Business Commons^™

Local Label: Why Localism Matters And A Business Plan To Address It., Sydnie Wilson

Marketing Undergraduate Honors Theses

The use of technology within business is evolving and increasing in necessity. As large businesses and corporations invest in research and development, innovations, and data analytics, the ability to serve customers more effectively and efficiently increases substantially. Local Label is a solution for this need.

Local Label is a mobile retail app that connects local consumers to all accessories, shoes, and clothes available at local retailers. The app would be a hub for local retailers to promote their apparel and accessories. Local Label leverages its marketing to be in sync with local events, special occasions, and holidays. The app’s front-face …

Social Entrepreneurship And Its Impact On Women In Poverty., Allison Primm

Marketing Undergraduate Honors Theses

Poverty is a complex issue that will require complex solutions. There is a disconnect between the two as people living in poverty usually connect it to ideas of self-esteem, pride, and confidence. In contrast, people who aren't living in it will connect poverty to the lack of material possessions and more physical needs. Proposed solutions and ventures that seek to assist those living in poverty must consider that each individual living in poverty has a different situation. This paper will explore the effect that social enterprises have on Women in poverty by providing employment, training, and support. The company Trades …

Creating Jo, Jenna Olson

Undergraduate Honors Capstone Projects

With the rise of technology, physical invitations have largely been replaced by digital invitations and e-cards. This change in invitation culture has led to less time and energy being spent on celebrating important life events. I created JO to help individuals elevate the important moments in their lives through intentional communication and beautiful designs. JO products seek to display effective, aesthetically pleasing, and meaningful messaging. This project documents my business, JO, through a written business plan and website.

A business plan aims to demonstrate a well-developed idea to gain support and investment. My business plan includes an executive summary, company …

Revolutionizing Agriculture Through Digital Twins, Mohsen Attaran, Sharmin Attaran, Bilge Gokhan Celik

Marketing Department Faculty Book Publications

The rise of digital twin (DT) technology is transforming the way businesses operate, with its applications and use cases expanding across various industries. This article focuses on the agriculture industry and explores how DT can enable intelligent automation. Through a comprehensive review of DT's concept, evolution, and development, as well as a discussion of its key enabling technologies, trends, and challenges, the authors identify potential use cases for DT in agriculture. By presenting this analysis, this article aims to provide insights into how DT can streamline operations and enhance productivity in the agriculture industry.

When Scrolling Turns Into Shopping: How Influencers Advertise To Consumers On Tiktok, Amanda E. Graves

Pell Scholars and Senior Theses

Every marketer wants to reach a larger audience and TikTok has become one of the most popular places for advertisers to sell products. Past research shows that social media can be an effective form of advertising because of influencers who seem more genuine in their reviews. My research expands on this to further develop how TikTok specifically helps these influencers reach their target audience and persuade their purchasing decisions to increase sales. Through careful analysis it was revealed that quick links and short-form advertising are allowing the app to experience a high volume of consumer sales. Understanding TikTok’s success can …

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 …

Benjamin Family Social Media Fellows, Katie Barton, Jenna Cobb, Kayli Fagan, Myles Forgue, Ryan Hanewich, Jenny Lynch, Santiago Najarro Cano, Tess Sanchioni, Lily Zgurzynski

School of Business Student Scholarship

Katie Barton ’24, Major: Marketing, Minor: Communications

Jenna Cobb ’24, Majors: Management and Marketing

Kayli Fagan ’23, Majors: Business Management and Studio Art

Myles Forgue ’24, Majors: Marketing and Theology

Ryan Hanewich ’23, Major: Marketing, Minor: Film/Video

Jenny Lynch ’23, Major: Marketing, Minor: Finance

Santiago (Santi) Najarro Cano ’24, Major: Marketing, Minor: Theatre

Tess Sanchioni ’23, Major: Marketing, Minor: Finance

Lily Zgurzynski ’25, Major: Computer Science, Minor: Marketing

Mentor: Liz Kay, Marketing and Communications

A generous endowment gift from Class of 1991 alumni Meg and Adam Benjamin led to the creation of the annual Benjamin Family Social Media Fellowship in …

Are All Body Sizes Beautiful? A Content Analysis Of Plus-Size Representation In Fashion Brands, Julia Mclaughlin

Honors Projects in Marketing

An abundance of body positive campaigns has become increasingly popular among fashion brands. The current study aims to analyze the consumers' perceptions of model's beauty attributes and well-being based on their body size. The purpose of the present research is to provide a deeper insight into the effects that models’ appearance poses on an individual's well-being. The goal of this study is to explore consumers' perceptions of model's beauty attributes and well-being based on their body size. By conducting a content analysis of female models in the fashion industry, consumers' perceptions of models' beauty attributes, well-being, and lifestyle were discovered. …

More Than Just A Game? The Impact Of Athletic Team Performances Of Advertisement Appeal, Matthew Cook

Honors Projects in Marketing

The goal of this study was to determine the effects that an athletic team's performance may have on the ways in which their fans view advertisements. Conducted using a 2 (game: basketball vs. baseball) x 2 (outcome: win vs. loss) x 2 (score: blowout vs. close game) experimental study created within Qualtrics, we set out to determine how the type of game, outcome, and score may all affect advertisement appeal. Using clips from a Celtics vs Lakers game as well as a Red Sox vs Yankees game, we created short video clips that were designed to replicate the experience of …

The Impact Of Diversity, Equity, And Inclusion In The Fashion Industry, Hannah Dreska

Honors Projects in Finance

This research study is an examination of diversity, equity, and inclusion in the marketing and infrastructure of companies within the commercial fashion industry. The aim of this paper is twofold. First, this paper examines the purchasing preferences and behaviors of young adults and whether their opinions on diversity and inclusivity impact it. Second, this paper examines the financial impact of companies that adopted an inclusive and diverse approach to their marketing strategies and company infrastructure. I hypothesize that inclusivity and diversity are qualities highly valued by consumers and would thus have a positive financial impact on companies that focus on …

Context In Augmented Reality Marketing: Does The Place Of Use Matter?, Simon Von Der Au, Philipp A. Rauschnabel, Reto Felix, Chris Hinsch

Marketing Faculty Publications

Augmented reality (AR) integrates virtual content into a consumer's perception of the real world. While academic interest in AR is growing, most prior research has focused on consumer evaluations of AR content and neglected the physical context in which AR content is consumed. Addressing this research gap, two experimental studies showed that context (e.g., experiencing a virtual sofa at home vs. in a university classroom) impacts consumer judgments and evaluations. The results reveal two primary effects of context. First, contexts in which virtual objects meet users' personal and cultural expectations associated with a specific location (e.g., a sofa in a …

Advertising To Reduce Public Stigma And Its Associated Consequences For Medical Marijuana Patients, Jack Tishkevich

Honors Projects in Marketing

Medical marijuana patients must contend not just with their maladies, but with the social stigma surrounding marijuana use as well. This study hypothesizes that advertising can be used to positively influence individual’s acceptance of medical marijuana. It seeks to answer the questions: Can persuasive advertising be used to reduce stigma surrounding medical marijuana? Which advertising method is most effective in this persuasive process? To find the answer, a between subject, factorial design experiment is used. One of six randomized advertisements are shown to participants in a 3x2 (pathos, logos, ethos x guilt and shame) design. Participants opinions on the advertisement …

Context In Augmented Reality Marketing: Does The Place Of Use Matter?, Simon Von Der Au, Philipp A. Rauschnabel, Reto Felix, Chris Hinsch

Marketing Faculty Publications

Augmented reality (AR) integrates virtual content into a consumer's perception of the real world. While academic interest in AR is growing, most prior research has focused on consumer evaluations of AR content and neglected the physical context in which AR content is consumed. Addressing this research gap, two experimental studies showed that context (e.g., experiencing a virtual sofa at home vs. in a university classroom) impacts consumer judgments and evaluations. The results reveal two primary effects of context. First, contexts in which virtual objects meet users' personal and cultural expectations associated with a specific location (e.g., a sofa in a …

Permission-Based Marketing: Using Gis To Create Information Visualizations For Nonprofit Organizations., Mark J. Sciuchetti Dr., Jianping Huang

Atlantic Marketing Association Proceedings

No abstract provided.

Metaverse Marketing: How The Metaverse Will Shape The Future Of Consumer Research And Practice, Yogesh K. Dwivedi, Laurie Hughes, Yichuan Wang, Ali A. Alalwan, Sun J. (Grace) Ahn, Janarthanan Balakrishnan, Sergio Barta, Russell Belk, Dimitrios Buhalis, Reto Felix

Marketing Faculty Publications

The initial hype and fanfare from the Meta Platforms view of how the metaverse could be brought to life has evolved into an ongoing discussion of not only the metaverse's impact on users and organizations but also the societal and cultural implications of widespread usage. The potential of consumer interaction with brands within the metaverse has engendered significant debate within the marketing‐ focused discourse on the key challenges and transformative opportunities for marketers. Drawing on insights from expert contributors, this study examines the marketing implications of the hypothetical widespread adoption of the metaverse. We identify new research directions and propose …

Why Industry Professionals Should Care About Fandom, Abigail Minzer

Student Publications

A fandom is a community of people who share a common interest and interact with each other on the basis of that common interest. When a fandom comes together on the basis of a creative work, it allows a mutually beneficial relationship to form in which the fandom will eagerly consume existing content, allowing new content to be produced for their consumption. Thus, professionals in industries such as publishing, theater, and television and film should be aware of the integral role fandoms play in the consumption of their content and how to nurture fandoms through the means discussed in this …

An Examination Of Celebrity Product Involvement And Endorsement Effectiveness, Eric Nichols

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to investigate celebrity product involvement and its relationship with endorsement effectiveness. Due to the increased leverage in creating their own brands, celebrity athletes are increasingly engaging in entrepreneurial endeavors such as collaborations on product development, an investment relationship, and outright ownership and creation of a brand or product. This paper also studied the extent which parasocial interactions and athlete identification may moderate endorsement effectiveness in the form of brand attitudes as well as what role product congruence may play.

Participants were recruited to complete an online survey that exposed them to manipulations of narrative …

Noodz: A Strategic Communication Plan For A Startup Restaurant Targeting The College Market, Payton M. Fronapfel

Senior Theses

Advertising has evolved significantly throughout the past decade, lending to the current usage of direct response, social media, and online methods of advertising. Considering how these tactics have changed in recent years and how restaurant marketing, specifically, changes in response to a college demographic, companies must consider more in-depth communication plans. This thesis will identify the most effective methods of marketing restaurants in the United States and determine how a college demographic changes the techniques utilized in marketing communication plans. Furthermore, this thesis will develop a comprehensive strategic communication plan for a new Asian restaurant, Noodz, located in Columbia, South …

Artificial Intelligence For Marketers And Communicators, Garrison Feldman

Emerson Authors, Researchers, & Creators

This presentation explores different technologies within the artificial intelligence space for use by marketers and communicators. Technologies discussed include ChatGPT, DeepAI, Otter.ai, SurferSEO, Jasper, and Synthesia. The focus of this presentation is to go over the different technologies at a high level, and discuss possible use cases for professional marketers and communicators.

Exploring The Impact Of Negative Words Used In Online Feedback In Hotel Industry: A Sentiment Analysis, N-Gram, And Text Network Analysis Approach, Daniel Dan

Journal of Marketing and Consumer Behaviour in Emerging Markets

This study examines the words and situations that trigger and those that do not trigger a hotel response when customers post negative online feedback. The research explores, through sentiment analysis, bigrams, trigrams, and word networking, the valence of online reviews of five important hotels in Las Vegas. Only the feedback that has been categorized as negative by the algorithm is selected. In correspondence to this feedback, the existence of answers from the hotels is checked together with the response style. While the negative valence of the feedback can represent a mixture of subjective and objective emotions, there are common features …

Factors Influencing The Green Purchase Intention Among Consumers: An Empirical Study In Algeria, Abir Alalei, Muhammad T. Jan

Journal of Global Business Insights

The main objective of the study is to investigate factors influencing the green purchase intention of Algerian consumers using the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB). Furthermore, it aims to examine the impacts of subjective norms, consumer attitude, environmental knowledge, and green label variable to the consumer purchase intention. The authors proposed the model of TPB that combines three constructs namely attitude, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control. The subjective norms and consumer attitude variables were directly adopted from the TPB Model. In addition, environmental knowledge and green label variables were added based on the review of the literature. The study …

Harnessing The Power Of Video Ads, Linyi Li

Asian Management Insights

In digital advertising, video ads as a top-of-funnel function have a longer-lasting efect than display and search ads on a consumer's consciousness.

The High Tide Inn Rebrand, Caroline Turnbull

Graphic Communication

For my Senior Project, I found a small Inn in Maine that was just purchased by a new owner. The previous owner of The High Tide Inn was very old and had owned the Inn for a long time, running on word of mouth and the quaint charm of the location. Their website was not a priority and had not been updated in decades. It was not mobile friendly, up to date, or easy to navigate. The logo reflects a charming sign on the property, but does not translate well digitally. In addition to this, there is no vector file …

Marketing, Development, And The Question Of Meaning, Dominique Bouchet

Markets, Globalization & Development Review

Originally developed as a sales technique, marketing ended up playing an economic and political role globally. With the advent of globalization and sustainability issues, the importance given to the techniques of marketing in both analyses and in communication limits the possibility of mutual understanding and of social creativity. A profound understanding of what is at stake for society and culture is not what matters when the focus is on the ways to maintain the superficial link to the instrument of power.

The market plays a central role within the fields of marketing, economics and politics. Yet, questions of what the …

Comparing Social Media Marketing Options For Your Cooperative Extension Program, Laura Justice

EFNEP

With so many different social media platforms available, it’s important to know which platform(s) will be most useful in reaching potential customers. This article will help organizations decipher between different social media platforms and select the platform(s) that best suits their branding purposes, targeted audience, and content strategies. Understanding which platform(s) to engage with customers can help drive sales and reach a new set of potential customers that would have been inaccessible without social media.

Why, Did I Lose? Debriefing Quality And Its Effects On Justice, Protests, And Sales Loss Attributions, Timothy G. Hawkins, Mike Wittmann, Michael Gravier, Suman Niranjan, William A. Muir

Marketing Department Faculty Journal Articles

When suppliers lose in a competitive tender process, they need feedback to make accurate sales loss attributions and adjustments to their competitive strategy. Unfortunately, buyers seldomly provide sufficient feedback to enable diagnostics, learning, and adaptation. The purpose of this research is to explore a buyer's debriefing as an effective feedback mechanism. Based on data from a sample of 218 U.S. government source selections, a new construct, debriefing quality, is developed as a multi-dimensional construct comprised of: proposal efficacy information, procedural compliance and decision understanding information, and competitive intelligence information. Results show that debriefing quality enhances procedural justice and internal and …

Voluntourism On The Camino De Santiago – How Iteration Changes Motives, Stakeholder Interaction, And Reintegration Of Hospitaleros, Andreas Braun

Journal of Global Hospitality and Tourism

Hospitaleros who volunteer in the hostels along the Camino de Santiago have, to the best of our knowledge, not yet been examined, from the perspectives of voluntourism and pilgrimage research. This article aims to give an insight into a unique form of volunteering based on 32 interviews with hostel wardens conducted between 2017 and 2021. The results indicate that – while hospitaleros primarily indicate interpersonal motives for their service – the voluntary work serves as a kind of “substitute drug” to satisfy the longing for and dependence on the Camino. With increasing iterations, (1) the strength of the personal motives …

Communication During Covid-19 Crisis: A Case Of Hotels In Turkey, Ayse Selin Dulger, Ayse Bas Collins, Aysegul Gunduz Songur, Cihan Cobanoglu

Journal of Global Hospitality and Tourism

During the COVID-19 pandemic, which has spread all over the world, the importance of communication in terms of knowledge sharing has increased even more in the tourism sector, as in all sectors. Each hotel business has benefited from various communication tools in the pandemic crisis. The aim of this study is to provide an understanding of the crisis communication strategy tackled by the hotels in Turkey during this unprecedented period, via both conventional and internet based public relations and communication platforms within the framework of crisis communication management. For this purpose, in-depth interviews were conducted with 25 hotel managers in …

Comparing Potential And Repeat Chinese Guests' Cruise Travel Intentions In Post-Covid-19, Lan Lu, Jinlin Zhao, Miranda Kitterlin

Journal of Global Hospitality and Tourism

This study extended the theory of reasoned action (TRA) by including cruise involvement, safety protocols, and trust (stimulus-organism-response paradigm), and risk perception (the prospect theory), developing a theoretical framework to explore and compare Chinese repeat and potential guests' travel intentions, thus making great efforts to rebuilding consumer confidence and recover operation at this stage of the post-COVID-19. The results show that guests' intentions were positively influenced by their perceptions of safety protocols, trust, attitude, subjective norms, and cruise involvement, respectively. In contrast with previous studies, present results showed that perceived risk has a significant positive effect on the intention of …

Destination Competitiveness Of A Tourist Region: A Case Of Kerala, India, Ashna John, Mohammed Firoz C, T. Radha Ramanan

Journal of Global Hospitality and Tourism

The concept of tourism destination competitiveness (TDC) is very complex, and so is developing a model for different destination contexts. The study aims to identify variables to measure the overall TDC of destination brand Kerala (India). A quantitative research design is followed based on a self-administered questionnaire survey strategy. A comprehensive study of various indices and published literature on TDC is conducted to arrive at a detailed list of variables for measuring competitiveness. Through content analysis and screening based on expert opinion surveys and interviews, variables are tailored to the natural and cultural destination region, Kerala. The perceptions of expert …