The decreased dependency of marketing managers on traditional message forms (i.e., commercials) has increased the use of nontraditional message forms (i.e., product placement) in marketing communication. These newer message forms are unique because their persuasive intent is concealed by the presentation method and, therefore, may be processed differently than the traditional message forms. Consequently, this paper examines three major issues that arise out of the integration of nontraditional message forms into marketing communication, including (1) incorporating nontraditional message forms into the traditional persuasion literature, (2) introducing a new persuasion element (termed masking of persuasive intent) and its role in the persuasion process, and (3) the inclusion of resistance to persuasion as a related outcome when including nontraditional approaches in a persuasion model. Message form (masking of persuasive intent) is proposed to serve as both an antecedent to processing and as a moderator of the persuasion model. Two models are generated based on the extant persuasion literature to test the model. The generalized model tests masking of persuasive intent as an antecedent and the message form-specific models test the moderating effect of message form. Findings confirm that the operation of the traditional persuasion model does not change with the addition of masking of persuasive intent and resistance to persuasion. However, masking of persuasive intent was found to act as an antecedent in the model, influencing processing style. Higher levels of masking of persuasive intent (product placement) involve more affective processing relative to cognitive processing. Product placement is an effective persuasion technique, but it is losing its uniqueness because of its widespread use. Although product placement is not as impactful as predicted, this research demonstrates that masking of persuasive intent does affect processing style, which ultimately impacts attitude change. In conclusion, both the traditional and nontraditional message forms can be used effectively to deliver a persuasive message. Product placement has the same benefits as the commercial, but may capture a larger number of people watching the program than commercials, which people may choose not to watch.

Multi-channel retailers have been adopting different multi-channel formats that range from complete channel separation (e.g., Victoria's Secret) to close integration (e.g., Bed, Bath and Beyond). The purpose of this dissertation is to determine which multi-channel strategy offers the most value to multi-channel shoppers. The success of a multi-channel retailing strategy is believed to depend on the degree of channel complementarity as perceived by the retailer's customers. Channel complementarity is defined as the degree to which multiple retail channels work synergistically to create value. Complementary channels give customers integrated solutions that create more value than the sum of the parts. It is proposed that channel complementarity arises from two distinct value creating factors - fulfillment integration and merchandising similarity. Integrated fulfillment refers to consumer perceptions about the existence of logistical links between the channels, which create purchasing process benefits that enable a customer to use the two channels interchangeably. Merchandising similarity is defined as consumer perceptions about the degree of correspondence between the channels in terms of product variety and assortment, pricing, and promotion. Using choice-based conjoint analysis, this dissertation shows that consumers prefer greater fulfillment integration and moderate levels of merchandising similarity between the store and the website of a multi-channel retailer. Website is perceived more favorably than the store in facilitating merchandising diversity in the multi-channel distribution system. The results also suggest that shoppers' evaluations of channel complementarity vary across their shopping motivations, technology factors and perceived risks.

A psycho-social model of consumer expectation formation in a health care services context was developed and tested. A field study involving obstetrical patients (n=171) at a large womens specialty hospital in the southeast was conducted. Initial support for the structural model which posits that consumer expectations in health care services are multidimensional involving role, process, outcome, and service quality was found. Furthermore, the research identified that the uncertainty of a health service encounter may cause certain consumer segments to choose coping strategies and expectation processes based on their locus of control orientation from along a continuum ranging from approach-active to avoidance-passive. High internal locus of control was associated with greater amounts of internal search, the formation of more accurate process expectations, and higher service quality expectations. External locus of control was associated with greater amounts of external information search with medical professionals (powerful others) and the formation of higher service quality expectations. The linkage of external locus of control to social support was not supported. However, social support was associated with higher levels of bolstering an affect based coping strategy in which consumers minimize the risks of a chosen alternative and maximize the risks of non-chose health service alternative. Seventy percent of the variance in the model was explained by the structural model. The model provides a useful basis for segmentation in health care services to improve consumer satisfaction based on designing integrated marketing communications and service offerings which meet unique psycho-social needs and consumer expectations.

Research on price promotions suggests that higher discounts often result in more favorable deal evaluations. However, consumers reactions do not always follow a consistently linear path when evaluating the deal. Price promotions offering too high or too low value may result in adverse deal evaluations. In this dissertation we investigate consumers reactions and possible evaluations of price promotions when they are provided information on the two primary price promotion attributes - discount and time restrictions. If the price promotion attributes, acting as cues, are consistent with consumers expectations (e.g., a high discount with a short time period, or vice versa), then the price promotion will be perceived as typical and consumers will evaluate it heuristically by using a small number of the cues. Typical price promotions are also likely to be processed automatically by using the default cause(s) for a retailers price promotions. Consumers evaluations of these deals can then be predicted by using simple linear models (Bettman, 1971) like the concept of perceived value (Monroe, 1982). On the other hand, when a combination of price promotion attributes indicates that a retailer breaks the common sense rules of selling consumers will discount the default explanation and work to find a valid alternative explanation. In doing so, atypical price promotions induce attributional thinking and more complex information processing utilizing all relevant cues. The consumers reactions in such situations may be best represented by more configural models like attribution theory (Kelley, 1972; Weiner, 1968). The proposed conceptual model results in a set of hypotheses tested in two studies. The first study finds support for the hypotheses related to consumers reactions to typical and atypical price promotions when a retailer is fully responsible for offering the price promotion. The second study also finds support for the role of attributions due to external circumstances. The results demonstrate that respondents deal evaluations are dependent on whether the price promotion is typical or atypical and whether its inferred cause is internal or external. As a result the proposed conceptual model parsimoniously accounts for the prior mixed findings found in the research on price promotion.

Why do some of us have the fourteenth black shoe? Fifty pens? Thirty fishing rods? While some motivations relate to compulsive, impulsive or excessive buying, others relate to collecting, hoarding, fixated buying and stockpiling. However, there is a set of consumers who purchase recurrently, have an inventory far greater than that of a typical consumer and yet do not share the negative characteristics of the extreme buyers mentioned earlier. This set of consumers is termed acquisitive buyers and little research exist to understand them. This dissertation establishes the significance of acquisitive buying as a new buying type in terms of defining, characterizing, and explaining the phenomenon. Three essays have been developed. The first essay reveals emergent themes regarding this phenomenon based on sixty two in-depth interviews of students and non-students. Additionally, concept mapping helped validate the results. The second essay differentiates acquisitive buying from all other types of extreme as well as mainstream buying. Citations used in extant literature and those from in-depth interviews with acquisitive and mainstream buyers provide insights. Besides, a typology of extreme buying helps position acquisitive buying amongst the other buying types. Essay three is a quantitative reflection of the distinguishing aspects of acquisitive and mainstream buyers. T-tests help understand the distinctions. Besides, an attempt was made to distinguish the two buying types based on a combination of constructs using logistic regression and discriminant analysis. Finally, this essay tries to understand the relationship between some of the distinguishing constructs using regression analysis. Results establish the existence of acquisitive buying as a distinct buying type. Acquisitive buyers have inherent needs, refined preferences and an elaborate knowledge that helps them to stay prepared for anticipated future events. Self-control, lack of financial problems and low post-purchase regret distinguish these buyers from others with negative consequences. The extreme buying typology based on self-control as the underlying factor positions acquisitive buying in the same platform as mainstream buying. However, fourteen out of eighteen constructs demonstrated differences between the two buying types. Results were consistent across three product categories suggesting that this phenomenon transcends product boundaries and is more trait-based.

The theoretical and practical importance of relational exchange is well known. However, customers are often annoyed at companies relationship building attempts. In addition, the literature has three core problems: (1) the relational concept is not well defined; (2) little research has accounted for relationship dynamics; and (3) relational constructs conceptualizations have become ambiguous. The purpose of this dissertation is to build an integrative and comparative framework that not only delineates relationship stages, but also identifies the unique roles of all relational forms (e.g., firm-firm). Specifically, three research questions are addressed: (1) How is a relationship defined? (2) How is a relationship created? and (3) How does a relationship evolve? These research questions are addressed in three essays. Essay 1 develops the relationship definition, creation, and evolution framework based on the fields 50 most influential articles and validated by survey data from 34 authors. Scholars define a relationship as at least one interaction with future interactions expected. Information sharing and cooperation are necessary elements for relationship creation. Correspondence analysis (CA) was used to map 271 constructs to the evolutionary framework. Using data provided from structured interviews, Essay 2 considered one relational form (i.e., customer-retailer) and compared the perspectives of relational parties (i.e., manager, sales-associate, and customer) on the research questions. A relationship is defined as at least one exchange between parties that share information. Twenty-one elements are noted as required for relationship creation. Relational constructs were mapped to the evolutionary framework using CA. Essay 3 addressed the relationship evolution question by developing and testing a conceptual model of relational exchange using survey data from 1407 customers in the context of their relationships with a coffee house chain. Respondents were segmented based on their relationship stage, and multi-group moderation analysis was performed. Nine of 41 structural paths are invariant across relationship stages. The essays illustrate the difference in perspectives of academics, practitioners, and customers as it relates to the research questions. Information sharing is noted as a key element of relationships in all essays. Support is also gained for the necessary use of relationship stage as a moderator in relational exchange research.

This dissertation is the first study to propose and empirically test a framework outlining factors that influence the choice of brand acquisitions versus brand creations in a brand portfolio expansion strategy. Drawing on research on make-or-buy decisions, a multilevel interdisciplinary conceptual model was developed, identifying three potential levels of influence: the market, the firm, and the brand portfolio. Twenty-two firms were selected from the ACSI sample of firms, and secondary data sources were utilized to collect data for the variables in the analysis. The model was tested using logistic regression. The results revealed that factors at the market and firm levels seemed to have the greatest influence. Competitive Intensity of the market has the strongest effect on the choice of brand portfolio expansion strategy, followed by the firms Financial Leverage, Market Concentration, and Market Growth. The contributions of the study and directions for future research are also discussed.

The consumer-brand relationship (CBR) has gained interest in recent years, but as currently conceptualized, it is limited to a parasocial relationship where the role of the brand is not acknowledged. In order to better understand the CBR, we have to ask several key questions: (1) What is the CBR? (2) What are consumer-brand interactions (CBIs)? And (3) How can we measure CBIs? The objective in Essay 1 is to develop a better understanding of the conceptual foundation of the CBR. This was accomplished through extensive review of relevant literature, which highlighted the need to consider the CBR as a truly dyadic process (rather than a parasocial relationship). At the end of Essay 1, a conceptual definition of the CBR is presented, and the importance of two types of interactions (transactional and social) is stressed. Essay 2 focuses more on the level of interaction in the CBR contextthe consumer-brand interaction (CBI). Through a qualitative research design, several interaction themes in the CBR context were discovered, and the result was a comprehensive description of the CBIincluding a definition and identification of five relevant CBI dimensions. The CBI and these dimensions were empirically examined in Essay 3. Through the development of a measurement scale for CBI and dimensions, a structural model representing the relationships between these constructs could be tested. In addition, moderating effects of interaction type (transactional and social) were considered. The essays provide a better understanding of the CBR by first focusing in on the individual interactions (CBIs) that actually create those relationships. And by considering the CBR as a truly dyadic process, the managers role is consideredthereby providing managerial and theoretical implications.

This dissertation addresses three important price judgments: price fairness, price magnitude, and price expectation. Developed over three chapters, the main objective of this research is to determine underlying differences in these three price judgments. These differences are based on conceptualizing price fairness as a combination of affective and cognitive components, whereas price magnitude and price expectation reflect different cognitive aspects of price judgment. Chapter 1 provides a literature review and identifies several research questions related to these three price judgments; Chapters 2 and 3 provide testable hypotheses and conduct three pretests and two experiments to test the hypotheses. Using structural equation modeling and repeated measures ANOVA, the interrelationships, the antecedents, and the consequences of these price judgments are described and analyzed. Chapter 2 examines the effects of focal price, locus of control, judgment environment, and judgment/intent order on price fairness, price magnitude, price expectation, and purchase intent. Chapter 3 examines the effects of focal price, judgment environment, mood, and processing fluency on the three price judgments and their subsequent effects on purchase intent and anger.

The dissertation investigates how supraliminal goal primes affect brand preference through explicit attitude and implicit attitude and whether the effect of supraliminal goal primes and/or mood on brand preference is mediated by cognitive load. Chapter 1 develops a conceptual framework and provides a theoretical background. Chapter 2 investigates how supraliminal goal primes and/or mood affect preference (Study 1), implicit attitude (Study 2) and explicit attitude (Study 3) in the context of luxury vs. frugal brand consumption. Chapter 2 also investigates whether the effect of goal primes and/or mood on preference is mediated by cognitive load. Chapter 3 considers whether, under a high cognitive load, the effect of goal prime and/or mood on preference is mediated by implicit attitude (Study 1) and explicit attitude (Study 2).