Marketing Edition

Personalized persuasion and the role of AI

In this episode, Ananya Bhargava interviews Jacob Teeny, Associate Professor of Marketing at Northwestern University. The discussion explores personalized persuasion, the difference between persuasion and manipulation, AI’s role in automating advertising, and the ethical and societal implications of these changes.

This has to be rage bait: Outrage-driven engagement on social media

In this episode, Ananya Bhargava interviews Daniel Mochon, Associate Professor of Marketing at Tulane University. The discussion explores the confrontation effect in consumer behavior, why content that sparks outrage is so effective at driving engagement, and whether a healthier online environment is possible in the future.

Nostalgia marketing: When the past becomes a strategy

In this episode, Ananya Bhargava interviews Evan Weingarten, Assistant Professor of Marketing at USC Marshall School of Business. The discussion explores why nostalgia strikes a chord wxith consumers, how it influences buying decisions and brand perception, and what behavioral research reveals about its psychological pull.

The subscription trap and the cost of consumer inertia

In this episode, Ananya Bhargava interviews Benjamin Klopack, an Assistant Professor of Economics at Texas A&M University. The discussion tackles how subscription models shape consumer behavior and how proposed regulations may affect consumer protection going forward.

Creativity, technology, and the future of artistic expression

In this episode, Ananya Bhargava interviews Lance Gharavi, an experimental artist and scholar, professor in the School of Music, Dance and Theatre, and Associate Director of ASU's Interplanetary Initiative. The discussion tackles the complexity of defining creativity in the age of AI, the metaphors we use to make sense of intelligent machines, and how artists and storytellers can respond to this technological shift.

AI’s evolving role in art, storytelling, and marketing

In this episode, Ananya Bhargava interviews Ed Finn, founding director of the Center for Science and the Imagination at Arizona State University. The discussion explores imagination in the context of technology, the potential for AI-generated marketing to connect with audiences, and the complex issues of copyright and ownership.

The internet made me do it: Branding in the age of virality

In this episode, Ananya Bhargava interviews Chris Peña, a graduate of the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication at Arizona State University with 10 years of experience in social media. Focusing on the rise of meme marketing, the discussion explores how internet culture and social media platforms have evolved, what makes certain brand campaigns go viral while others fall flat, and whether meme marketing is a sustainable strategy or just a short-term trend.

Corporate sustainability and greenwashing: Navigating the fine line

In this episode, Ananya Bhargava interviews Dr. Jacob Bethem, a professor at the School of Sustainability at Arizona State University. Focusing on the issue of greenwashing, the discussion explores how companies make sustainability claims, the challenges in distinguishing genuine efforts from marketing tactics, and the role of third-party certifications and regulations in promoting transparency.

Content that matters: Balancing strategy and authenticity on social media

In this episode, Ananya Bhargava interviews Crystal Alvarez, an instructor at the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication at ASU. Focusing on the role of authenticity in social media, the discussion explores the distinction between organic and paid content, the psychology of social proof and reciprocity in building brand loyalty, and the impact of social media on consumer decisions.

The rise of consumerism and the loss of authentic choice

In this episode, Ananya Bhargava interviews Dean Batson, an instructor at Arizona State University who specializes in analyzing consumerism through the lens of communication. Diving into the intersection of capitalism, branding, and corporate messaging tactics, the discussion examines how powerful forces shape our purchasing decisions and the illusion of choice in the marketplace.