Marketing – Knowledge@Wharton: Recent Episodes
Knowledge@Wharton is the online business analysis journal of the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania.
New research co-authored by Wharton’s Jonah Berger quantifies why some movies, television shows, and other stories are more successful than others.
Wharton marketing professor Patti Williams offers her take on this year’s Super Bowl ads.
Amazon may have the Midas touch, but will its effort to open a clothing store succeed? Wharton’s Santiago Gallino explains what the company must do to make Amazon Style work.
Wharton marketing lecturer Annie Wilson looks at the pros and cons of the cosmetics firm’s bold move.
Products often become clutter when consumers save them for special occasions that never arrive. Wharton’s Jonah Berger explains why marketers may want to avoid making items seem too special or exclusive.
Wharton faculty offer advice on how companies can keep up with the complex demands of consumers by adopting a modern approach to customer lifetime value.
Using more concrete language can improve customer satisfaction, according to new research from Wharton marketing professor Jonah Berger.
Americans would be more likely to claim billions in untapped federal aid if they felt psychological ownership over those benefits, according to a new study from Wharton’s Wendy De La Rosa.
Wharton’s Raghuram Iyengar explains three major challenges to omnichannel marketing and what firms can do to overcome them.
Information becomes biased and more negative as it’s retold from person to person, according to new research from Wharton that sheds light on the dangers of distortion.
People donate more to charity and tip more when they are given a chance to express themselves through choices, according to a new study co-authored by Wharton’s Jonah Berger.
Wharton’s David Reibstein explains why Canada, the U.S. and South Korea pulled ahead while others fell behind in the 2021 Best Countries Report.
In an updated and expanded edition of her book ‘The Shopping Revolution,’ Wharton’s Barbara Kahn examines the retailers that have been most successful during the pandemic and in the face of other enormous changes in the industry.
What defines a “wow” depends on the shopper and type of store, but hassle-free customer support is at the top of the list, according to a recent study from Wharton’s Baker Retailing Center and The Verde Group.
Conspicuous consumption is giving way to a new ethos called "minimalist luxury." Wharton’s Pinar Yildirim and Z. John Zhang explain how the makers of high-end goods can respond to this market trend.
Firms benefit when consumers feel they “own” a product. But in the sharing economy, goods and services are becoming more experiential and impermanent. New research co-authored by Wharton’s Deborah Small explains this shift and offers marketing strategies to help preserve that feeling of “mine.”
Millions tune into the NFL Super Bowl each year to watch the game’s entertaining advertisements. A new study co-authored by Wharton’s Jonah Berger shines light on the emotions that make people more likely to share what they see.
Wharton marketing professor Jonah Berger explains why songs with the word “you” are more successful with consumers, and what that could mean for other products.
Data collected from genetic testing kits can help marketers customize products for consumers. But a new Wharton study raises red flags over ethics, privacy and the potential for misinformation.
Behavioral scientists at Wharton and Penn are studying the best communication strategies that nudge people into getting vaccinated for the flu, with implications for controlling the COVID-19 pandemic.
Whether it’s marketing a product or winning an election, change agents never succeed by forcing their beliefs on others, says Wharton’s Jonah Berger.
Shoppers are losing patience with retailers during the pandemic, according to a new study that finds significant dissatisfaction with both in-store and online purchases. Wharton’s Tom Robertson explains how retailers can win them back.
In a stark turnabout, the NFL is now embracing the same goals of social justice and racial equality that cost quarterback Colin Kaepernick his football career. Experts explain the change and why other brands should follow suit.
Easy returns are great for shoppers, but they are becoming a bigger financial liability for stores. New research co-authored by Wharton’s Thomas S. Robertson explains why it’s time for retailers to rethink their liberal return policies.
In an excerpt from the new edition of his book 'Customer Centricity,' Wharton’s Peter Fader describes how Starbucks has pivoted in recent years to capture more information about its customers – especially lovers of pumpkin spice lattes.
An international consumer brand challenged students to mine its data for revenue-boosting insights at a recent “Datathon” hosted by Wharton Customer Analytics.
New Wharton research explores why consumers are more willing to share personal information when communicating on a smartphone compared with a computer.
When stores start to reopen, the pandemic will have left an indelible footprint on how U.S. consumer-facing businesses operate, writes the Conference Board’s Denise Dahlhoff in this opinion piece.
The coronavirus pandemic has wreaked havoc on American retailers, particularly those that sell nonessential goods such as apparel. What will the sector look like once the viral threat has passed?
From designer street wear to lobster macaroni and cheese, mixing high-end products with low-end elements is a big trend in marketing. New research coauthored by Wharton’s Jonah Berger examines why that’s happening and what it means for brands.
In behavioral economics, friction that slows down processes is called “sludge.” It deprives consumers of access to goods, services and opportunities, and sweeping it away should be a high priority, say Cait Lamberton and Dilip Soman in this opinion piece.
Rajesh Jain, founder of Netcore Solutions, says companies must focus on finding and keeping their best customers.
Macy’s has a three-year plan to turn around flagging sales, but experts say it might be too little, too late for the iconic U.S. retailer.
When consumers order online, they want what they want -- and fast. Industry leaders discussed the latest strategies for e-commerce at the Baker Retailing Center CEO Summit in New York City.
Luxury retailers such as Saks, Nordstrom and Gucci are investing in lavish physical stores blended with improved online service to lure customers, according to industry players at the Baker Retailing Center CEO Summit in New York City.
As the global media landscape shifts, how will top brands succeed at attracting customers and keeping them engaged? Google’s Gopi Kallayil offers his insights in this opinion piece.
Fashion re-commerce -- renting, reselling, thrifting -- is changing the fabric of the retail industry, according to speakers at the Baker Retailing Center CEO Summit in New York.
Free shipping is great for shoppers, but it’s becoming an increasingly significant cost for online sellers. Wharton’s Barbara Kahn and Ron Berman discuss the free-shipping conundrum faced by retailers large and small.
A new paper by Wharton's Cait Lamberton offers guidance for marketers who must transform traditional practices and beliefs to fit the modern sharing economy.
Wharton marketing professor Jonah Berger’s latest research on persuasive language puts some science behind the notion that it’s not what you say, it’s how you say it.
Three big mistakes led to Forever 21’s bankruptcy filing and could imperil the fast-fashion chain’s future, experts say.
With three of the largest tennis franchises under its belt, Infosys, an Indian IT services firm, wants to take its digital technology skills to other sports.
In her new book, Columbia University professor Sharon Marcus traces the history of celebrity culture and shows how the biggest stars stay relevant by learning how to manipulate the media of their day.
Digital retailers can reap significant financial benefits from opening physical stores, according to new research from Wharton and Harvard.
Rising commercial rents and the demise of the department store model pose an existential threat to Barneys and other icons of high-end retail.
Wharton's Peter Fader and Emory's Dan McCarthy explain why customer-based corporate valuation is a novel -- and very accurate -- way of determining a firm’s worth.
Cosmic Crisp, a new apple variety more than 20 years in the making, is hitting stores this fall -- but getting produce to stand apart from similar offerings is not a simple task, marketing experts say.
Poor nutrition and obesity are setting records globally despite abundant healthy choices at restaurants and grocery stores. In her new book, food writer Bee Wilson looks at the paradox of the modern diet.
Experts say the recent boom in plus-size clothing offerings is the result of financial and social pressure that is pushing manufacturers to scramble for a share of this $21 billion market.
The recent controversy over Nike sneakers sporting a Revolutionary War-era flag raises similar questions to a Supreme Court decision on the use of controversial words as marketing tools, notes the author of this opinion piece.
The highly successful business of popular culture is based, in part, on a medium that was denigrated and despised throughout much of its history – comic books. Comic-Con's Eisner Awards ceremony seeks to rectify that.
Bringing out the best in customers can lead to an 86% jump in both referrals and the conversion rates for those receiving the message, notes new research.
Amazon’s runaway growth has prompted questions about whether it has become a massive monopoly that is unfairly edging out smaller competitors.