Most people want to give back to people who do something nice for them. In fact, social mores dictate that a favor should be returned in kind, and we apply pejoratives to those who do not: ingrates, moochers. In the second of a six-part series, psychology and marketing Professor Robert Cialdini talks about this phenomenon, which he calls "reciprocity," and examines how the need to repay a kindness can be used to persuade others to agree — or to work — with us.

The ability to persuade others is critical to success, whether you are selling cars or a new corporate strategy. Psychology and marketing Professor Robert Cialdini has examined the component parts of influence, in the lab and on the street. He has learned that persuasion is a science as well as an art. Today, Knowledge@W. P. Carey begins a six-part series that explores Cialdini’s principles of persuasion. The first: the importance of liking the person you are trying to persuade.

For major marketers, competing and winning in the sports arena means more than simply affiliating a product with the team that posts the most points or the athlete who stands out in the draft picks. Marketers like Coca-Cola have learned that when it comes to navigating the tide of sports, they can no longer assume that their brand and product will be a standout player. It’s all about appealing to sports fans as consumers, and adapting to their changing demands. John Cordova, director of sports transaction management at Coca-Cola, knows that scoring points and continuing to hold a lead among soft-drink consumers at sports venues requires an evolving marketing playbook.