beautiful and it sought to change the status quo by showing the natural physical variation embodied by all women and inspire a broader, healthier, more democratic view of beauty. As the power of the Dove Real Beauty initiative appears …

Driscoll's: The Global Brandje, Jesus Morales, Edgar Lopez, Noah Lilien, Jack Stradley

Case Studies in Agribusiness

With a mission “to continually delight berry consumers”, Driscoll’s is the arguably the world’s largest berry company. They started as strawberry breeders, expanded in raspberries, blueberries and blackberries, and have been leaders in packaging and marketing of berries. They do not grow berries for market, but develop the nursery stock, which they provide to their growers, and market the output. They also provide theirs growers with advice and guidance on issues ranging from sustainable growing practices to labor management.

Shanley Farms: Premium Produce That People Care About, Maggie Andrada, Bryce D’ Arelli, Melissa Gurvis

Case Studies in Agribusiness

When Jim Shanley retired from an executive position with a large commodity and feed company, he bought avocado farms in Morro Bay and Visalia. He soon expanded into Finger Limes and innovative marketing of his avocados.

Driscoll's: The Global Brand, Jesus Morales, Edgar Lopez, Noah Lilien, Jack Stradley

Case Studies in Agribusiness

How Driscoll's grew to become the world's largest berry marketer is presented.

A Close Reading Analysis Of Bud Light's Pacman Super Bowl Commercial, Sally Hurst

Communication Studies

This paper offers a close reading analysis of Bud Light's PacMan Super Bowl commercial to uncover what rhetorical strategies are employed to appeal to the millennial generation. It discusses three main strategies: creating a "real" experience, nostalgia marketing, and emphasis on the "experience."

Testing The Pub Principle: A Look At Push And Pull Communication On Facebook, Tyler Grant Page

Theses and Dissertations

This research tests the value of push and pull communication on Facebook in the first effort to test the validity of the Pub Principle and Social Intrusion Theory. This theory explains how audiences engage in a tug-of-war with commercial forces during mass communication and that commercial messaging is ultimately dependent upon the acceptance or rejection of its intended audience. The pub principle explains that social media is unlike traditional mass media and that the rules commercial forces must play by are different than for other mass media. Using a mixed-method approach, this research confirms the validity of this principle and …

Nike Marketing Strategy: A Company To Imitate, Patrick Flynn

Accounting

This paper takes an in depth look at how Nike became the largest company in its industry and how other companies across various industries have tried to model Nike’s plan for success. At the heart of Nike’s business plan are the company’s unique marketing strategy and culture that significantly helps foster innovation and creativity. First I will go into a brief history of the company and its most popular brand. Then an in-depth analysis will be provided of these two important pillars of success. The next part of the paper will focus on how other companies in the same industry …

Segmentation Marketing: A Case Study On Performance Solutions Group, Llc., Jordan Brian

Undergraduate Honors Theses

The purpose of this research is to show how Performance Solutions Group, LLC can effectively use segmentation marketing both in their current market and in expansion. The goal is to find a solution and suggest changes that should be made to the marketing team at Performance Solutions Group. This research was completed by looking at how segmentation marketing is used in broad industries currently and investigating how Performance Solutions Group can use it in their company. This case study shows that segmentation marketing is an effective way for Performance Solutions Group to market its services.

An Information Privacy Examination Of The Practices Of Pharmaceutical Companies Regarding Use Of Information Collected Through Their Websites, Shonda Dellena Brown

CCE Theses and Dissertations

Consumers have begun to take a more proactive approach to their healthcare by accessing pharmaceutical companies Websites to obtain health and drug information, support groups, rebates, coupons, as well as free drug trials. In exchange for these benefits, companies require consumers to voluntarily disclose information. However, research has shown that consumers continue to be concerned about how their information is managed, used, and distributed by companies, especially if accessed via the Web. To date, there has been limited empirical research to examine the actual online practices of companies when it comes to privacy, especially those of pharmaceutical companies. Using Delphi …

Old Ideas In New Skins: Examining Discourses Of Diversity On The Websites Of 10 Urban-Serving Universities, Simone Smith

Theses and Dissertations

Deficit discourse, the idea that minorities "lack" intellectually, runs through current ideas about diversity in higher education. Diversity is viewed as a policy that helps the deficient. Recent litigation about diversity, Fisher v. University of Texas (2013), embodied the alignment of deficit and diversity. This study examined portrayals, visual and textual, of diversity on the websites of ten urban-serving universities, using a method of critical discourse analysis and a lens of critical race theory, to uncover the ways they defined diversity and if notions of deficit were attached. This study also addressed the ways these universities, a part of the …

Destination Marketing Organizations' Stakeholders And Best Practices, Bonifacio Lopez Torres

General Human Environmental Sciences Undergraduate Honors Theses

As marketing practices continue to advance, the tourism industry is constantly evolving in terms of marketing strategies and the shifts of the duties of its stakeholders. Different organizations take upon the advancement of their marketing strategies differently, and Destination Marketing Organizations (DMOs) are not the exception. With so any destination options, travelers may find themselves with too many destinations and too much information to easily make the decision on their own. The main role of the DMOs is to sell the destination using different marketing strategies, using various incentives to make their destination more appealing, and by working with all …

Scentsational Marketing In Business: A Study Of Scent Atmospherics, Jordan Thomas

Undergraduate Honors Theses

This research will evaluate a marketing tool called atmospherics. This tool, although very powerful in capturing a consumer’s interest through the use of memories and the overall aspect of buying, is sometimes forgotten when constructing a marketing plan. The thesis will evaluate the strengths and weaknesses when using this marketing tool and then apply those characteristics to a specific example of a bakery.

2015-2016 Pebble Smartwatch Advertising Campaign, Robert W. Jellicorse

Chancellor’s Honors Program Projects

No abstract provided.

An Analysis Of Empirical Research Of Social Media And User-Generated Content In The Hospitality Industry, Didi Fan

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Hospitality remains highly competitive industry where establishments are always pushing new efforts to positively attract and retain consumers more so than the others. In recent years, the most significant trend in reaching to consumers is through social media. The research dives into great detail in the interactions and cause and effect between consumers and hospitality in social media such as the effect of user generated content. The research produces more details and ideas than simply engaging in social media helps hospitality establishments. The information was attained from a large content analysis of previous research, studies, surveys, experiments, statistical and quantitative …

How Higher Education Institutions Utilize Social Media, Shauntel J. Hall

Honors College Theses

Social media is dramatically changing the way that people communicate and interact online. Several businesses have made it a priority to establish a presence on social media to connect with some of its biggest users: millennials. As social media has gained popularity, higher education institutions all around have begun to establish social media platforms in order to interact with current and prospective students and alumni. This study examined how higher education institutions in the University System of Georgia are utilizing social media and also compared use among the various types of institutions (research, comprehensive, state college and state university). Using …

Status Consumption And The Millennial Consumer: An Exploratory Study, Angelina Heugel

Honors College Theses

This paper focuses on millennial consumers’ perceptions about the motivation to purchase luxury and status items for the young working professional. It defines and addresses the relationship between status symbols and what drives the millennial generation’s purchases and desires to purchase. Research was conducted through a detailed literature review, qualitative pre-test and focus group. Through the pre-test, themes of luxury and status items were found. Common product categories to represent status items included: accessories, clothing, technology, travel, pet ownership, home ownership, expensive cars, and entertainment. The focus group was conducted in a classroom setting discussion with thirty students. Students participating …

A Multi-Method Examination Of The Effects Of Online Reviews On Consumer Information Processing And Firm Performance: A Linguistic Perspective, Alexa Kaye Sullivan Fox

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Online consumer reviews are widely used by consumers, but the impact that this type of user-generated content has on companies is not as well understood. Moreover, companies are growing increasingly concerned that online consumer reviews may be worth paying close attention to. This research offers a multi-method research approach to better understand the effect of online consumer reviews on customer emotions and behavior, as well as corporate performance metrics. I use emotional contagion to examine how textual properties of online consumer reviews may influence these metrics in the service failure and linguistics contexts. In studies one, two, and three, I …

Evaluating E-Relationship Marketing Features On Hotel Mobile Apps, Xiaolin Lu

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The advent of technology has changed the course of marketing in both the academic and the business field. Given the increasing number of mobile transactions, hotel companies have launched mobile applications (apps) as an alternative e-relationship marketing (e-RM) channel. This study modified a progressive five-level e-relationship building model. The model was employed to evaluate e-RM features of the top 10 hotel companies’ mobile apps. The results indicated that these hotel companies maintained e-RM feature sophistication at the lower levels (Basic and Reactive), but relatively speaking, they did not utilize e-RM features extensively at the higher levels (Accountable, Proactive and Partnership). …

Firestone-Walker Brewing Company, Joe Hare, John Fitche, John Mazzilli

Case Studies in Agribusiness

Starting in 1996, Firestone-Walker Brewing Company grew to become the 16th largest craft brewer in the U.S. by 2013. Much of their success can be attributed to taking advantage of opportunities when they present themselves. Their “805” brand is an example of many factors coming together to the company’s benefit.