Center for Marketing and Social Impact: Research

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Our faculty produce research that's making a difference

The Center for Marketing and Social Impact is dedicated to advancing marketing's societal contributions and producing valued, respected research that makes a difference. Faculty members as well as research partners are engaging with a variety of topics and fields and exploring how marketing can contribute to them. Some of the topics our faculty addressed recently include:

Business and Marketing Regulatory Environment
Cigarette and e-Cigarette Use and Prevention
Consumer Financial Well-Being
Data Privacy
Food Well-Being
Global Poverty and Consumption Adequacy
Nutrition Labeling
Purpose-Oriented Organizations
Stakeholder Marketing

The work and research being done by faculty in the Center do not exist in a vacuum. Instead, it’s being incorporated into classrooms and courses, enhancing the student experience and creating a culture of giving within the Department of Marketing. It’s also being applied in boardrooms and in marketing campaigns for leading organizations throughout the country.

Recent Publications

2025

Beveridge, Ivana, Jaideep Prabhu, Katherine Blackburn, and Christopher Berry (2025), “The Influence of Personal and Pro-Social Concerns on Consumers’ Evaluation of Meat Substitutes,” British Food Journal, forthcoming.

Blocker, Christopher P., Joe Cannon, and Jonathan Zhang, (2025) “Are Your Company’s Purpose Initiatives Working?” Harvard Business Review, February.

Blocker, Christopher P., Joe Cannon, and Jonathan Zhang, (2025) “Purpose-driven transformation: A roadmap for leaders to enhance social impact and business performance,” California Management Review, forthcoming.

Coulter, Robin, Kelly D. Martin, and Liezl-Marié van der Westhuizen (2025), “Tournaments of Destruction: Consumers Battling for Visibility,” Journal of Consumer Research, forthcoming.

Lee, Ju-Yeon, Shrihari Sridhar, Narendra Bosukonda, Shuai Yan (2025). “Platform Customer Misconduct: A Conceptual Framework for Research and Practice,” Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, 1-25.

Marisabel Romero, Gina Slejko, Annika Abell (forthcoming), “The Power of Words: How Linguistic Framing Affects Consent in Retail Privacy Policies,” the Journal of Retailing, forthcoming.

Martin, Kelly D. and Johanna Zimmermann (2025), “Artificial Intelligence and its Implications for Data Privacy,” Current Opinion in Psychology, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.copsyc.2024.101829.

Moffett, Jordan W., Natalie Chisam, Kelly D. Martin, and Robert W. Palmatier (2025), “Customer Data Privacy Stewardship,” Journal of Marketing, forthcoming.

Nim, Nandini, Yoonsun Jeong, Jessica Felix Martinez, and Leah Smith (2025). “Retailing in Metaverse: Cryptocurrency and Consumer Payment Choices in Virtual Reality Environments,” Journal of Retailing, forthcoming.

Schumann, Jan H., Johanna Zimmermann, Lena Steinhoff, Dirk Totzek, and Michel van der Borgh, and Kelly D. Martin (2025), “Toward a Multilayered Framework of Privacy-Related Decision-Making in B2B,” Journal of Business Research, forthcoming.

Weldon, Roman, Michael Haenlein, Kelly Hewett, Keith Marion Smith, and John Hulland (2025), “Quest for Insights: Leveraging Data from the Video Game Ecosystem in Marketing,” Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, forthcoming.

Yiqing Yu, Ana Altares, Alyssa Leib, Laura Bellows, Christopher Berry, Dan J. Graham, and Megan Mueller, “Sociodemographic Disparities in Health Literacy Among American Adults: A National Survey Study,” Preventive Medicine Reports, forthcoming.

Yoo, Kiwoong, Michael Haenlein, and Kelly Hewett (2025), “A Whole New World, A New Fantastic Point of View: Charting Unexplored Territories in Consumer Research with Generative Artificial Intelligence,” Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, 53 (3), 723-759.

2024

Blocker, Christopher P., Joseph P. Cannon, and Jonathan Z. Zhang (2024), “Purpose Orientation: An Emerging Theory Transforming Business for a Better World,” Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, 1-27.

Berry, Christopher and Scot Burton (2024), “Response Satisficing Across Online Data Sources: Effects of Satisficing on Data Quality and Policy-Relevant Results,” Journal of Public Policy & Marketing, 43 (4) 318–328.

Mende, Martin, Valentina Ubal, Marina Cozac, Beth Vallen, and Christopher Berry (2024), “Fighting Infodemics: Labels and Antidotes to Mis- and Disinformation?!,” Journal of Public Policy & Marketing, 43 (1), 31–52.

Nim, Nandini, Kiran Pedada, and Kelly Hewett (2024). “Digital Marketing Ecosystems and Global Market Expansion: Current State and Future Research Agenda,” International Marketing Review, 41 (5), 872-885.

Ozanne, Julie, Brennan Davis, Christopher P. Blocker, Benet DeBerry-Spence, and Becky Gann, (2024) “Transitioning to New Paradigms for Societally Impactful Research,” Journal of Public Policy & Marketing, 43 (3), 191-206.

Rybak, Garrett, Scot Burton, and Christopher Berry (2024), “Reducing the Negative Impact of Ultra-Processed Foods: Effects of Marketers’ Processing Claims and Processing Level Disclosures,” Journal of Business Research, 177, 114588.

Zimmermann, Johanna, Kelly D. Martin, Jan H. Schumann, and Thomas Widjaja (2024), “Consumers’ Multistage Data Control in Technology-Mediated Environments,” International Journal of Research in Marketing, 31 (4), 56-76.

2023

Berry, Christopher and K. Douglas Hoffman (2023), “Communicating Intent: Effects of Employer-Controlled Tipping Strategy Disclosures on Tip Amount and Firm Evaluations,” Journal of Business Research, 160, 113752.

Blocker, Christopher P., Jonathan Z. Zhang, Ron Hill, Caroline Roux, Canan Corus, Martina Hutton, Joshua Dorsey, and Elizabeth Minton (2023), “Rethinking Scarcity and Poverty: Building Bridges for Shared Insight and Impact,” Journal of Consumer Psychology, 33, 489-509.

Cannon Joseph P., William D. Perreault, Jr., Joseph P. and E. Jerome McCarthy (2023), Essentials of Marketing: A Marketing Strategy Planning Approach 18^th edition, Burr Ridge, IL: McGraw Hill Education. Textbook includes purpose orientation and significant “marketing for a better world” theory and examples.

Gonzales, Gabriel E., Christopher Berry, Matthew D. Meng, and R. Bret Leary (2023), “Identifying and Addressing the “Health Halo” Surrounding Meat Alternatives in Limited Information Environments,” Journal of Public Policy & Marketing, 42 (3), 242–261.

Dan J. Graham, Rachel G Lucas-Thompson and Gina Slejko (2023), “The Role of Front of Package Nutrition Labels with and without Explanatory Videos on Parent and Child Food Choices,” Nutrients, 15 (18), 4082.

Rybak, Garrett, Daniel Villanova, Scot Burton, and Christopher Berry (2023), “Examining the Effects of Carbon Emission Information on Restaurant Menu Items: Differential Effects of Positive Icons, Negative Icons, and Numeric Disclosures on Consumer Perceptions and Restaurant Evaluations,” Journal of the Association for Consumer Research, “Climate Change: Consumer Understanding, Response, and Interventions” special issue, 8 (3), 314–326.

Salisbury, Linda Court, Gergana Y. Nenkov, Simon J. Blanchard, Ronald Paul Hill, Alexander L. Brown, and Kelly D. Martin (2023), “Beyond Income: Dynamic Consumer Financial Vulnerability,” Journal of Marketing, 87 (5), 657-678.

Steinhoff, Lena and Kelly D. Martin (2023), “Putting Data Privacy Regulation into Action: The Differential Capabilities of Service Frontline Interfaces,” Journal of Service Research, 26 (July), 330-350.

Yoo, Kiwoong, Roman Welden, Kelly Hewett, and Michael Haenlein (2023), “The Merchants of Meta: A Research Agenda to understand the Future of Retailing in the Metaverse,” Journal of Retailing, 6 (1), 173-192.

2022

Gonzales, Gabriel E., Christopher Berry, Matthew D. Meng, and R. Bret Leary, “Identifying and Addressing the “Health Halo” Surrounding Meat Alternatives in Limited Information Environments,” Journal of Public Policy & Marketing, forthcoming.

Berry, Christopher and Scot Burton (2022), “An Examination of Perceptions of Similarity to Cigarettes, Health Risk Perceptions, and Willingness to Try Across Nicotine Vaping Products,” Nicotine & Tobacco Research, 24 (7), 1120–1124. (Impact Factor = 4.24; SSCI Ranking: 4/54 in Substance Abuse)

Blocker, Christopher P., Jon Zhang, Ron Hill, Caroline Roux, Canan Corus, Martina Hutton, Joshua Dorsey, and Elizabeth Minton. (2022) “Rethinking Scarcity and Poverty: Building Bridges for Shared Insight and Impact,” Journal of Consumer Psychology.

Blocker, Christopher P., Kenneth C. Manning, and Carlos Trujillo, (2022), “Beyond Radical Affordability in the Base of the Pyramid: The Role of Consumer Self-Confidence in Product Acceptance,” forthcoming, Journal of Consumer Affairs.

Hutton, Martina, Canan Corus, Joshua Dorsey, Caroline Roux, Elizabeth Minton, Chris Blocker, Jonathan Zhang, (2022) “Getting Real about Consumer Poverty: Deep Processes for Transformative Action,” 56 (3), 1332-1355, Journal of Consumer Affairs.

Barrios, Andrés, Christopher P. Blocker, and Shikha Upadhyaya. (2022) “Valuing Less and Guarding More: Consumption Stewardship in Restricted Contexts,” International Journal of Consumer Studies.

Tang, Elina and Christopher P. Blocker (2022) “Promoting Social Resilience in Service Communities: A Molecular Biology Perspective,” Journal of Services Marketing, special issue “Broadening and Reinvigorating the Service Discipline to Reduce Human Suffering and Improve Well-Being.”

Blocker, Christopher P., Brennan Davis, and Laurel Anderson, “Unintended Consequences in Transformative Service Research: Helping without Harming,” (2022), Journal of Service Research, Editorial to JSR Special Issue on Transformative Service Research.

Quach, Sara, Park Thaichon, Kelly D. Martin, Scott Weaven, and Robert W. Palmatier (2022), “Digital Technologies: Tensions in Privacy and Data,” Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, 50 (November), 1299-1323.

LaBarge, Monica, Kristen L. Walker, Courtney Azzari, Maureen Bourassa, Stacey Finkelstein, Alexei Gloukhovtsev, James Leonhardt, Kelly D. Martin, Maria Quaid, Mehrnoosh Reshadi, and Jesse Catlin (2022), “Digital Exchange Compromises: Teetering Priorities of Consumers and Organizations at the Iron Triangle,” Journal of Consumer Affairs, 56 (Fall), 1220-43.

Martin, Kelly D. and Stasha Burpee (2022), “Marketing as Problem Solver: In Defense of Social Responsibility in Marketing,” Academy of Marketing Science Review, 12 (July), 44-51.

Vadakkepatt, Gautham, Sandeep Arora, Kelly D. Martin, and Neeru Paharia (2022), “Shedding Light on the Dark Side of Firm Lobbying: A Customer Perspective,” Journal of Marketing, 86 (May), 79-97.

Martin, Kelly D. and Grace Fox (2022), “The Data-Based Nature of Customer Relationships in Service Industries,” Journal of Service Management Research, Commentary Series edited by Lena Steinhoff and Robert W. Palmatier, 6 (January), 4-9.

2021

Brough, Aaron R. and Kelly D. Martin (2021), “Consumer Privacy During (and After) the COVID-19 Pandemic,” Journal of Public Policy & Marketing, 40 (January) pages forthcoming.

Berry, Christopher and Marisabel Romero (2021), “The Fair Trade Food Labeling Health Halo: Effects of Fair Trade Labeling on Consumption and Perceived Healthfulness,” Food Quality and Preference, 94, Article 104321. (Impact Factor = 5.57; SSCI Ranking: 18/143 in Food Science & Technology)

Rybak, Garrett, Scot Burton, Alicia Johnson, and Christopher Berry (2021), “Promoted Claims on Food Product Packaging: Comparing Direct and Indirect Effects of Processing and Nutrient Content Claims,” Journal of Business Research, 135 (10), 464–479.

Berry, Christopher, Scot Burton, Jeremy Kees, and J. Craig Andrews (2021), “A Longitudinal Assessment of Corrective Advertising Mandated in United States v. Philip Morris USA, Inc.,” Journal of Business Ethics, 171 (4), 757–770. (FT 50)

Mende, Martin, Beth Vallen, and Christopher Berry (2021), “We’ve Got News for You: Marketing in News Organizations Contributes to Infodemics… but Marketing Can Also Help!,” Journal of Public Policy & Marketing, 40 (3), 326–330.

Kelly, Kathleen, Christopher Berry, Maria Leonora Comello, and Heather Bowen Ray (2021), “The Regulatory Environment Surrounding the Legalization of Retail Marijuana and the Impact on Youth,” Journal of Public Policy & Marketing, 40 (1), 62–82.

Upadhyaya, Shikha, Christopher P. Blocker, Rika Houston, and Marjorie Sims “How Two-Gen Services alter the Transmission of Intergenerational Consumer Poverty” (2021), Journal of Business Research.

Martin, Kelly D., Brett Josephson, Gautham Vadakkepatt, and Jean L. Johnson (2021), “Lobbying and the Like: Managing the Regulatory Environment,” NIM Marketing Intelligence Review, 13 (2), 38-43.

Mackenzie Ferrante, Gina Slejko, Laura Bellows, Susan Johnson, (2021), “Examining parent preferences for the use of behavioral economic strategies on children’s menus in restaurants,” Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics 121(8), 1515-1527.

2020

Mummalaneni, Simha & Jonathan Z. Zhang (2020). "Maximizing the Benefits of B2B Supplier Diversity," MIT Sloan Management Review.

Elder, Ryan S. and Gina Slejko Mohr (2020), “Guilty Displeasures: How Imagined Guilt Dampens Consumer Enjoyment,” Appetite, (July), 150; 104641.

Berry, Christopher, Scot Burton, Jeremy Kees, and J. Craig Andrews (2020), “A Longitudinal Assessment of Corrective Advertising Mandated in United States v. Philip Morris USA, Inc.,” Journal of Business Ethics, forthcoming.

Brough, Aaron R. and Kelly D. Martin (2020), “Critical Roles of Knowledge and Motivation in Privacy Research,” Current Opinion in Psychology, Special Issue on Privacy and Disclosure, Online and in Social Interactions, 31, 11-15.

Kelly, Kathleen, Christopher Berry, Maria Leonora Comello, and Heather Bowen Ray (2020), “The Regulatory Environment Surrounding the Legalization of Retail Marijuana and the Impact on Youth,” Journal of Public Policy & Marketing

Korschun, Daniel, Kelly D. Martin, and Gautham Vadakkepatt (2020), “Marketing’s Role in Understanding Political Activity,” Journal of Public Policy & Marketing, 39 (October), 378-87.

Martin, Kelly D., Jisu J. Kim, Robert W. Palmatier, Lena Steinhoff, David W. Stewart, Beth A. Walker, Yonggui Wang, and Scott Weaven (2020), “Data Privacy in Retail,” Journal of Retailing, 96 (December), pages forthcoming.

Scott, Maura L., Kelly D. Martin, Joshua L. Wiener, Pam Scholder Ellen, and Scot Burton (2020), “The COVID-19 Pandemic at the Intersection of Marketing and Public Policy,” Journal of Public Policy & Marketing, 39 (July), 257-65.

Stanley, Linda, Randall C. Swaim, Joseph K. Kaholokula, Kathleen J. Kelly, Annie Belcourt, and James Allen (2020), “The Imperative for Research to Promote Health Equity in Indigenous Communities,” Prevention Science, 21 (November), 13-21.

Zhang, Jonathan Z. and Hsiao-Wuen Hon (2020), “Toward Responsible Digital Transformation,” California Management Review, forthcoming.

2019

Berry, Christopher and Scot Burton (2019), “Reduced-Risk Warnings versus the U.S. FDA- Mandated Addiction Warning: The Effects of E-Cigarette Warning Variations on Health Risk Perceptions,” Nicotine & Tobacco Research Nicotine & Tobacco, 21 (7), 979–84.

Berry, Christopher, Scot Burton, Elizabeth Howlett, and Christopher L. Newman (2019), “Understanding the Calorie Labeling Paradox in Chain Restaurants: Why Menu Calorie Labeling Alone May Not Affect Average Calories Ordered,” Journal of Public Policy & Marketing, 38 (2), 192–213.

Cermin, Ashley, Christopher Berry, Scot Burton, and Elizabeth Howlett (2019), “The Effects of the FTC-Mandated Disclosure on Homeopathic Product Purchase Intentions,” Journal of Business Research, 101, 47–58.

Kidwell, Blair, Virginie Lopez-Kidwell, Christopher P. Blocker, and Erick Mas (2019) “Birds of a Feather Feel Together: Emotional Ability Similarity within Consumer Interactions,” Journal of Consumer Research, forthcoming.

Palmatier, Robert W. and Kelly D. Martin (2019), "The Intelligent Marketer’s Guide to Data Privacy." New York: Palgrave Macmillan.

Cho, Yoon-Na and Christopher Berry (2019), “Understanding the Effects of Retailer- and Manufacturer Provided Sustainability Labels on Product Evaluations and Purchase-Related Outcomes,” Journal of Business Research, 100, 73–85.

2018

Berry, Christopher, Scot Burton, and Elizabeth Howlett (2018), “The Effects of Voluntary Versus Mandatory Menu Calorie Labeling on Consumers’ Retailer-Related Responses,” Journal of Retailing, 94 (1), 73–88.

Lundeberg, Pamela J., Daniel J. Graham, and Gina S. Slejko (2018), “Comparison of Two Front-of-Package Nutrition Labeling Schemes, and their Explanation, on Consumers' Perception of Product Healthfulness and Food Choice,” Appetite, 125, 548-56

Martin, Kelly D., Brett W. Josephson, Gautham G. Vadakkepatt, and Jean L. Johnson (2018), “Political Management, R&D, and Advertising Capital in the Pharmaceutical Industry: A Good Prognosis?” Journal of Marketing, 82 (May), 87-107.

Stanley, Linda, Kathleen J. Kelly, Randall C. Swaim, and Danielle Jackman (2018), “Cultural Adaptation of the ‘Be Under Your Own Influence’ Media Campaign for Middle-School American Indian Youth,” Journal of Health Communication, 23 (12), 1017-25.

Berry, Chris (2018), “The Effects of Voluntary versus Mandatory Menu Calorie Labeling on Consumers' Retailer-Related Responses,” Journal of Retailing

2017

Berry, Christopher, Burton, Scot and Elizabeth Howlett (2017), “Are Cigarette Smokers’ E-Cigarette Users’, and Dual-Users’ Health Risk Beliefs and Responses to Advertising Influenced by Addiction Warnings and Product Type?,” Nicotine & Tobacco Research

2016

Cunningham-Sabo, L., Lohse, L., Smith, S., Browning, R., Strutz, E., Nigg, C., Balgopal, M., Kelly, K., Ruder, E. (2016), “Fuel for Fun: A cluster-randomized controlled study of cooking skills, eating behaviors, and physical activity of 4th graders and their families,” BMC Public Health

Romero, M., & Biswas, D. (2016), “Healthy-left, unhealthy-right: can displaying healthy items to the left (versus right) of unhealthy items nudge healthier choices?,” Journal of Consumer Research

Campbell, Margaret C., Kenneth C. Manning, Bridget Leonard, and Hannah M. Manning (2016), “Kids, Cartoon, and Cookies: Behavioral Priming Effects on Children’s Food Consumption,” Journal of Consumer Psychology

Kelly, Kathleen J. (2016), “Photovoice: Capturing American Indian Youths' Dietary Perceptions and Sharing Behavior-Changing Implications,” Social Marketing Quarterly

Elder, Ryan and Gina S. Mohr (2016), “The Crunch Effect: The Role of Intrinsic Auditory Sound on Food Consumption Quantity,” Food Quality and Preference

Martin, Kelly D. and Patrick E. Murphy (2016), “The Role of Data Privacy in Marketing,” Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science

Canan Corus, Bige Saatcioglu, Carol Kaufman-Scarborough, Christopher P. Blocker, Shikha Upadhyaya, and Samuelson Appau (2016), “Transforming Poverty-Related Policy with Intersectionality,” Journal of Public Policy & Marketing

2015

Martin, Kelly D. (2015), “Broadening the Paradigm of Marketing as Exchange: Reflections from the Field and Insights Moving Forward” AMA Winter Educators’ Conference, San Antonio, Texas

Martin, Kelly D. and Ronal Paul Hill (2015), “Saving and Well-Being at the Bottom of the Pyramid Implications for Transformative Financial Services,” Journal of Service Research