Business Commons^™

Prosocial Messaging During The Covid-19 Pandemic: A Longitudinal Examination Of Email Advertisements, Ashley Deutsch Cermin, Ashton Mouton

Marketing Faculty Research and Publications

Purpose

This study aims to evaluate how brands communicate with consumers through the COVID-19 pandemic and how messaging has shifted over time. The authors identify a typology drawn from extant literature and use it to understand how brands shape consumers’ behavior.

Design/methodology/approach

Through a mix of interpretive and thematic analysis, the authors examine 858 US email advertisements and how these messages have evolved throughout the pandemic.

Findings

The authors findings demonstrate brand communication ranges from prosocial to brand messaging and brands employed different strategies at different phases of the pandemic. Specifically, while brands started out emphasizing socially desirable behavior before …

The Nutrition Elite: Do Only The Highest Levels Of Caloric Knowledge, Obesity Knowledge, And Motivation Matter In Processing Nutrition Ad Claims And Disclosures?, J. Craig Andrews, Richard G. Netemeyer, Scot Burton

Marketing Faculty Research and Publications

This study examines the role of the highest levels of caloric knowledge, obesity consequences knowledge, and motivation to search for nutrition information in the processing of relative nutrient content claims in advertisements, such as “half the calories” or “half the fat,” for products relatively high in total calorie levels. After controlling for the impact of demographics, dietary habits, body mass index, relative ad claims and disclosures, perceived weight gain risk, and other variables, the authors find curvilinear (quadratic) effects for caloric knowledge, obesity consequences knowledge, and motivation to search for nutrition information on intent to buy an advertised, high-calorie snack …

Covert Marketing Unmasked: A Legal And Regulatory Guide For Practices That Mask Marketing Messages, Ross D. Petty, J. Craig Andrews

Marketing Faculty Research and Publications

Masked marketing—one form of covert marketing—involves marketing communications that appear to be from independent third parties rather than from product marketers. This article presents a typology of masked marketing practices, illustrating whether they may be deceptive to consumers. To accomplish this, the authors apply the Federal Trade Commission’s three-part definition of deception (i.e., misleadingness, reasonable consumer, and materiality) in the evaluation of such practices. The article concludes with policy recommendations including areas for further research.

Effects Of Antismoking Advertising-Based Beliefs On Adult Smokers’ Consideration Of Quitting, Richard G. Netemeyer, J. Craig Andrews, Scot Burton

Marketing Faculty Research and Publications

Objectives. We examined whether specific antismoking advertising–based beliefs regarding the addictiveness of smoking, the dangers of environmental tobacco smoke, and the tobacco industry’s use of deceptive advertising practices are associated with adult smokers’ consideration of quitting. We also assessed whether interactions between such beliefs and having children living in the home were associated with consideration of quitting. Methods. We used analyses of smokers’ responses to a telephone survey conducted after completion of the Wisconsin Anti-Tobacco Media Campaign to test hypotheses associated with our study objectives. Results. Results indicated that advertising-based beliefs regarding smoking addictiveness and the dangers of environmental …

Marketing In Higher Education: A Stage Model Concerning Where It's Been And Where It's Going, Jeanne M Simmons, Gene R. Laczniak

Marketing Faculty Research and Publications

The ideas of Williford (1987) are used to propose a four-stage model describing the evolution of marketing in many colleges and universities. It elaborates on the thinking endemic to strategic marketing management and frameworks drawn from business marketing which will likely become more prominent in higher education. (Author/GLR)