The purpose of this study was to analyze African American portrayals in televised advertisements over a sixday period in November 1995. A total of 799 advertisements were analyzed, including 205 that depicted at least one African American actor. Content analysis was used to describe the following, with respect to African American actors: age, gender, day and time of portrayal, occupational role, and products and services advertised. Comparisons were also made between frequencies of actors of different races and amount of time these actors appeared. When compared with previous studies of African American television portrayals, many improvements were observed as well as some setbacks, with respect to images of African American actors.

Eighty one percent of employers offer programs that focus on wellness (Hewitt, 2005 & Collins, 2004), but most do not have the resources to hire a health professional, and less than 40% of those that implement wellness programs have training. Qualitative and quantitative data were used to identify ways health professionals can support practitioners who are implementing wellness programs.Results showed that survey respondents are involved with wellness of their personal interest (94%, N=52). Since few have had training, workshops in a community setting are a good way for implementers to discuss challenges, successes, and ideas.Recommendations from this study include facilitating more canned programs that allow for tailoring, creating networking opportunities for wellness program implementers, allowing for more time during workshops for discussion of program materials, focusing on ways to overcome barriers. / Fisher Institute for Wellness and Gerontology

This study seeks to explore whether social media plays an important role in determining a firm’s profits. Using data from 392 Large American firms from the period 2005-2013, obtained primarily from the database, COMPUSTAT, I find that a firm’s adoption of Social Media plays a minor role in determining profits, while higher Lagged Profits, Lagged Productivity, Firm Sizes, and Advertising Expenses lead to higher profits.

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The purpose of this dissertation was to investigate, in an exploratory way, the state of the art of the application of brand alliances, with a particular focus on the practice of dual branding, in the field of lodging. More precisely, this research aimed at identifying and evaluating the determinants of industry adoption of, and customer satisfaction with, intra-company dual branding strategies in the US lodging industry. The primary purpose of this study is to determine the efficacy of dual branding in the field of the lodging industry, a phenomenon that is still insufficiently explored in the literature. In fact, the scarcity of literature pertaining to the lodging industry has forced this study to consider the research related to other segments and industries where dual branding strategies have been studied. Therefore, this study intended to expand the existing body of knowledge, advancing the theory of brand alliance from an industry and consumer perspective, as well as adapt, refine, and utilize a scale suitable for the measurement of dual branded hotels' customer satisfaction. This dissertation used an exploratory sequential mixed method approach. In the first qualitative phase, face-to-face and telephone interviews with operational hotel managers, corporate hotel managers, real estate development and management companies' managers, owners, and presidents, as well as hotel and lodging associations' professionals have been conducted. In addition to relevant and significant findings and results obtained through the hotel industry professionals interviewed, themes, constructs, and variables useful in the refinement and adaptation of a dual branding customer satisfaction scale were attained. Consequently, the second quantitative phase consisted of an online administration of a scenario-based questionnaire to dual branded hotels' customers of a dual branded lodging property aimed at identifying and evaluating the determinants of customer satisfaction. The ultimate purpose of this research has been to understand the main issues of implementation of dual branding practices and strategies in the lodging context. In particular, it has been to highlight and provide managerial, theoretical, methodological, and practical implications and recommendations for the US lodging industry, in the adoption of intra-company dual branding strategies. The suggestions offered in the study are relevantly timed to what is happening within the lodging industry, offering implications for both academia and industry.

Understanding the different factors, influencers, and outcomes that form a successful brand partnership allow for marketers to make informed decisions that benefit their company. This paper provides a comprehensive review of the literature regarding partnership marketing and issues a set of guidelines for marketers to strategically market their brand by way of collaboration. With two distinct strategic frameworks, reaffirming partnerships and repositioning partnerships, this paper seeks illustrate the efficacy of brand collaboration and how to achieve success based on varying brand goals.

Private international schools in India are considered by many to be a quality brand. They have grown rapidly leading to competition among schools for student enrollments. The purpose of this case study was to explore the branding strategies used by leaders of Indian private international schools. The study population consisted of private international school leaders in India as well as the faculty and parents from the study site. The double vortex brand model served as the conceptual framework for the study. Semistructured interviews were conducted with 5 school leaders, 5 faculty, and 5 parents from an international school in Chennai. Participants were selected using purposive sampling. Secondary data was collected from school website and school policy manual. Data were analyzed using thematic analysis. The major themes that emerged related to vision, mission, values, culture of the school, and the school's functional capabilities. Study findings suggest international schools in India adopt branding strategies based on core values to inspire, motivate, and educate employees to implement internal branding and communicate their school's brand story using social media tools. School administrators looking to enhance their school brand may find social benefits through improved sustainability, resource availability, and a more harmonious relationship between school leaders and parents. Social implications include better educational outcomes for students who then become better prepared to continue their academic pursuits after high school. The study may be of value to school leaders looking to enhance their school brand.

Marketing plays an influential role in small business survival. The purpose of this multiple case study was to explore the mechanisms used by microbusiness retail store owners for collecting, monitoring, and transforming market data into operational marketing activities. Marketing orientation (MO) provided the conceptual framework for this study. Guided by an abridged interview protocol, 4 retail microbusiness owners from Delaware participated in audio-recorded, semistructured interviews. Saturation of data occurred after 3 interviews, confirmed when the 4th interview produced no new information. After transcribing the interviews, member checking occurred, as each participant received a summary of the interview, along with thematic interpretations to ensure accurate capture of their intended meaning. The data were triangulated using the audio-recordings, transcriptions, observations, field notes, and Internet documents. From the coded data, 3 main themes emerged: (a) role of business owner as marketing instrument, (b) human capital, time, and self, and (c) relationships and networking. Positive social change may result from helping retail microbusiness owners understand the (a) identity relationship that exists between retail microbusiness owners and their business, (b) importance of active owner involvement in marketing, and (c) significant influence of networking and relationships on profitability. These findings may also promote firm and local economic stability through greater understanding of microbusiness owner marketing orientation and effective mechanisms for the integration of marketing activities into operations.

Market-driven changes have led managers in Middle Eastern countries to globalize their local consumer brands to enhance and diversify their business opportunities. The purpose of this multiple case study was to explore strategies used to globalize local brands to global brands. The criteria for participation included 15 executive directors and division heads from 3 companies in the consumer goods industry in Saudi Arabia used to globalize their brands. Data collection included semistructured face-to-face interviews with executive leaders, because each person possessed specialized knowledge of successful brand globalization strategies in the consumer goods industry. The interviewees also provided pertinent internal documents that traced the decision-making processes of their companies. The conceptual framework for this study was the Uppsala internationalization model, modified by organizational learning theory. The data were coded key words, phrases, and concepts identified through analysis software and organized into themes. Themes were interpreted by applying a case-study discussion format and comparing findings to published peer-reviewed research. The analyses revealed 5 major themes: focus on long-range strategic objectives, be flexible to adapt to market and environmental changes, satisfy consumer needs while expanding brand acceptance, standardize marketing of product attributes, and maintain quality assurances. The findings from this study could lead to social change by providing business leaders with information they need to become positive global citizens contributing to society through the generation of revenues, employment, and products for the betterment and benefit of society.

Content of marketing strategies not only appeals to consumers based on their demographics and identity but consumers can also respond more positively to marketing strategies that target their purchasing behaviors. The purpose of this qualitative multiple case study was to explore how financial advisors at credit unions in Jamaica are using marketing strategies to advance millennial prospects, in an environment where consumers recognize commercial banks as the dominant institution in the financial industry. The conceptual framework for this study was the sustainability theory, with a direct focus on economic sustainability. The data collection process involved semistructured face-to-face-interviews with 5 financial advisors from credit unions in Jamaica to explore marketing strategies they used to increase the sale of financial services to millennials to improve their businesses' performance. Analysis of the audio recordings and hand-written field notes included methodological triangulation and grouping information into themes that were prevalent in the data. The coding process yielded 5 major themes -marketing strategies and funding, financial literacy, the impact of information technology, product design, development and modification and measures of success. The study results provided by the financial advisors to millennials could show how marketing communication strategies can contribute to millennials' financial literacy and enhance their financial stability and extend their economic sustainability.