Patricia Williams - Faculty Research in Knowledge@Wharton

Technological Evolution Stirs a Publishing Revolution

Wed, 05 Aug 2009 16:41:52 EST

According to Wharton faculty who follow the complicated, emotionally fraught subject of how we buy and sell literature, devices such as Amazon's Kindle and an on-demand book-printing machine called Espresso are helping to upend longstanding customs in the slow-to-change business of book publishing.

Marketing for Financial Advisors: Harness Data, Drill Deep into a Niche -- and Thrive

Wed, 22 Jul 2009 15:41:58 EST

Financial advisors face difficult challenges given the global economic and financial crisis. Yet advisors can not only survive the downturn, but also thrive during it, according to the authors of a new book, Marketing for Financial Advisors: Build Your Business, Bring in Clients, and Establish Your Brand. Indeed, Wharton marketing professors Eric T. Bradlow and Patti Williams, and Keith Niedermeier, director of Wharton's undergraduate marketing program, suggest that the struggling economy provides an opportunity to "attack" and gain market share. In an interview with Knowledge@Wharton, the three authors discuss how financial advisors can build their business -- even in a down economy -- by adopting data-driven and niche marketing principles.

When the Going Gets Tough, the Tough Don't Skimp on Their Ad Budgets

Wed, 26 Nov 2008 12:18:24 EST

With corporate managers under enormous pressure to control costs and maintain liquidity in the current credit crisis, advertising budgets often appear to be a dispensable luxury in the struggle to survive. According to Wharton faculty and marketing experts, that attitude can result in short-term gains, but long-term trouble.

'Dead-tree Medium' No Longer: For Many Marketers, Print Outperforms Digital

Wed, 19 Mar 2008 14:57:40 EST

Paper costs are rising, mail rate hikes are looming and competition from new media continues to grow. Yet marketers' use of direct mail and other printed materials is stronger than it's been in years. Thanks to variable-data printing, companies can now tap purchase-history databases to design, create and print entirely personalized catalogs that cross-sell products and services to individual consumers. They can also combine print with other media in the evolving discipline known as cross-channel marketing. But whatever strategy a company adopts, experts note, the challenge is the same: Finding the right way to communicate with customers.

If Online Marketing Is the Future, Why Are Some CMOs Stuck in the Past?

Wed, 06 Feb 2008 15:51:11 EST

Americans spend an average of 14 hours a week online and 14 hours watching TV. But marketers spend 22% of their advertising dollars on TV and only 6% online, according to data compiled and analyzed by Google. Why are some chief marketing officers and major advertisers reluctant to add digital technology to the marketing mix, despite the Internet's ability to help target huge audiences and build brand awareness? Wharton faculty and marketing experts offer a number of answers, but they also note that CMOs and others will soon have no choice but to start taking advantage of an increasing number of online advertising options.

Super Bowl Showstoppers: Despite the Economy, the Big Game Is Still on for Advertisers

Wed, 23 Jan 2008 16:49:57 EST

Even against the backdrop of an increasing likelihood of recession, television advertising spots for February's Super Bowl XLII were nearly sold out by early January -- several weeks sooner than in the past -- and advertisers are paying record prices. While the power of television has waned as new media compete for consumers' attention, the Super Bowl appears to have retained -- and solidified -- its position as the ultimate in television marketing, according to Wharton faculty and industry analysts.

The Holiday Shopping Outlook: I Saw Mommy Dissing Santa Claus

Wed, 14 Nov 2007 15:20:43 EST

When Wal-Mart starts its holiday markdowns three weeks before Thanksgiving, you know it will be a tough Christmas season. The Arkansas-based discount chain, a bellwether for U.S. retailing, usually holds off on its "door buster" sales until the day after Thanksgiving, traditionally the year's busiest shopping day. This year, Wal-Mart decided that it couldn't afford to wait. No wonder, say scholars at the Wharton School and retail analysts. A host of economic worries -- plus concerns over toy recalls -- has this year shaping up to be a lump-of-coal shopping experience. Here is what retailers -- and shoppers -- can expect.

In the Growing Market for Online Video, TV Networks Want a Piece of the Action

Wed, 03 Oct 2007 14:47:58 EST

CBS launches an online editing studio called EyeLab so fans can edit short versions of video programming. ABC distributes full versions of its television shows on its own site and via AOL for free. NBC Universal teams up with Amazon.com to distribute its shows. The frenetic wheeling and dealing for digital distribution of TV programs -- just as the fall season is gearing up -- reflects the television networks' attempts to find Internet business models that can be profitable and still protect both their intellectual property and brand identity.

Media Moves: Will the New Online Advertising Models Click?

Wed, 30 May 2007 15:38:15 EST

Microsoft buys aQuantive; Google acquires DoubleClick for $3.1 billion; Yahoo purchases the 80% of Right Media it doesn't already own, and ad firm WPP gets 24/7 Real Media for $649 million. And that's just in the last six weeks. The common thread: All the takeover targets are online advertising companies. The race to consolidate the online advertising industry is heating up at the same time that advertisers are demanding more return on their marketing dollars. Wharton professors and others analyze how this will play out for tech companies, ad companies and consumers.

At Google, the Search Is On for a New Approach to Old Media

Wed, 07 Mar 2007 14:51:20 EST

Viacom and CBS have pulled videos from Google's YouTube. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences recently requested that some Oscar footage be taken down from YouTube as well. And Google's efforts to sell radio and print advertising have not met expectations. In short, Google's ability to navigate the traditional media landscape doesn't seem to be going particularly well. What's the problem? While Google has the resources to create deals with content companies, it still must contend with a number of confounding crosscurrents, including content owners' concerns over intellectual property and a clash of advertising models.

Brand It Like Beckham: Can the Soccer Star Sustain the Hype?

Wed, 24 Jan 2007 15:12:24 EST

The sports world went into overdrive this month when it was announced that soccer star David Beckham had signed a landmark five-year sports contract worth an estimated $250 million to play soccer with the Los Angeles Galaxy. But what many Wharton sports and marketing experts are wondering is whether Beckham can live up to the hype surrounding the deal and produce enough star power to not only boost the team's revenue, but also raise the profile of Major League Soccer in the U.S.

Product Placement in the Pews? Microtargeting Meets Megachurches

Wed, 15 Nov 2006 16:21:19 EST

Church pastors last year had a chance to win a free trip to London and $1,000 cash -- if they mentioned Disney's film "The Chronicles of Narnia" in their sermons. Chrysler, hoping to target affluent African Americans with its new luxury SUV, is sponsoring a Patti LaBelle gospel music tour through African-American megachurches nationwide. Advertising has begun to seep into churches, according to religious, marketing and academic experts, pushing the boundaries by selling products with no intrinsic religious value.

Burgers and Other Goods in the Blink of an Eye: How Effective Are Short Ads?

Wed, 18 Oct 2006 16:48:45 EST

Clear Channel Communications, which owns more than 1,200 stations and is the nation's largest radio company, has begun selling five-second, two-second and even one-second spots that they hope will appeal to cost-conscious marketers. But how much can an advertiser communicate in a five-second "adlet" or a two- or one-second "blink," as these super-short ads are called?

To Blog or Not to Blog: Report from the Front

Wed, 18 Oct 2006 16:48:45 EST

Kevin Werbach, Wharton professor of legal studies and business ethics, is a dedicated blogger, especially when it comes to technology news and innovation. He sifts through 300 to 400 blogs using NetNewsWire for the Mac, a blog management tool that allows him to quickly scan new posts. "I look for blogs that tell me something I don't already know, including in areas where I am an expert," he says. Knowledge@Wharton asked several faculty members and technology experts to comment on the appeal and usefulness -- or lack thereof -- of blogs.

Will the New Nike+iPod Sport Kit Hit the Ground Running, or Hit the Wall?

Wed, 26 Jul 2006 12:03:13 EST

Music, physical movement, technology and being cool have long gone hand in hand. Now, two iconic brands, Apple Computer and Nike, are collaborating on a new system of gizmos that take exercising and digital-music players to a new level. The Nike+iPod Sport Kit allows runners and walkers to listen to songs and to record, store and share information (such as speed, distance covered and calories burned) with others about their exercise sessions. The system also "talks" to runners in real time, providing information as they jog along. Members of Wharton's marketing department say it's a winning combination that will bolster each company's image and open the door to other co-branding opportunities. But they disagree as to whether the joint effort will actually sell more iPods and Nike shoes.

The Coffee Wars Heat Up: New Strategies to Jolt the Caffeine-Conscious Consumer

Wed, 19 Apr 2006 16:18:31 EST

Consumers' love affair with expensive, customized cups of coffee shows no signs of abating, even though most orders consist of little more than a cup of water, a splash of milk, a spoonful of coffee grinds and 30 seconds of labor. Indeed, Starbucks has managed to turn its customers' craving for caffeine into a $6.4 billion a year business, with close to 6,000 company-owned coffeehouses already up and running, and five new ones opening each day. All of which explains why so many coffee sellers seem intent on taking away some of Starbucks' highly profitable market share. Yet according to Wharton marketing professors, some companies are so obsessed with swiping business from Starbucks, or losing customers to it, that they may be abandoning a niche that has already proved profitable.

Talking Chimps, Subservient Chickens And Others Blend Entertainment and Advertising

Wed, 05 Apr 2006 17:06:25 EST

A talking chimp arriving in e-mail inboxes speaks in its sender's voice through a telephone connection or recites a pre-recorded joke for the boss. Burger King's ad campaign offers a "subservient chicken" site where viewers can type in commands to a person in a chicken suit with red garters. JibJab is developing a new site called JokeBox, where consumers and corporations can post and share funny videos or jokes online. These are among the latest viral marketing campaigns that blend advertisement and interactive entertainment across informal consumer networks. The convergence may be inevitable, say Wharton faculty and others, but it remains unclear whether such an approach is sustainable and measurable, and whether it will actually generate new business.

'Tastes Great, Less Filling, and Perfect with Cheese': Beer Tries to Brew Up a New Image

Wed, 25 Jan 2006 15:13:16 EST

Can an industry that has spent a fortune on TV ads featuring mud wrestlers and talking frogs suddenly change its stripes to appeal to the wine-and-cheese, single-malt Scotch crowd? The makers of Budweiser and other brands of beer hope so. Anheuser-Busch and its competitors are developing an industry-wide marketing campaign aimed at overhauling the image of the humble beer and staunching its declining share of the alcoholic beverage market. But Wharton faculty members say that such a radical makeover might be too tall an order, even though the effort could enhance the appeal of microbreweries and perhaps some mass-market beers, like Michelob, that have already carved out a higher-end image.

Christmas Creep: The Shopping Season Is Longer, but Is It Better?

Wed, 01 Mar 2006 17:04:17 EST

Call it "Christmas creep." Holiday decorations are going up earlier in stores with each passing year, seasonal merchandise gets stocked on shelves soon after Halloween, and Christmas-related commercials are appearing on TV long before Santa Claus makes his way through Manhattan in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade. But is a longer Christmas season good for retailers? The phenomenon of an ever-earlier Christmas season is a boon to the people responsible for supply-chain management, according to operations experts at Wharton. But Wharton marketing scholars and other analysts say an extended Christmas season is something of a mixed bag. It may hold advantages, disadvantages -- or even no advantages -- for store owners.

Food Fight: Obesity Raises Difficult Marketing Questions

Wed, 09 Mar 2005 16:03:13 EST

Mention the word "obesity" and just about the only point of agreement is that the problem has indeed reached critical proportions. Obesity is routinely described as a global epidemic not only in the United States and Western Europe but in countries like South Africa, China and Brazil. It threatens to overwhelm health care systems with a flood of weight-related illnesses, ranging from diabetes to heart disease. Given this reality, what should the response be from companies that manufacture, sell and/or advertise high-calorie, high-fat foods? Should these companies change their marketing strategies? Are they obligated to promote healthier products, and cut back or cut out less healthy ones, regardless of consumer demand? Who is responsible for what a person eats?

James Bond's BMW and Other Product Placements: New, Racier Ways to Advertise

Wed, 15 Dec 2004 15:34:52 EST

The 30-second television spot, once the mainstay of mass marketing, is waning in influence as new technology, including the Internet, cable television and TiVo, fractures the viewing audience. Consequently, advertisers are turning to alternative forms of promotion to reach consumers, according to Wharton faculty and advertising executives. One strategy: Blur the lines between advertising and entertainment in order to build an emotional bond with the consumer. Think "Lion King."

Creating the Buzz Behind Bill's Blockbuster

Wed, 14 Jul 2004 17:18:02 EST

He’s been called Elvis, Bubba, the Comeback Kid and Slick Willie. Now Bill Clinton can add another moniker to that list: Laydown King. In the world of publishing, the laydown date is a book’s official release day, the focal point upon which a publisher brings to bear all the marketing prowess it can muster in order to generate a blockbuster. Yet according to Wharton faculty and others, executives at Knopf Publishing Group, which paid the former president a reported $10 million advance to produce My Life, did nothing special and broke no new ground in launching their marketing blitz. Rather, their success has come from making the most of tried and true marketing tactics – and Bill’s celebrity.

Low-carb, High-carb: What's a Baker/Pasta Maker to Do?

Wed, 16 Jun 2004 15:47:10 EST

With the public’s appetite for low-carbohydrate food products on the rise, what is the right strategy for a baker or spaghetti maker these days: Buck the trend or join in the feast? Marketing experts at Wharton say the answer will depend on what manufacturers of breads, pastries, pasta and other high-carb foods think about the future of the low-carb craze. If they feel it’s a temporary fad, then it’s smart not to spend a lot of money launching a low-carb product line to supplement their existing high-carb offerings. But if they feel the low-carb trend represents a permanent shift in dietary habits, they should go ahead and produce low-carb alternatives. What’s clear is that where finicky consumers and diet fads are concerned, there are no easy answers.

Getting Close to the Customer: Quantitative vs. Qualitative Approaches

Wed, 05 May 2004 13:10:03 EST

After adapting information technology to develop ever more sophisticated research methods, marketers are taking a second look at more human, qualitative approaches to tapping into the hearts and minds of consumers. As one Wharton marketing professor says: “We can put each customer’s order on a microchip, but as far as having a sense of what’s inside making him tick,” the answers remain elusive. He and others suggest that companies use both quantitative methods – such as data mining – and qualitative methods, ranging from “concept banks” to “brand communities” to customer advisory boards, always keeping in mind the cost-effectiveness of these varied approaches.

It's Showtime: Will the GE-Vivendi Deal Please the Critics?

Wed, 10 Sep 2003 00:00:00 EST

Vivendi Universal's agreement to sell its Hollywood assets to General Electric�s NBC entertainment division would further consolidate the global market, creating a sixth major media conglomerate with the creative horsepower of Seabiscuit and the reach of Friends. The pending deal has so far received some favorable reviews although not everyone is a fan. One question: How will GE�s nuts-and-bolts management style mesh with a hip Hollywood culture where predictability is rarely part of the program?

Darn Those Pop-Up Ads! They're Maddening, But Do They Work?

Wed, 13 Aug 2003 00:00:00 EST

They create clutter and are as inescapable as humidity in August. But just how annoying are those pop-up ads that appear unwanted on your computer as you cruise the Internet? How effective are they at selling stuff? E-commerce experts at Wharton and elsewhere say that pop-ups are not universally loathed and irrevocably worthless. Being intrusive does not necessarily translate into bad advertising.

2002: The Year of the Apology

Wed, 04 Dec 2002 00:00:00 EST

Earlier this fall, Safeway, a food retailer based in Pleasanton, Calif., took out radio and television ads apologizing to customers of some recently-acquired grocery stores for changes in these stores� operations. Safeway joined what seems to be a long list of apologizers � from investment bankers to fast food corporations � who have recently expressed regret for a variety of mistakes. With a year full of apologies now coming to a close, Knowledge@Wharton looks at how effective apologies are, what they signal, when they should be offered and whether they can backfire.