Marketing & sales

The psychology of the set list: How can we increase enjoyment of an experience in the moment and in our memories? And how can this be used in business? After all, memory drives good reviews, return business and lasting satisfaction. Luckily, there’s a mathematical model for it.

China’s marketing landscape is a different machine than Western companies may be accustomed to. How a country evolves impacts consumer habits — which, in turn, should impact marketing practice. Western multinational firms seeking to expand need to shift their strategies — and might find they can apply some lessons to other markets.

Darden Professor Raj Venkatesan surveys the streaming video landscape and discusses what the future may hold for companies and consumers.

Influencer marketing is a key way to engage potential customers, build loyalty and drive a message to a larger market in an organic way. Darden marketing experts provide insights for aspiring influencers and marketers eager to analyze their effect.

Research shows that consumers don’t just make decisions based on personal beliefs, attitudes and preferences — at least not those in close relationships when choosing shared experiences. How can this information benefit relationships and marketing strategy?

Companies use voting to engage customers and create buzz. The practice can spark innovation, lower product development costs and increase speed to market. But this kind of engagement can also lead to consumer expectations … and the British public voting to name a $280 million ship “Boaty McBoatface.” How can savvy organizations avoid this trap?

Darden Professor Rajkumar Venkatesan proposes four steps for marketers to develop an AI “canvas,” through which they can deploy machine learning technologies to compete for customer attention.

What does a formerly popular NBA franchise do when it sees a sheer drop in attendance and more than half its luxury suites go empty? It employs this technique to determine how much fans value different perks … and refills the arena with a strategic and inexpensive promotion.

We may be proud of our own interests as well-rounded and complex, but when it comes to others, we’re quick to assume a narrow spectrum of tastes. Professor Tami Kim explains why this matters in a range of situations, whether companies are marketing to consumers or physicians are consulting on life-or-death matters.

How successful firms use data: Car insurance comparison site Compare.com drove completion rates thanks to its analysis of customer behavior and web traffic. It serves as a case in point on the five key traits of organizations with exceptional cultures of experimentation.