Category: Advertising

Take the leap: Overcoming uncertainty with the principles of persuasion

Fears of recession, turbulent markets and an overload of information about the situation have created a sense of uncertainty about the economy going forward, leaving many people unsure how to react. Such uncertainty is especially problematic for a stagnant economy because it often leaves people frozen — too scared to spend and unwilling to invest. Robert Cialdini, a professor of marketing and psychology at Arizona State University and longtime expert in the power of persuasion, says that three specific principles of persuasion — scarcity, consensus, and authority — can be used to influence people to overcome their fears.

Rendering authenticity: How to succeed in the experience economy

The new consumer sensibility, widely heralded in the business press, is the Experience Economy. Our world of mediated, staged and multi-sensory experience — an increasingly unreal world — gives rise to people desiring authentic or "real" experiences. But what is authenticity? In their new book, James H. Gilmore and B. Joseph Pine II provide an answer. It’s a fascinating — if sometimes difficult to follow — analysis of the matrix of real/fake and the many and mixed positions therein. By the end of the book the reader should emerge with the ability to understand the mechanics of authenticity as it applies in the world of economic offerings.

Reaping the benefits of a big event

Super Bowl XLII represents an estimated $450 million in direct and ancillary revenues for businesses and entrepreneurs. Add in the estimated $100 million in revenues from the FBR Phoenix Open during Super Bowl week, and you have a half-billion dollar infusion into the Metropolitan Phoenix economy. But to cash in on a big event like the Super Bowl you must play by the rules, and the National Football League’s licensing regulations, available online, have enough "thou shalt nots" to fill a book of the Old Testament.

More than just a game: The impact of a big event

At kickoff time on February 3, Phoenix will be the focus of attention for some 90 million sports fans worldwide. The 75,000 lucky ticket holders and the thousands more who visit with them will give the metropolitan area an economic shot in the arm. But the impact of a big event like the Super Bowl extends beyond game day. Experts at the W. P. Carey School explain how.

Podcast: Michael Vick, celebrity endorsements, and the fallout when an icon stumbles

Michael Vick’s apparent involvement in the brutal "sport" of dog fighting is the latest incident to focus attention on celebrity endorsements. Companies that use sports stars to endorse their products are aware that the public attaches meaning to athletic performance — an emotional tie that can propel marketing messages. But when an athlete gets in trouble, do the companies pay a price too? Given the risk that the human icon will fall down, what are the factors that make some of these potentially risky relationships more valuable to companies than others? Ray Artigue, faculty director of the W. P. Carey MBA Sports Business Program, and John Eaton, clinical faculty in marketing at the W. P. Carey School, discuss the Vick case and its ripple effects.

Marketers using new media: Brands can be defined by the interactive experience

With consumers increasingly comfortable with interactive technologies such as online social networks, high-speed connections and new media tools, it’s now easier than ever for marketers to connect with their customers. It is also easier than ever for consumers to ignore brand messages. But while consumers may be fed up with one-way messages and annoying interruptions, they are willing to be entertained and engaged, and may choose to participate in an experience that communicates the brand’s message. This new approach to marketing was the subject of a presentation at the recent American Marketing Association Consortium, hosted by the W. P. Carey School of Business.