PhD Oral Exam - Nathaniel Mayer-Heft, Marketing

When studying for a doctoral degree (PhD), candidates submit a thesis that provides a critical review of the current state of knowledge of the thesis subject as well as the student’s own contributions to the subject. The distinguishing criterion of doctoral graduate research is a significant and original contribution to knowledge.

Once accepted, the candidate presents the thesis orally. This oral exam is open to the public.

Abstract

As audiences continue to become more aware of marketing practices, brand placement in media is starting to disrupt the fragile transportive state normally brought on by compelling stories. Artists who want to distance their work from advertising yet still imbue their work with a sense of verisimilitude are increasingly leveraging the trade dress of recognizable brands. They modify existing brands to fill in their worlds with familiar images without using their real names or likenesses. Comprising two experimental studies, this doctoral research is the first to name and examine the effects of “mimetic brand placement” in media. By manipulating conditions of brand placement and narrative transportation, the results of the first study suggested that mimetic brands may be as effective or outperform real ones as unintrusive product placements. Not being immediately recognizable as advertisements, mimetic brands preserve audiences’ experiences without triggering the substantial defense mechanisms they have developed against persuasive marketing tactics. The second study reframed the research to center on preserving the interests of all key stakeholders: audiences, brands, and the studios that implement the placements. Employing qualitative and quantitative methodologies, the results revealed that transparently disclosing the placement of mimetic brands prior to a media experience led to more positive outcomes for all three parties relative to a deceptive framing. Through the lens of Service-Dominant Logic, mimetic brands are positioned as a collaborative tool through which long-term, mutually beneficial relationships may be cultivated and maintained between these groups. This dissertation also examined similar brands created by generative artificial intelligence models and the latent biases present therein. Ethical considerations at the intersection of mimetic branding and AI research are discussed. Mimetic brands pose important practical and ethical implications for brands and audiences, alike. With thoughtful and transparent implementation, they may represent a new middle ground between narrative content and advertising.