BU Now » Marketing

Will shoppers come out in force on Black Friday?

Jo Breiner — Fri, 19 Nov 2010 13:13:48 +0000

The holiday shopping season is one week away. The National Retail Federation predicts that 138 million shoppers are expected to hit the stores on Black Friday. Boston retailers are expecting a good season. School of Management marketing professor Frederic Brunel is available to offer expert analysis and commentary on Black Friday and what it means to consumers.

Contact Frederic Brunel, 617-353-4609, brunel@bu.edu

Tiger’s endorsments iffy

Dick Taffe — Mon, 14 Dec 2009 22:11:50 +0000

Some of Tiger Woods’ endorsers are sticking with him, some are bailing out, and others are waiting to see if the firestorm hits them. Advertising Professor Chris Cakebread, who teaches sports marketing, says much will depend on how much the advertisers feel “trust” is significant in their pitching Tiger.

“Tiger was a trustworthy spokesperson for a brand. His public persona never varied. That trust has been broken, and some brands are worried about how that break in trust will influence consumer perception towards their products.”

Contact Chris Cakebread, 617-353-3476, ccakebre@bu.edu

Looking ahead to holiday shopping

Dick Taffe — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 13:32:38 +0000

With the July numbers showing sluggish sales, retailers already are looking toward this winter’s holiday sales with expectations of weak consumer demand to continue. School of Management marketing Professor Shuba Srinivasan says the back-to-school shopping period will be a leading indicator of the holiday season to come.

“Frugality among consumers and deep discounting by retailers can be expected to continue. But early indications look quite positive for holiday shopping in consumer technology products, more so in online shopping environments.”

Contact Shuba Srinivasan, 617-353-5978, ssrini@bu.edu