Strategic Marketing

Just as a successful organization has its own brand, so can a person, and it’s intertwined with reputation. That means on and off the field in the case of student-athletes, and now that they can make name, image and likeness (NIL) deals, they need guidance on how to build and manage that brand wisely. Here are the four major steps in the process.

In athletics, the smallest edge in reputation can mean a coveted NIL deal or a shot to play professionally. When college pitcher Brian Gursky set a goal to play in the major league, marketing expert Kim Whitler offered guidance on how to build his brand strategically, considering what his social media projected to scouts, coaches and sponsors.

Word-of-mouth is a powerful, organic form of marketing. But what about word-of-machine? Research from Professor Luca Cian shows that customers trust artificial-intelligence recommendations when a product or service is practical but resist when they’re pursuing a product or service for pleasure. What can companies do with this information?

What if a product is marketed to you based on one part of your identity? What if you consider that identity marginalized or the marketing is based on a stereotype, whether good or bad? In new research, a Darden expert examines when identity-based appeals are effective — and the importance of really knowing your customer.

Change the world through subtraction: New research examines subtraction neglect — the human inclination to improve by adding to what exists, rather than to subtract and simplify. Here’s advice on how to add subtraction to your cognitive toolkit, which can have distinct benefits in work and life.

Weight loss aids, teeth whiteners, hair-growth serums: When marketing personal improvement products, advertisements often highlight dramatically different “before” and “after” photos —it seems intuitive consumers would be motivated by results, not the time and effort it takes to get them. But research shows the reality may not be so intuitive.

Professor Kimberly Whitler shares expertise on brand purpose offers five ways in which successful brands effectively design and activate their purposes.

The economic base of the postindustrial world is defined by technology and service industries and the rapid way machine learning is changing them. Artificial intelligence’s influence on consumer expectation and business strategy has changed the way the workforce delivers goods and services — and is existentially changing the workforce itself.

Professor Raj Venkatesan discusses his book, The AI Marketing Canvas: A Five Stage Roadmap to Implementing Artificial Intelligence in Marketing, with the Batten Institute’s Sean Carr to examine where the industry is headed and how marketers can responsibly manage AI-powered marketing in the rapidly evolving media landscape.

To develop and manage a brand effectively, marketers start by defining it with a brand essence statement. In an excerpt from her book Positioning for Advantage, Professor Kim Whitler discusses the blueprint for building a brand from the bottom up, including the foundation, the support, the impact on a consumer and, ultimately, the brand essence.