Marketing Commons^™

Examining The Relationship Between Perceptions Of Service Quality, Student Satisfaction, And Intention To Persist At Different Higher Education Institutions, Denise Hardesty, Aaron W. Hughey

Counseling & Student Affairs Faculty Publications

Using a correlational research design, this quantitative, descriptive study was conducted at a two-year community college and a four-year public university. A modified version of the Perceived Service Quality (PSQ) instrument was used to survey full-time, undergraduate students at each institution to examine perceptinos of service quality and whether those perceptions impact a student's decision to return the next semester. Students at both institutions in the study reported a high level of satisfaction in all three primary dimensions of service quality; no significant differences were found to exist in the way in which service quality is perceived by students based …

Lumina: Illuminating The World Of Holistic Beverage Branding With Switchel, Lily Lang

Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects

This Capstone Experience project establishes a compelling brand identity for the beverage switchel, under the name Lumina. Through a comprehensive branding blueprint, a strategic framework is crafted to guide brand development. This framework encompasses industry, competitor, and strategic analyses alongside consumer insights, a communication strategy, and cost of implementing ideas. With these insights, the project extends beyond theoretical constructs to practical applications, including label design, and website prototyping. By integrating elements of advertising and design, this project aims to not only reimagine switchel, but also to establish Lumina as a distinctive and resonant presence in the beverage industry. Through strategic …

The Marketable Me: A Personal Branding Exploration, Amanda Prichard

Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects

The concept of personal branding was introduced in 1997 by Tom Peters in an essay entitled “The Brand Called You”. Since that term was introduced, there has been an explosion of media written about it and many different perspectives formed. In this social media driven age, much of the public understands personal branding as something for influencers and celebrities, when in reality it can, and should, be used by everyone. This project was created to be an intrinsic case study of my own personal branding experience as a college student looking to create a smooth transition into the post-graduation world. …

Say It Like You Mean It: Linguistic Components Of Social Media Corporate Apologies And Their Effects On Consumer Outcomes, Laurel Johnston

Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects

In order to meet increasing consumer demands and protect their reputations, brands must implement a combination of communication and service strategies on social media today. Corporate apologies are an effective crisis communication strategy to reduce online interactions that damage brand reputations. While the value of social media corporate apologies has been established in the literature, few studies have broken down the elements of apologies used in service interactions on social media platforms.

This study manipulated previously untested linguistic components of corporate apologies on Twitter to test their effects on perceived apology sincerity, forgiveness, purchase intentions, and brand advocacy. Results showed …

Promoting A Walk/Run Event To Expand Services For Individuals With Disabilities, Mckenzie Rodgers

Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects

The Suzanne Vitale Clinical Education Complex (CEC) at WKU provides services to many individuals and families affected by autism spectrum disorders and other developmental delays and disabilities. As a nonprofit organization, the clinic relies heavily on donations and fundraisers as sources of income. One of the CEC’s primary fundraisers is the annual LifeSkills Run/Walk for Autism. This event is held each April during autism awareness month, at the Bowling Green Ballpark, providing an opportunity for the community to support the clinic in an enjoyable way.

For an honors capstone experience, the author promoted the 15th annual LifeSkills Run/Walk for Autism …

Ua42 Division Of Extended Learning & Outreach, Wku Archives

WKU Archives Collection Inventories

Records created by and about the Division of Extended Learning & Outreach.

Beyond Sustainable: An Analysis Of The Visual Rhetoric Behind The Branding Of Christy Dawn, Megan Mccormick

Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects

This research project offers insight into the visual rhetorical of design decisions made in the marketing materials of Christy Dawn, a sustainable fashion brand. The primary goal of this research is to identify several motivators, based on prior studies, for the consumption of sustainable fashion and analyze the existing marketing visuals of Christy Dawn’s brand, specifically in how they appeal to these motivators, thus also communicating their sustainable rhetoric to consumers in the process. This project defines these motivators in detail and addresses them in relation to particular elements of design in Christy Dawn’s materials, such as images, color, and …

Elkton Motor Company - Elkton, Kentucky (Sc 3526), Manuscripts & Folklife Archives

Manuscript Collection Finding Aids

Finding aid and scan (Click on "Additional Files" below) for Manuscripts Small Collection 3526. Letter, December 1939, from Elkton Motor Company, Elkton, Kentucky, wishing the recipient a Merry Christmas and suggesting the purchase of a new 1940 Ford V-8 as a family gift. The letterhead features a car wrapped as a Christmas present.

Scotchwhisky101.Com: A User-Friendly, Persona-Driven Website, William Dillon Miller

Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects

Within the realm of web design and marketing, it is easy for the designer to get caught up in what he/she thinks the site needs to look like. The problem is that web users are trying to accomplish specific tasks, and websites need to be tailored towards these users, not towards the designer. To work on this problem, I chose to make a website entitled “scotchwhisky101.com.” Most websites about single malts are too information-heavy and/or outdated. I used this problem to learn methods of user-oriented web design. To achieve this end, I gathered data through a survey. I then took …

The Consumer And Self-Service Technology, Daisy Brosi

Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects

The prevalence of self-service technology in discount retail creates the need to consider how consumer’s age may affect their perceptions of self-service technology. The purpose of this thesis is to understand how different age groups perceive the reliability of self-service technologies and to understand the resulting effect on adoption and usage of self-service technologies. The study compares respondent’s age groups and their perceived reliability, perceived ease of use, perceived security, and perceived control of self-service technology to understand the age group’s adoption and use of self-service technology.

Consumers’ perceived ease of use, perceived security, and perceived control of self-service technology …

Cassidy, Paul S., 1908-1998 (Sc 3497), Manuscripts & Folklife Archives

Manuscript Collection Finding Aids

Finding aid and scans (Click on "Additional Files" below) for Manuscripts Small Collection 3497. Letters written by Paul S. Cassidy, likely in the 1950s, soliciting clients for the sale or purchase of small rental houses on behalf of a company called "The Rental Pool" in Bowling Green, Kentucky.

Video Game Sociology And Public Relations/Marketing Efforts: An Analysis And Application Of Sociological Elements And Efficacy Of Public Release In The Bioshock Series, Bethany Johnson

Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects

Video games are a major, viable source of entertainment for all age groups and offer practical application to everyday life; however, they are mostly viewed in terms of sales and viral popularity. They often go unanalyzed in terms of narrative, real-life implications, reach, and impact. In order to understand different audiences and achieve greater public reach, the game must be thought about in terms of its sociological meaning, public relations and marketing messages, and the market segmentation of domestic versus international consumers. Using one of the more unique games to come out of the last two decades as an example, …

Reppert, Charles Kramer, 1842-1921 (Sc 3456), Manuscripts & Folklife Archives

Manuscript Collection Finding Aids

Finding aid only for Manuscripts Small Collection 3456. Letter, 24 July 1864, of Charles K. Reppert, Louisville, Kentucky, to his brother William E. Reppert, then serving with a Pennsylvania cavalry company at Nashville, Tennessee. He reports on the progress of their business making and marketing “Silver Pearl Soap,” the difficulty of trade in Kentucky without proof of loyalty to the Union, and his hopes to eventually sell the business. He also remarks on an upcoming military draft and that “the Negro Enlistments have cleared Kentucky.”

Gilliam Candy Company - Paducah, Kentucky (Sc 3387), Manuscripts & Folklife Archives

Manuscript Collection Finding Aids

Finding aid and scans (Click on "Additional Files" below) for Manuscripts Small Collection 3387. Letters of Cleve Gilliam of the Gilliam Candy Company, “Manufacturers of ‘Blue Grass’ Brand Candies,” Paducah, Kentucky, to Edwin Larrance, Indianapolis, Indiana, whose health problems are inhibiting his work as the company’s Indiana sales representative. Gilliam complains of the decline in business and of the further difficulty of maintaining profits while supplying free sample boxes of candy. The final letter praises Larrance but terminates the company’s arrangement with him.

Wku’S Brand Personality, Nicole E. Childress

Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects

The University Brand Personality Scale was introduced in the Journal of Business Research in 2016. It establishes six dimensions for evaluating a university’s personality: prestige, sincerity, appeal, lively, conscientious, and cosmopolitan. The scale also illustrates how these dimensions relate to brand love, positive word-of-mouth, and students’ intentions to support their university as alumni. The goal of this project was to evaluate Western Kentucky University’s brand personality on these six dimensions based on student surveys. Results showed that among the six dimensions, sincerity and appeal ranked the highest, followed by prestige, lively, and conscientious, then finally, cosmopolitan. However, on average, each …

Standard Oil Company Of Kentucky (Sc 3331), Manuscripts & Folklife Archives

Manuscript Collection Finding Aids

Finding aid only for Manuscripts Small Collection 3331. Receipts, promotional material, and a photograph of a sign documenting the operation of the Standard Oil Company service station at the corner of College and Seventh streets in Bowling Green, Kentucky. Also includes a paper by Michael Mathews for a museum internship in which he examined the items in the collection. Because of the deteriorated condition of many of the originals, they could not be kept without causing damage to other material. A month of inventory sheets were kept from December 1922 to show a typical month’s operation for the station.

Southard Collection, 1924-1994 (Mss 650), Manuscripts & Folklife Archives

Manuscript Collection Finding Aids

Finding aid and scans (Click on "additional files" below) for Manuscripts Collection 650. Financial records and some personal correspondence of Robert “Bob” Southard who ran an itinerant movie theater in a tent, 1931-1959, in south central Kentucky. Also includes research and promotional material for an exhibit titled “Breathless Moments: Green River Valley Picture Shows,” which showed at several public libraries in south central Kentucky.

Ua1c8/1 Athletics Logos/Symbols Photos, Wku Archives

WKU Archives Collection Inventories

Images of logos and symbols of WKU athletics, all sports as well as Ogden College.

Spalding Laundry & Dry Cleaning Company - Louisville, Kentucky (Sc 3272), Manuscripts & Folklife Archives

Manuscript Collection Finding Aids

Finding aid and scan (Click on "Additional Files" below) for Manuscripts Small Collection 3272. Undated solicitation letter (ca. 1933) from Spalding Laundry & Dry Cleaning Co., Louisville, Kentucky, for its Daily Infant Laundry Service. Includes a booklet for recording infant weight and height and providing diet guidelines for the first twelve months. The letter bears the National Recovery Administration’s “blue eagle” symbol.

A Social Media Analysis Of Users, Their General Happiness, And The Impact On Marketers, Megan Hamberg

Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects

As the internet and social media become more prominent in today’s society, it is important for marketers and others to understand who is using these platforms and how this usage affects overall happiness. Using data gathered from the General Social Survey (GSS) 2016 Cross-Section and a survey created and distributed to Western Kentucky University (WKU) Students, this research examines the effect of demographic variables on whether or not respondents utilize Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Snapchat. Then, the impact of having accounts on these social media platforms on users’ overall general happiness is analyzed. Several other regressions were run and analyzed …

Vlogging In Korea: From Film Student To Youtuber, Kalyn Edwards

Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects

Video blogging, or vlogging, has become its own genre on YouTube in almost a “reality show” type atmosphere. This project aims to examine that world of video blogging from a personal level, not only as a film student, but also from the perspective of an aspiring businesswoman. The goals of this project are to take on the role of a vlogger, along with all its struggles, while exposing myself to a new culture in hopes of appealing to a certain demographic. It appears as though we have gone from a world relying on telegrams and postcards to becoming a society …

Applying Social Media Marketing Content Strategies From The Entertainment Field To Professional Dance, Lindsay Lambert

Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects

Social media is a medium that is becoming increasingly relevant in the marketplace, especially in the arts arena. It is the marketing tool that allows for the more customized engagement between a brand and the target market, often at a lower price than traditional outlets. As a visual industry, dance has a lot of opportunities for content in digital marketing. Other industries in the entertainment realm, such as professional sports or concert music have similar goals with their intended target audiences: develop relationships with consumers to inevitably increase patronage to the organizations’ events. Social media content marketing allows organizations to …

#Reviewbowlinggreen: Food And Attractions Guide For International Students, Kanyawee Skulsillapakorn

Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects

Being in a different country, far away from home, surrounded by strangers that speak a different language than your mother tongue is daunting. Most international students often feel out of place when they arrive in America for the first time. What can we do to change international students’ perspective of Bowling Green from one of being a “boring, small town” to a vibrant growing community? This project will use social media platform like Facebook to promote restaurants and other attractions. Users can write reviews of restaurants, shops, and places to visit in Bowling Green. By including the hashtag #ReviewBowlingGreen on …

Ua1f Wku Spirit & Symbols, Wku Archives

WKU Administration Documents

Bibliography of sources related to WKU Spirit, symbols, mascots, logos and school colors.

Gunther, L. W., B. 1822? (Sc 3075), Manuscripts & Folklife Archives

Manuscript Collection Finding Aids

Finding aid and scan (Click on "Additional Files" below) for Manuscripts Small Collection 3075. Letter, 12 March 1848, of L. W. Gunther, Cadiz, Kentucky, to Charles H. Blake, Blandville, Kentucky. He refers to Blake taking delivery of goods from the steamboat Tennessee, reports correspondence from England and France concerning their stave business, and discusses the specifications for the English customer. He also makes reference to a “shipbuilding enterprise.”

What Is Professionalism? The Validation Of A Comprehensive Model Of Professionalism, Andrew W. Rowland

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Professionalism is a term frequently used in organizations yet perceptions of what it means differ from person to person. Given its frequent use and its link to various job outcomes, such as organizational commitment (Bartol, 1979), there is a need to have a universal definition of professionalism. While there are existing models of professionalism these models are typically developed for a specific field or industry. Thus, there is also a need for a comprehensive model of professionalism that can be used across multiple fields and industries. This study worked to develop a model of professionalism that creates a comprehensive model …

Snapple: Integrated Advertising Campaign, Hayley Renneker

Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects

The National Student Advertising Competition is a competition college chapters of the American Advertising Federation can participate in. This competition has a corporate sponsor, this year being Snapple, which gives students the opportunity to write an integrated marketing campaign that addresses real advertising challenges Snapple is currently facing. I managed a group of 19 peers and worked for several months to come up with a solution to their current problem. We created a 27-page campaign book outlining the research we conducted, the target consumers, a “big idea,” creative execution, media plan, media budget, and campaign measurement. Our “big idea” carried …

Garvin, David Berry, 1943-2014 (Mss 547), Manuscripts & Folklife Archives

Manuscript Collection Finding Aids

Finding aid only for Manuscripts Collection 547. Limited correspondence, calendars, photos, news clippings, and reports that document the life of Warren County, Kentucky, businessman David Berry Garvin. Includes information about Beech Bench Park, Camping World, Sugar Maple Square and an unrealized land development project near Franklin, Kentucky. Includes several memorial books from Garvin’s funeral

as well as a large number of sympathy cards.

Music Education (Sc 2901), Manuscripts & Folklife Archives

Manuscript Collection Finding Aids

Finding aid only for Manuscripts Small Collection 2901. Advertising contracts and rate sheet for the Bluegrass Music News, a publication of the Kentucky Music Educators Association; choral program and constitution and by-laws of the Third District Music Educators Association.

Viral Hollywood: How Social Media & Other Emerging Technologies Have Molded The Modern Moviegoing Landscape, Benjamin P. Conniff

Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects

There’s no denying that the rise of the internet has brought about change in the Hollywood landscape. Fans now use social media, like Facebook and Twitter, to share word-of-mouth about movies both good and bad. In a sense, anyone can use these new “spreadable media” to be a critic. I myself took it one step further and started my own film review blog. I was even published in the College Heights Herald student newspaper for over a year! In gauging my audience’s tastes in social media usage and in film, I have uncovered the fact that the hot-button marketing issues …