Author: Nancy White


New MBA Case Study Tackles Trillion Dollar Changes in Mutual Fund Distribution Channels

cash flow

Mutual funds are a core element of retirement and investment plans, representing roughly $1 of every $5 held in the bank or financial accounts of US households. In April, MBA students in Professor Mary Caravella’s MBA Marketing classes analyzed how mutual fund products from the roughly 800 fund companies in the industry currently reach the roughly 57 million households who own them, and then debated how one market leader, Capital Group/American Funds, should address some potential profound market forces affecting their retail go-to-market strategy. Continue Reading


Brand Ambassador Experience

Marketing Society Members Act as Brand Ambassadors for US POLO ASSN.

by Robert O’Gara, Chief Organization Officer, UConn Marketing Society

This academic year the UConn Marketing Society involved its members through guest speakers, meetings, and community involvement. The Marketing Society brings together students who are interested in marketing and want to learn more about the “real world” experiences from professionals in the field opening up opportunities for learning, networking, internships, and careers.Continue Reading


Pi Sigma Epsilon Happenings

PSE Regionals

Pi Sigma Epsilon Places in National Level Competitions

by Emily Vasington, Co-president of Pi Sigma Epsilon

During the 2014-2015 academic year, Pi Sigma Epsilon (PSE) involved itself with the local and national community. Pi Sigma Epsilon is a professional, co-ed business fraternity with over 65 chapters at different schools across the country. Locally, members participated in Huskython for the first time, organized a golf tournament with local marketing and sales professionals, and volunteered at elementary schools in the Storrs area.Continue Reading


Shared and Connected: Interpersonal Relationships and Shared Brands

Brands and Brand Relationships (BBR) Conference, May 2015, Boston MA
Selcan Kara and Anna J. Vredeveld

Selcan Kara, doctoral candidate in Marketing, presented her work entitled “Shared and Connected: Interpersonal Relationships and Shared Brands” (Co-author: Anna J. Vredeveld) at Brands and Brand Relationships (BBR) Conference in Boston, MA. Kara and Vredeveld’s research examines how married consumers form relational brand connections. Findings show how shared brand consumption and marital satisfaction influence the nature of the consumer’s connection to the brand and the perceived importance of the brand to the marital relationship.  From a theoretical perspective, Kara and Vredeveld examine the effect of how consumers incorporate brands into their personal relationships (experiential vs. mundane), and resulting shared brand consumption, on consumers’ brand evaluations. From a managerial perspective, the findings address important implications especially in the advertising domain.


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An Empirical Model of Drug Detailing: Dynamic Competition and Policy Implications

Management Science, forthcoming

Hongju Liu. Co-authors: Qiang Liu, Sachin Gupta, and Sriram Venkataraman

Although the pharmaceutical industry is mainly driven by innovation, it spends an enormous amount of money on marketing. Among various marketing vehicles, detailing – personal selling through representatives – accounts for the single largest expenditure. The vast amount of detailing spending in the pharmaceutical industry has drawn the attention of the public and of policy makers. As a result, the practice of detailing in the marketing of prescription drugs is undergoing significant changes. Continue Reading


How Competitor Brand Names Affect Within-Brand Choices

Marketing Letters (forthcoming)

Kunter Gunasti and Berna Devezer

In a recent research forthcoming at Marketing Letters, Dr. Gunasti and his co-author show that consumer choices among different models of a brand name can be affected by exposure to a competitor brand name that forms an incidental trend with the numbers in the focal brand names. For instance, a consumer shopping for a Mercedes and trying to choose between a Mercedes C330 vs. C340 can be exposed to a competitor brand such as a BMW 320i, which increases the chances that he will leave the store with the higher number focal brand Mercedes C340. Although the competitor brand is not even available to choose and it is not considered, its mere presence seems to affect consumers’ focal choices.Continue Reading


Research Seminar with Caglar Igmak, University of Miami

On the invitation of the Marketing Department, Professor Caglar Irmak from the University of Miami gave a research seminar titled, “Merely Available: Products May Be Effective without Actual Consumption” on Friday, April 3. This research shows that providing people with access to a relevant product, without them actually using it, can enhance their performance. For example, participants with access to coffee were faster at a reaction-time task than those without access to coffee. Continue Reading


Research Seminar with Ting Zhu, University of British Columbia

On the invitation of the Marketing Ph.D. students, Professor Ting Zhu from the University of British Columbia gave a research seminar about “Can Price Matching Defeat Showrooming?” on Friday, April 17th. This research studies the impact of Best Buy’s recent price-matching policy on the price competition between Best Buy and Amazon. Specifically, she examines whether the policy can defeat consumers’ showrooming behavior. Data indicate that both Best Buy and Amazon adjusted prices in the same directions. Continue Reading


Marketing Students Recognized at Awards Reception

Fodor Family Scholarship
Pictured, L to R: Alvaro Chavez, Sally and John Fodor, Immanuella Anagu

The annual Marketing Awards Reception recognizes students who have surpassed expectations in the marketing department. The reception, which took place in the Alumni Center on April 27, presented 51 students with certificates for outstanding and honors scholars, various scholarships, and a concentration in Professional Sales Leadership and/or Digital Marketing & Analytics. Students mingled with parents, faculty, corporate sponsors, and scholarship sponsors – John ’85 and Sally Fodor, Fodor Family Scholarship and Stewart ’80 and Pamela Lander, Lander Family Scholarship and Alumnus of the Year – for appetizers in the Sports Museum, and then sat down for dinner and awards in the Great Hall.Continue Reading


Kevin McEvoy Awarded Best Session Paper

Assistant Professor in-Residence of Marketing, Kevin McEvoy, received a Session Best Paper Award for his presentation of The Toolbox-An Innovation Connecting Marketing Education and Practice, at the Academy of Business Research Conference held New Orleans in March. He also served as session chair. The Academy of Business Research ​is an international society of scholars and practitioners who exchange ideas and collaborate in all areas of business and business education.Continue Reading