Marketing Commons^™

Moralized Indulgence In The Age Of Inflation: How “Better-For-You” Dessert Brands Reframe Pleasure As Self-Care, Dariya Savrukova

Honors College Theses

In the modern U.S. food landscape, the line between indulgence and wellness has nearly disappeared. The booming “better-for-you” dessert industry, owned primarily by multinational giants such as Mondelēz International, PepsiCo, and Mars Inc., reframes high-sugar, high-calorie treats as acts of self-discipline or self-care. This phenomenon is often referred to as “healthwashing” (Tufts Health & Nutrition Letter, 2022), when through verbal and visual language, these companies transform indulgence into moral consumption, inviting consumers to feel virtuous through consumption. Many consumers crave stability and health, but navigate an environment saturated with manipulative design and ambiguous claims. “Better-for-you” branding exploits this gap by …

Medical Tourism Patient Guidance: A Content Analysis Of Risk Reduction Guidelines Available To Global Health Seekers., Alicia Mason, Angela Ashmore

Faculty Submissions

This study examines medical tourism (MT) patient guidance messages intended to reduce procedural risks—those directly related to biomedical treatments—and process risks, which involve logistical, administrative, and interpersonal challenges of seeking healthcare abroad. The analysis focuses on print and digital publications authored by individuals independent of the MT industry, including policy researchers, travel health experts, lifestyle reporters, and consumer-focused medical travel writers. Using a two-phase digital and database search strategy, 27 publications from 2009 to 2024 were identified and analyzed using exploratory content analysis methods. Findings reveal important differences in the scope and depth of guidance aimed at reducing risks for …

The Evolution Of The Modern Library Brand: Transforming Community Engagement Into Sustainable Revenue, Slone Williams

Georgia Library Quarterly

This article examines the development of the Cobb Library Shop, an e-commerce initiative launched by the Cobb County Public Library to generate sustainable funding through brand engagement. Built on a modest startup budget, the shop integrates a multichannel sales strategy and leverages internal talent to create a scalable, community-centered retail model.

The project achieved a full return on investment within 14 days and continues to demonstrate steady revenue expansion. By combining entrepreneurial practices with public service values, this case study highlights how libraries can diversify funding streams, enhance community engagement, and establish a replicable model for revenue-generating library systems.

How Does An Advanced Educator Utilize Digital Language Teaching And Learning By Integrating Linguistic, Cultural, And Business Life Perspectives?, Hely Westerholm, Pirjo Takanen-Körperich, Ph.D.

International Journal for Business Education

This paper explores advanced educators’ digital working capabilities in online language teaching, with a particular focus on sharing Finnish language and culture in a foreign context. Cultural and linguistic knowledge play a significant role in enhancing students’ motivation to study foreign languages. In today’s educational environment, digitalisation and globalisation exert an increasing influence on foreign language teaching and learning.

The digital learning environment has brought about a paradigm shift in foreign language didactics. Digital language learning is both challenging and holistic in nature. Continued foreign language learning is simultaneously an individual and a social process, as digital learning cultures impose …

How Grades Changed Before, During And After Covid-19 In A Business College, Douglas R. Moodie, Alison Keefe, Robin Cheramie

International Journal for Business Education

Purpose: This study examines how undergraduate business student grades changed before, during, and after the COVID-19 pandemic using a large institutional dataset from a business college in a US university between 2015 and 2024.

Method: The analysis includes over 390,000 student-course observations and incorporates instructional modality, student demographics, course characteristics, and prior academic performance.

Results: Results show a substantial increase in mean course grades during the COVID-19 period, followed by a partial reversion post-pandemic to levels that remain above pre-pandemic trends. These patterns are consistent across modalities, demographics, and departments.

Implications: The findings raise important questions regarding the interpretation of …

The Use Of Public Relations Departments In Palestinian Private Companies In The Northern Governorates On Social Media And Its Impact On Achieving Competitive Advantage, Ahmed Ammar

Middle East Journal of Communication Studies

This study aimed to examine the use of public relations departments in private Palestinian companies in the northern governorates for social media and their impact on achieving competitive advantage. The study adopted a descriptive-analytical approach, with data collected via a questionnaire distributed to a sample of 49 employees in public relations and related administrative roles. Descriptive analysis indicated that digital content management, media communication, audience engagement, relationship building, and performance monitoring and strategic analysis are all key factors in enhancing competitive advantage, with varying levels of impact. Multiple regression analysis showed that digital content management and media communication and audience …

Ensouling Progressive Partnership Synergy In Marketing To Revive The Indonesian Furniture Industry, Ahmad Ikhwan Setiawan, Fatimah Fatimah, Cheryl Marlitta Stefia

Asia Marketing Journal

This study develops a partnership marketing model to improve collaboration between suppliers and resellers in Indonesia's furniture industry by introducing Progressive Partnership Synergy (PPS), which links partnership dynamics to sales growth. A quantitative survey of 240 small and medium furniture manufacturers in Central Java tested the model using AMOS and Hayes's PROCESS Macro to examine mediation by synergy and competitive-advantage transformation. Results show PPS significantly affects sales growth while mediating the influence of competitive-advantage transformation. Market adjustment flexibility and partner orientation strengthen supplier–retailer ties. Some hypotheses were rejected, indicating additional factors are needed to optimize partnerships. Limitations include treating contextual …

The Impact Of Fear Of Aging On Luxury Consumption Among Middle-Aged Women, Jiyeon Lee, Xiaofei Wu, Dongwoo Ko

Asia Marketing Journal

This study investigates the relationship between fear of aging and luxury consumption behaviors among middle-aged women, focusing on the psychological and social dimensions of aging anxiety. Utilizing frameworks such as Objectification Theory and the Double Standard of Aging, the research explores how aging anxiety impacts attitudes toward luxury goods, mediated by fear of negative evaluation and body esteem. A survey of 288 women aged 41 to 60 was conducted, revealing that fear of aging significantly influences luxury attitudes and purchasing intentions. Findings indicate that luxury goods are seen not only as tools for status maintenance but also as avenues for …

Social Exclusion Cues And Collective Action Motivation In Environmental Campaigns: The Buffering Role Of Social Support, Hwan-Ho Noh, Warren B. Chik

Asia Marketing Journal

This study examines the influence of social exclusion cues on public engagement with environmental campaigns on social media, focusing on how such cues affect advertising attitudes and collective action motivation. Across two experimental studies, we investigated whether low engagement metrics, such as a small number of likes, function as symbolic exclusion cues that reduce perceived public support. The results indicate that social exclusion cues negatively affect advertising attitudes and collective action motivation, ultimately decreasing the intention to engage with the campaign. However, the presence of social support cues, which signal sustained public interest and social endorsement, effectively mitigated these negative …

The Price Of Expectation: How Luxury Consumers React To Quality Crises, Jeong Ah Yoo, Daye Hong, Yoon Hi Sung

Asia Marketing Journal

This study investigated the mechanisms underlying consumer responses to quality crises in luxury brands and examined how these responses differ depending on consumers' prior luxury brand purchase experience. The findings indicated that stronger price-quality inferences led to elevated product quality expectations. Further, when consumers encountered information regarding quality controversies, their heightened expectations produced greater perceived discrepancies, which subsequently had a negative impact on brand attitudes. Additionally, this study found that the negative impacts of perceived discrepancies on brand attitudes, purchase intentions for other products of the brand, and forgiveness intentions were more pronounced among luxury than among non-luxury consumers. Finally, …

Uncovering App Activity Patterns Behind E-Commerce App Usage: An Explainable Ai Framework, Myounggu Lee, Hye-Jin Kim

Asia Marketing Journal

In today's competitive mobile ecosystem, understanding how general app activity influences e-commerce app usage is crucial for marketers. This study introduces an explainable AI (XAI) framework using SHapley Additive exPlanations (SHAP) to identify non-e-commerce apps associated with e-commerce app usage. Drawing on mobile app launch data from 1,000 Android users in South Korea, we train a machine learning model to predict usage and apply SHAP to quantify the marginal contribution of each app. Results show that apps such as YouTube, Naver, and KakaoTalk are strongly linked to e-commerce activity at the user level. By visualizing user–app associations and clustering users …

Can Ai-Generated Ads With Future Predictions Drive Higher Donations Than Human-Created Ads?, Chaewon Song, Sujin Song

Asia Marketing Journal

The use of AI in generating ads offers benefits for NPOs, such as enhanced cost efficiency and personalized content. However, consumers often exhibit algorithm aversion when AI performs subjective tasks, like ad creation. According to mind perception theory, AI is seen as high in agency but low in experience. Given this, we hypothesized that including future predictions in AI-generated ads would mitigate this aversion. Across four studies, we found that AI-generated donation ads were generally perceived as less credible and elicited lower donation intentions than human-created ones. Crucially, when future predictions were included, the credibility and donation gap between AI …

From Emotions To Impulse: A Serial Mediation Approach In Tiktok Live Commerce, Amrul Asraf Mohd-Any, Moniruzzaman Sarker, Shaoxuan Lu

Asia Marketing Journal

Based on social exchange theory, this study investigates how interactions between influencers and followers during live streaming impact impulse buying behaviour. It explores how perceived influencer traits, namely authenticity, expertise, attractiveness, and homophily, influence trust, emotional attachment, and para-social interaction, which in turn drive impulsive purchases. Using PLS-SEM technique, a survey of 303 Chinese TikTok users reveals that emotional factors, particularly para-social interaction and attachment, have a stronger effect on impulse buying than trust. Authenticity and homophily emerge as essential in fostering emotional engagement, emphasising the importance of relatability over authority. The findings suggest that successful influencer marketing in live …

The Role Of Social Media Influencers In Brand Communication Strategies, Elvis Madondo, Eunice Akindeji

ASEAN Marketing Journal

Manuscript type: Review Paper.

Research Aims: This study aims to examine the role of social media influencers in shaping contemporary brand communication strategies and to identify the opportunities and challenges associated with influencer marketing practices. Design/methodology/approach: This study employs a semi-systematic literature review approach by analyzing previous studies related to influencer marketing, brand communication, customer engagement, and consumer behavior across digital platforms. Research Findings: The findings indicate that brands strategically select influencers whose personal branding aligns with the company’s values and identity to enhance customer engagement and brand perception. Long-term collaborations between brands and influencers are also found to strengthen …

Three Decades Of Digital Marketing: A Systematic Literature Review Of Strategic Shifts, Ethical Issues, And Innovation Paths, Winarto Poernomo, Denny Bernardus, Christina Utami, Liliana Dewi

ASEAN Marketing Journal

Manuscript type: Review Paper.

Research Aims: This study aims to examine the evolution of digital marketing over the past three decades and identify the technological, strategic, and behavioral transformations shaping contemporary digital marketing practices.

Design/methodology/approach: This study employs a systematic literature review (SLR) approach by synthesizing previous academic studies related to digital marketing development, emerging technologies, consumer behavior, and marketing strategies across digital platforms.

Research Findings: The findings reveal three major phases in the evolution of digital marketing: the foundational era of website-based marketing, the expansion of social media and mobile engagement, and the current era characterized by artificial intelligence, …

A Study Of Impulsive Buying Behavior Of Skincare Consumers On The Garnier Brand In Tiktok Shop: Are Women More Impulsive Than Men?, Fandis Ekyawan, Iqbal Alizar Fadillah

ASEAN Marketing Journal

Manuscript type: Research Article.

Research Aims: This study examines the determinants of impulsive buying behavior among skincare consumers—specifically Garnier buyers on TikTok Shop—using the SOR framework, and tests whether female consumers show higher impulsivity than males through gender moderation.

Design/methodology/approach: An online survey of 361 consumers who had purchased Garnier products via TikTok Shop’s live streaming feature was conducted. Five livestream stimulus factors—social interaction, streamer’s style, gratification, gamification, and visualization—were modeled as predictors of perceived hedonic value (PHV), which subsequently influences impulsive buying behavior (IBB) and user stickiness (US). PLS-SEM was used to analyze direct, mediating, and moderating effects.

Research …

Offline Fashion Shopping Trends: Factors Influencing Millennial And Gen Z Purchase Decisions, Muhammad Alfikri, Ma'mun Sarma, Irni Rahmayani Johan

ASEAN Marketing Journal

Type of manuscript: Scientific Paper

Research Objective: This study aims to identify the characteristics and behaviour of millennials and generation Z in Medan City in purchasing fashion products, and analyse the influence of various factors such as information, lifestyle, word of mouth, technology, place, promotion, product, and price on their purchasing decisions, which include aspects of product choice, quantity, and time of purchase.

Design/methodology/approach: Data was collected online using Google Forms from 350 respondents. Respondents were millennials and generation Z who had shopped in person for at least the last 3 months, and the data was analysed using …

San Luis Obispo Farmers' Market Mobile App & Rebrand, Joelle To

Graphic Communication

The San Luis Obispo Farmers’ Market, a five-block downtown event featuring nearly 100 vendors, currently lacks a centralized platform for visitors and vendors to easily access information, navigate the market, and communicate efficiently.

This project addresses that opportunity through the design of a mobile app that streamlines vendor information, provides interactive market navigation, delivers real-time event updates, and enhances connections between vendors and attendees.

In addition, the project includes a rebrand and comprehensive brand guidelines integrated into the app design, creating a cohesive visual identity that improves user experience, operational efficiency, and long-term engagement for the San Luis Obispo Farmers’ …

“I” Or “We” In Times Of Crises: Should Marketers Use Individualist Or Collectivist Language When Times Are Tough?, Milad Hour, Golshad Parsimoghadam, Ali Jamei

Journal of Applied Marketing Theory

During the pandemic, as people dealt with fatalities, lockdowns, and the psychological impact of reduced social interactions, some marketing messages still captured significant public attention. What was the key element contributing to the success of these communications during such challenging times? This study focuses on the role of collectivism as a stress-coping mechanism included within marketing communications. Analyzing approximately 56,000 brand-generated posts on Platform X, the research examines how the use of collectivist language (e.g., we, us, etc.) relates to message likability, particularly as the pandemic nears its peak. The findings reveal that collectivist terms are positively associated with the …

Online Shopping Non-Adoption In South Africa: A Distrust-Centric Framework Integrating Social Exchange, Trust Transfer, And Social Presence Theories, Cleopatra Moipone Matli, Jeevarathnam P. Govender

Journal of Marketing and Consumer Behaviour in Emerging Markets

Online shopping non-adoption remains critically underexplored, especially in emerging markets. Addressing this gap, the authors develop and test a distrust-centric framework that applies the inhibitory logic of social exchange, trust transfer, and social presence theories to explain pre-emptive avoidance. Focusing on South Africa, where only 18.16% of the population engage in e-commerce, data was collected from 414 consumers who have never shopped online. Structural equation modelling reveals that perceived lack of reciprocity directly increases the intention of non-adoption. Moreover, distrust in online payment systems transfers to broader channel scepticism, which in turn drives avoidance. Perceived lack of social presence further …

Sponsor Recognition In Professional Sports: A Comparison Between Cincinnati Reds And Bengals Fans, Bridget Satinover Nichols, Jenny Gardner, Joe Cobbs

Atlantic Marketing Association Proceedings

No abstract provided.

How Does Product Experience Influence The Helpfulness Of Photo-Enhanced Reviews?, Bridget Satinover Nichols, Anh Dang

Atlantic Marketing Association Proceedings

No abstract provided.

Semiotic Analysis Of Consumer Generated Content Regarding The Fender Ultra Stratocaster, Rex Mcclure, Robert Boostrom

Atlantic Marketing Association Proceedings

No abstract provided.

Marketing For The Dreamwork Wrestling: How To Keep A Small Entrepreneurial Business And Dream Alive!, Steve Chen, Jennifer Mak, Karen Doran, Liz Allen

Atlantic Marketing Association Proceedings

No abstract provided.

A Case Study Of Faculty Perspectives On Teaching Across Borders, Lucy Matthews, Diane R. Edmondson, Tammy Bahmanziari

Atlantic Marketing Journal

This study explores the differences between faculty who have and have not led study abroad programs at a southeastern U.S. public university. Using survey responses from 133 faculty members, the research examines professional and motivational variables that influence participation. Findings reveal that those who have led study abroad programs tend to be satisfied with their experiences, report higher perceptions of student cultural competency gains, and are more likely to recommend such programs to peers. Additionally, experiential learning emerged as a central theme, with faculty highlighting the pedagogical value of immersive global education. Barriers to participation were also investigated. The study …

A Captured Audience: How Job Stress Leads Employees To Online Shopping Via Cyberloafing, Seth Williams

Atlantic Marketing Journal

This paper investigates the hyper-connected workplace and how the modern employee deals with job stress in their work environment. Using the theory of compensatory consumer behavior and partial least squares structural equation modeling, we investigate how job stress impacts employees in the workplace to shop online. This shopping is done via cyberloafing, which is using the internet for personal reasons at work. Psychological detachment is also studied as a mediator. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed for managers in the workplace as well as businesses marketing to individuals taking a break on the clock.

Five Strategic Categories Ai Is Transforming Marketing, Ryan Matthews

Atlantic Marketing Journal

Artificial intelligence (AI) is a revolutionary technology that provides tools and methodologies to expand marketings impact. AI enables companies to better understand customer needs, preferences, and behaviors to personalize an approach to different market verticals and segments. AI has become a significant factor influencing how businesses interact and retain the attention of customers. Customers increasingly have an appetite for a highly personalized interaction. AI-driven data approaches and innovative technologies are increasing personalization and efficiency. AI is a revolutionary tool that enables marketing to grow beyond traditional limitations. Understanding the correct tool is vital for marketing executives, whether they are obtaining …

The Role Of Advertising In Shaping Eating Habits, Mary J. Landrum

Journalism Undergraduate Honors Theses

Today, more individuals worldwide are classified as overweight than underweight (World Health Organization, n.d.-a.). Over the past several decades, obesity rates have increased dramatically, particularly in the United States. Since the 1960s, the prevalence of obesity in the U.S. has risen from 13% to 43%, reflecting a significant shift in population health. Even more striking, less than 1% of Americans were considered morbidly obese in 1960, compared to nearly 10% today (USAFacts, 2023). This trend is not limited to the United States. Globally, the percentage of adults living with obesity more than doubled between 1990 and 2022, increasing from 7% …

Unpacking American Reception Of Glocalized Non-English Content In The Netflix Era, Sur Govindarajan

Dissertations

The swift growth of streaming services has revolutionized the worldwide distribution of media, making it possible for non-English and non-English-adjacent content to reach American consumers on a never-before-seen scale, which is sometimes perceived as an indication of increasing cultural tolerance. However, while a lot is known about what audiences see, far less is known about how they really understand and assess these stories. There is a fundamental vacuum in our understanding of audience reception as a lived, meaning-making process because previous research has mostly focused on consumption patterns. In order to close that gap, this study examines how American audiences …

Rainbow Row: Tourism, Color, And The Making Of A Civic Icon, 1930s – 1960s, Samantha E. Threlkeld

All Theses

This thesis investigates the emergence of Rainbow Row in Charleston, South Carolina, as a civic and tourism icon through an integrated analysis of visual culture, preservation governance, and material evidence. While Rainbow Row has become one of the most recognizable images of Charleston’s historic district, the chronology and cultural mechanisms through which its colorful façades were produced, interpreted, and disseminated have remained largely unstudied. This study addresses the primary research question: How Rainbow Row’s painted façades were leveraged in marketing and tourism narratives between the 1930s and the 1960s, and what those representations reveal about the construction of Charleston’s civic …