Business Commons^™

The Impact Of “Humorous” Ads Featuring Social Media Influencers On Perceptions Of The Influencer, Brand, And Purchase Intention, Jason L. Snyder, Robert Forbus

Atlantic Marketing Journal

The present study explored the use of humor in social media ads that featured both a product being advertised and a social media influencer (SMI). Using extant literature and the theory of planned behavior as guides, the goal of the study was to explore the role of perceived humorousness on consumer perceptions of the SMI, the ad, the brand, and consumer purchase intentions. The experiment (N = 292) exposed self-identified males living in the U.S. between the ages of 18 and 40 to one of two versions of an ad for a men’s grooming product. The ads were run …

A Review Of Two Decades Of Research On Language In International Management (1997 - 2022) - Supplemental Material, Yung-Hwal Park, Kevin Lehnert

Other Faculty Publications

This research reviews over two decades of research on language within international management. This comprehensive review codes and summarizes 263 articles, highlighting the impact of language in various strategic areas of management: language policy; HRM and organizational behavior; internationalization; HQ-subsidiary relationship; knowledge sharing; corporate reporting and governance; and mergers and acquisitions (M&A) and inter-firm strategic collaboration. This study also highlights two major needs within the discipline (internal vs. external focus of language and level of analysis – individual, group and organizational), and addressed the call for a broader future research agenda.

Brand On The Run: The Effects Of Internal And External Stakeholder Communication Of Corporate Rebranding Efforts, Abby Vandiver

Honors Theses

A company’s most valuable asset is its brand. Not just limited to its name and logo, a brand is loosely defined as the identity of an organization. A strong brand identity can create strong customer loyalty. Changing even a part of this identity can cause confusion and ultimately revenue loss. This study examined how business owners and marketers communicate with their stakeholders when they decide a rebrand is necessary. After researching current literature on this topic, businesses in Oxford, Mississippi which have undergone a rebrand in the last decade were recruited to answer questions. Ten organizations participated either through interview …

An Imc Approach To Building Trust Among Nonprofit Donors, Catherine A. Romaine

Honors Theses

This thesis explores the role of a holistic Integrated Marketing Communications strategy within the nonprofit sector. The research aims to identify the effectiveness of different marketing communication tactics in soliciting donations for nonprofit organizations. It examines the influences and motivations of donors when choosing one organization over another for their monetary contributions. The thesis investigates the impact of specific integrated marketing strategies in building and maintaining relationships with different stakeholders such as donors, volunteers, and employees.

Through a literature review of successful nonprofits and missteps within the sector, this thesis identifies various factors that contribute to nonprofit marketing success, including …

Boosting Persuasion: The Attention Benefits Of Multiple Narrating Voices, Hannah H. Chang, Anirban Mukherjee, Amitava Chattopadhyay

Research Collection Lee Kong Chian School Of Business

The "Voice Numerosity Effect”: When hearing different voices narrating a marketing video facilitates persuasion. In a forthcoming paper in the Journal of Marketing Research, we investigate the role of voice (narrator) numerosity in marketing videos (Chang, Mukherjee, and Chattopadhyay 2022). For example, consider the following two real-life examples: a product video introducing Apple’s AirPods Max had two narrating voices while a product video introducing Apple’s new Macbook Pro had a single narrating voice. Does the difference in the number of narrating voices influence consumers’ attention and subsequent behaviour?

The Psychology Behind The Marketing Of Alcohol And Tobacco: How We Convince People To Do Things That Are Bad For Them, Sophie Dvorkin

CMC Senior Theses

The marketing tactics of the alcohol and tobacco industry are inextricably linked through the psychological basis upon which these companies target their customers. Through the principles of reciprocity, social proof, scarcity, commitment and consistency, unity, and authority featured in Robert Cialdini’s book Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion (2021). The principle of reciprocity explains how companies get customers to buy in, social proof explains our dependence on our peers’ validation, and scarcity explains why we want what we can’t have. The principles of commitment and consistency explain how companies garner long-term customers that see themselves as an extension of a brand, …

Marketing Activity Influences On Brand Attractiveness & Loyalty, Keiondre' Mcallister

McNair Scholars Research

While selecting a specific brand could seem simple, many variables are considered. Consumers must trust that the chosen brand meets their needs by providing value. Value differs for everyone; however, four value pillars within the value creation pyramid could explain which value attracts the consumer most to a brand. These value elements will be explored to explain consumer preferences.

The Significance Of Sonic Branding To Strategically Stimulate Consumer Behavior: Content Analysis Of Four Interviews From Jeanna Isham’S “Sound In Marketing” Podcast, Ina Beilina

Student Theses and Dissertations

Purpose:
Sonic branding is not just about composing jingles like McDonald’s “I’m Lovin’ It.” Sonic branding is an industry that strategically designs a cohesive auditory component of a brand’s corporate identity. This paper examines the psychological impact of music and sound on consumer behavior reviewing studies from the past 40 years and investigates the significance of stimulating auditory perception by infusing sound in consumer experience in the modern 2020s.

Design/methodology/approach:
Qualitative content analysis of audio media was used to test two hypotheses. Four archival oral interview recordings from Jeanna Isham’s podcast “Sound in Marketing” featuring the sonic branding experts …

Keurig Dr. Pepper Internship: Development Of A Tool In A Big Data Environment To Uncover Risks And Opportunities, Lindsey Ross

Marketing Undergraduate Honors Theses

Selling and sales management professions permeate job application websites. Sales is often associated with a pushy used-car dealership and cold calling. These practices are necessary, but selling, especially in our increasingly consumerist society, has long influenced and is a part of almost all business professions. You could argue that almost every employed individual operates in some sort of sales function due to the current job landscape. Whether this includes working directly with the sale of a product or even selling one’s self to a company or client. Selling in the retail space is understandably the heartbeat of the company, especially …

Crip Theory And Creative Briefs: Interpreting Disability In The Creative Process, Josh Loebner

All Dissertations

Brands, advertising agencies and other partners collaborate through curated phases to create marketing and advertisements, but within this process, how does the creative brief shape disability inclusion or exclusion? By moving the conversation from interpreting disability representation in an advertisement or finished marketing piece, to analyzing disability at the onset of the creative process, these insights present a critical contribution to scholarship on disability, marketing and consumer culture. Framed within crip theory, the research investigates how disability identity is—or is not—manifest in a creative brief within the creative process.

Much of marketing, advertising and disability studies scholarship centers on finished …

Does Body Positivity Yield Positive Attitudes? The Effects Of Female Empowerment In Advertisements On Consumer Perceptions, Allyssa Compton

Undergraduate Theses and Capstone Projects

This thesis examines the relationship between female-empowering advertisements and consumer attitudes and perceptions of brands. Currently, there has been consumer resistance against ads that lack diverse size ranges. To show social responsibility, many companies are switching to more authentic and realistic advertisements, featuring a diverse range of models who are not digitally enhanced. The goal of this study was to determine if such practices will increase positive attitudes associated with the brand and its products.

To achieve the goal of my study, I researched and reviewed past studies analyzing the relationship between women’s portrayal in advertisements and consumer reactions to …

A Review Of Two Decades Of Research On Language In International And Multicultural Marketing (1997 – 2020) – Supplemental Material, Yung-Hwal Park, Kevin Lehnert

Other Faculty Publications

This comprehensive review piece investigates over two decades of research, reflecting on the crucial role of language in international marketing success. In coding and summarizing 181 articles, this work highlights how language has impacted international-marketing-related outcomes across 19 specific content areas. Those content areas are then grouped into seven broad research themes relating to language: Marketing Communications; Linguistics; Branding; Consumer Behavior; Servicescape and Retailing; Internationalization, Supply Chain and Sales; Bilingualism. We synthesize these themes and the common outcomes of the research. From these themes we highlight challenges to the field and explore future research in language in international marketing.

Final Report: Marketing Internships With Connected, Hadi Kiani

SASAH 4th Year Capstone and Other Projects: Publications

Working as the Marketing Coordinator Intern for a tech start-up was an amazing experience. I conducted competitor research, ghostwrote blog posts, ran social media, and aided in a complete company rebrand. Connected is a software product development firm. They partner with ambitious organizations to deliver on the potential of software-powered products. Joining the company halfway through their rebrand, I was immediately thrown into the deep end. Fortunately, I was able to leverage the research and communication skills I had honed through SASAH and translate them into successful contributions. Nevertheless, I had to learn a lot about industry standards, tech jargon, …

Reflecting On My Adventures In Experiential Learning, Will Sharpe

SASAH 4th Year Capstone and Other Projects: Publications

This report analyzes and reflects on my experiential learning experiences with the Forest City Film Festival and Western Libraries. I look back at my initial feelings of bewilderment and imposter syndrome and then track my progress as I’m pushed out of my comfort zone and learn the skills I need to excel. My time with the Forest City Film Festival and Western Libraries, as well as my peers’ testimonies, taught me that at SASAH, we all have the skills needed to succeed in our fields — and the experiential learning program is an excellent place to nurture them.

Market To Me: A Case Study On The Marketing Efforts Of Salesforce Software Company, Marissa Adrianna Spiess Espinola

Experience Industry Management

Social media platforms constitute outstanding channels for fostering relationships with consumers. Recently, there has been a drastic shift towards social media marketing and away from traditional marketing. Marketers are beginning to understand the importance of social media opportunity and are implementing social media marketing strategies and initiatives into companywide marketing practices. Companies cannot afford to lack presence on social media, as competitors could outpace them with marketing efforts of products and services to the public. Social media has become a necessary tool when marketing and advertising. The purpose of this study was to examine social media marketing practices of Salesforce …

Arbor Day Foundation Consultation, Frances Munro, Drew Spadaro, Trevor Lockard, Mason Smalley, Leigh Hanson, Demi Van Reeuwijk

Honors Theses

Over the past 4 months, our team at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln Business Honors Academy has been working directly with Nebraska’s own, Arbor Day Foundation, or Arbor Day, in hopes of applying our skill sets and mindsets to solve a pressing problem Arbor Day currently faces. We have been tasked with the challenge of identifying creative, scalable, and profitable new business ventures for Arbor Day that will aid the generation of new revenue sources. With these sources of revenue, Arbor Day desires to further inspire people to plant, nurture, and celebrate trees and in turn solve some of the …

Viewing The Covid-19 Resilient Skincare Market Through A Sociohistorical Lens: The Patterning Of Conspicuous Consumption Mediated By Marketing, Siren Chen

Senior Projects Fall 2020

The Chinese skincare market distinguishes itself with an inelastic consumer demand during the COVID-19 pandemic. This project employs the endogenous preferences economic framework and a sociohistorical lens to analyze the social forces that sustain the resilient beauty market. Through setting up a socially embedded framework for economic analysis, this project highlights the active role of marketers, which are omitted in mainstream economics, in fostering a bond between consumers and skincare products. With a comparative analysis of both the colonial and the COVID-19 pandemic contexts, this project demonstrates how marketers connect consumers to skincare products through reference to the system of …

Welcome Guide: Onboarding Guidebook For Hannah Michelle Photography, Hannah Lozano

Master of Arts in Professional Writing Capstones

Hannah Michelle Photography is a small photography brand owned by Hannah Lozano. This document serves as a capstone project for Hannah Lozano. She has created a comprehensive onboarding document for future employees of Hannah Michelle Photography.

Corporate Sponsorship And University Campuses: Determining The Effectiveness Of University Sponsorship Efforts At Pittsburg State University, Michaela J. Joines

Electronic Theses & Dissertations

A multi-phase study was completed to determine the effectiveness of corporate sponsorship efforts at Pittsburg State University. Pittsburg State engages in corporate sponsorship to partner with local and national companies, seeking to benefit both the university and its partners. The study sought to find factors that improve the effectiveness of such sponsorship efforts as determined by stakeholders’ ability to recall sponsors, differences in attitudes toward national and local sponsors, and how brand attachment to the university or sponsoring brands effects perception of the sponsorship alliances. Phase One included interviews with stakeholder groups (students, faculty/staff, alumni, and community members) and functioned …

A Guide For Hiring Mature Employees At Ascentria, Binghe Change, Calleigh Leach, Elsie Lu, Hongquiang You, Mengge Wang, Nina Mariotti

School of Professional Studies

This paper will explore existing literature on aspects of an intergenerational workplace in a nonprofit organization and provide recommendations for recruiting and retaining older employees for a human service organization, Ascentria Care Alliance, in Worcester, MA. The paper will review research on trends in the nonprofit industry, a comprehensive breakdown of generational workplace values, reasons people are returning to work and effective marketing strategies that appeal to older generations. Marketing strategies specifically will explore best practices for website design, social media usage, and job descriptions. Additionally, this paper will research case studies of nonprofits with successful intergenerational workforce initiatives, as …

Adult Learners: A Targeted Marketing Approach, Sarah Baldelli, Camilo Botero, Camille Ferreol, Caleb Horton, Xinyue Ma, Stefan Sprinkmoller

School of Professional Studies

The development of the Adult Learner Capstone Project started with a focus and need to learn more about affinity groups in the Worcester area in order to reach the potential adult learner demographic. Although some partnerships already existed, the Director of Marketing and Communications for Graduate Admissions, Tara Probeck, yearned to explore the potential partnerships and alternative uses of professional organizations to market to the current working professionals. From this idea, our capstone project was introduced in hopes of establishing a comprehensive and exhaustive list of potential organizational partnerships, specific for the School of Professional Studies.

Inbound Marketing, Hasini Assiriyage, Isabelle Zoeckler, Emmanuel Aghado, Kefu Bu, Xiouyu Jiang, Rajesh Kamble, Yan Wang

School of Professional Studies

This study looks into inbound marketing practice through the process of secondary research. This insight on best practices and market examples have been employed in order to identify the benefits of Inbound Marketing for the School of Professional Studies at Clark University. Through the research, this team has consolidated a number of recommendations for the SPS marketing strategies moving forward. A focus has been placed on identifying solutions, which were effective and financially feasible. The primary solutions are internally sourced; with a future long term recommendation of seeking advice from a third party firm to automate the process.

Top Social Media Marketing Trends 2018, Gabrielle L. Murphy, Garin D. Harris, Demetri J. Morris

Scholar Week 2016 - present

Our compiled data and research, concluding with our forecast for the Top Social Media Marketing trends for 2018. Focusing on both macro and microinfluencers.

An Analysis Of The Impact Of Social Media Marketing On Individuals’ Attitudes And Perceptions At Nova Community College, Nya Gibson

OTS Master's Level Projects & Papers

Social media has become prominent in the 21st century. Companies are persistently looking for ways to utilize this new platform within their marketing strategies to increase business growth. Since social media is a networking and communication platform, it is important for companies to create a voice to humanize the business and maintain foot traffic. Although there are studies on how to use social media marketing within a business, there is minimal corroboration available of how social media marketing activities influence a consumer’s buying behavior. This study investigated the effects of social media on consumer attitudes of social media marketing and …

Factors Influencing Efficacy Of Celebrity Endorsement In Saudi Arabia, Ibrahim Qabur

ETD Archive

The study investigates factors that influence the efficacy of celebrity endorsement on social media in Saudi Arabia. The study builds upon the findings of research done primarily in East Asia and in the U.S. This research studied how celebrity endorsement via social media influences celebrity followers on brand recognition, purchase decision, support a cause, and overall, celebrity influence. This study’s 911 respondents were selected through the snowball method of sampling. Data was conducted using online survey with Saudi nationals, both in Saudi Arabia and in the United States, on their attitudes towards the credibility of celebrities and their influence. This …

Marketing Practices Of Socially Responsible And Sustainable Businesses, Brooke A. Bivins

Honors Undergraduate Theses

The topic of this research is marketing practices of socially responsible and sustainable businesses. It examines the strategies companies and brands use to represent themselves to the public through products, advertising, and philanthropy. This includes an evaluation of existing frameworks and case studies, as well as in-depth interviews. The question that this research will answer is as follows: How can new or existing companies embrace and integrate social responsibility or sustainability in a way that is authentic and contributes to a positive public reputation?

Younger generations are increasingly willing to switch to and, in some cases, pay more for products …

Marketing Leadership In A Knowledge Economy, Myles Bassell, Sonia Lambert

Atlantic Marketing Journal

Often the most valuable assets of a marketing driven firm are intangible assets such as a brand name, intellectual capital, and the expertise and knowledge of employees. The new breed of marketing leaders understand that it is important for employees to collaborate and be engaged and that leaders must be agents of change, creative, ethical, and global thinkers who can create learning organizations. The research reveals that organizations that are going to thrive in the knowledge economy are those that have marketing leaders who can build learning organizations, encourage diversity, and ensure employees are engaged in meaningful work.

Business Model: California Agriculture Marketing Agency, Mary M. Alameda, Emma L. Larson

Agricultural Education and Communication

The importance of creating a marketing agency specializing in agriculture is to bridge the gap between producers and consumers. The lack of transparency from the producer has created a torn industry causing the average consumer to be questioning his or her food, or simply not understanding the agricultural way of life. An agricultural marketing firm in California can represent and advocate for local businesses to start closing the producer to consumer gap.

The American farmer excels at many things, but lacks in public communications. Modern day farmers have been able to produce more food than ever despite fewer resources and …

#Keepvolunteeringcool - A Marketing Analysis Of The Uri Service Corps, Caroline L. Hacunda

Senior Honors Projects

Since 2009, the University of Rhode Island has offered Alternative Spring Break trips to students who are passionate about service and want to become more involved within the community doing meaningful and engaging volunteer work. These trips are completely student planned and fundraised with the guidance of a group of student leaders for each trip. Over the years, this program has exponentially grown, leading to our biggest year yet with two trips staying in Rhode Island and three out of state trips offered in 2017. In the past, the spring break trips were hosted by URI S.A.V.E.S and URI Habitat …

The Importance Of Branding In Small Businesses, Amber J. Rabie

Senior Honors Theses

The Land of Milk & Honey Farm exists to provide quality food produced in facilities that practice good stewardship to the Earth. It is a small business devoted to loving, careful stewardship and the production of quality goods. The mission of The Land of Milk & Honey is to combine traditional farming practices with a sustainable and environment-friendly approach to agriculture. It aims to provide customer satisfaction by being respectful and responsible over animals and the earth, and by producing quality products. To reach this objective, the farm intends to educate consumers and provide an alternative source for truly farm-fresh …