Having a more comprehensive understanding of the concept of perceived customer value, its measurement and how it can be applied in marketing has ample implications for a variety of domains in marketing, such as segmentation, positioning, communications, new product and service development, or social media activities. Three decades of research on perceived customer value revealed insights into its application throughout different areas, based upon different paradigms. Understanding which value perceptions customers have towards particular products, brands or services is vital as those perceptions impact other post-purchase constructs such as loyalty or word of mouth. Perceived value is multidimensional, for example, look at a smartphone, it is not always only the functionality or the price/performance-ratio of the product that is important for consumers. Using a smartphone might also involve emotional or social aspects, it might be fun to use, which brand it is might play a role for certain consumers, as well as the aesthetics and the design, or sustainability criteria in terms of a “green” customer value dimension. The possibilities of applying these ideas provide many opportunities in marketing and inform consumer behavior. Firms are advised to consider integrating systematic value tracking within their marketing activities.

Zeithaml, V. A., Verleye, K., Hatak, I., Koller, M., & Zauner, A., 2020, Three Decades of Customer Value Research: Paradigmatic Roots and Future Research Avenues, in: Journal of Service Research, 23, 4, S. 409 – 432, https://doi.org/10.1177/1094670520948134   The paper won the best paper award at the Journal of Service Research in 2021 and was a finalist for the SERVSIG best Service Article Award 2021.

Floh, A., Koller, M., Zauner, A., & Teller, C., 2017, Multiple value dimensions spill-over - An experimental approach in a consumption system comprising a product and a service, in: Journal of Consumer Behaviour. 16, 4, S. 352 – 362 https://doi.org/10.1002/cb.1634

Floh, A., Zauner, A., Koller, M., & Rusch, T., 2014, Customer segmentation using unobserved heterogeneity in the perceived-value-loyalty-intentions link, in: Journal of Business Research. 67, 5, S. 974 – 982 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusres.2013.08.003

Koller, M., Floh, A., & Zauner, A., 1 Nov. 2011, Further Insights into Perceived Value and Consumer Loyalty: A "Green" Perspective, in: Psychology & Marketing. 28, 12, S. 1154 – 1176 https://doi.org/10.1002/mar.20432

Traditional self-report measures such as surveys or interviews have their limits when it comes to measuring variables relevant in marketing and consumer behavior. For instance, when we are interested in affective aspects, self-report instruments would rather be able to capture cognitive reflections of underlying affective information processes. Consumer neuroscience can provide more objective insights into, e.g., consumer preferences and decision making, by eliminating socially desirable answers as well as recall and response biases. A deeper understanding of consumers by having a look at neuroscientific and psychophysiological processes can add value to existing marketing knowledge. Next to neuroscience, knowledge from neurology can also provide valuable insights for our understanding of consumption behavior. Moreover, a clinical perspective in marketing and consumer research can contribute to the development of marketing as a force for good and better handling of the current challenges of our society.

Haidinger, K., & Koller, M., (2023) The value of consumer neuroscience research for contemporary marketing knowledge. Front. Hum. Neurosci. 17:1214848. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnhum.2023.1214848

Javor, A., Koller, M., Lee, N., & Breiter, H. (2023), Vulnerable consumers: marketing research needs to pay more attention to the brain health of consumers, Marketing Letters, Volume 34, issue 2, 337-342 https://doi.org/10.1007/s11002-022-09654-3

Walla, P., Koller, M., Brenner, G., & Bosshard, S., 2017, Evaluative conditioning of established brands: implicit measures reveal other effects than explicit measures, in: Journal of Neuroscience, Psychology and Economics. 10, 1, S. 24 – 41 https://doi.org/10.1037/npe0000067

Walla, P., Koller, M., & Meier, J., 2014, Consumer neuroscience to inform consumers - physiological methods to identify attitude formation related to over - consumption and environmental damage, in: Frontiers in Human Neuroscience. 8, 304, S. 1 – 3 https://doi.org/10.3389/fnhum.2014.00304

Javor, A., Koller, M., Lee, N., Chamberlain, L., & Ransmayr, G., 2013, Neuromarketing and consumer neuroscience: contributions to neurology, in: BMC Neurology. 13, 13, S. 1 – 12 https://doi.org/10.1186/1471-2377-13-13

Walla, P., Brenner, G., & Koller, M., 2011, Objective Measures of Emotion Related to Brand Attitude: A New Way to Quantify Emotion-Related Aspects Relevant to Marketing, in: PLoS ONE. 6, 11, S. 1 – 7 https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0026782

Human beings are equipped with different sensory modalities, which play an important role in consumption settings. For instance, consumers vary in their need for smell, which means the individual urge to actively take a smell at products in purchase decision-making. Moreover, sensory cues can impact attitudes and behavior. For instance, scented ads enhance consumers’ sense of proximity of the advertised product and increase product appeal.

Koller, M., Salzberger, T., Floh, A., Zauner, A., Sääksjärvi, M., & Schifferstein, H. N. J. (2023). Measuring individual differences in active smelling to evaluate products – The ENFAS-Instrument. Food Quality and Preference, 110. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodqual.2023.104925

Ruzeviciute, R., Kamleitner, B., & Biswas, D. (2020). Designed to S(m)ell: When Scented Advertising Induces Proximity and Enhances Appeal. Journal of Marketing Research, 57(2), 315–331. https://doi.org/10.1177/0022243719888474

Ruzeviciute, R., Kamleitner, B., Estes, Z., & Biswas, D. (2023), Sniffing the distance: Scents can make objects appear closer, Journal of Environmental Psychology, 91, 102104,
ISSN 0272-4944, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvp.2023.102104

Many products we purchase, particularly fast-moving consumer goods, come wrapped in packaging. In many instances, the only element visible to us when buying a product in a store is its packaging. Therefore, packaging serves as a 'silent salesman,' playing a pivotal role in the consumer experience. It is one of the few means for producers to connect with (potential) consumers and for consumers to learn something about the product. This makes packaging a rich and essential area of exploration for both consumer researchers and practitioners alike.

Marckhgott, E., & Kamleitner, B. (2019). Matte matters: When matte packaging increases perceptions of food naturalness. Marketing Letters, 30, 167-178. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11002-019-09488-6

Marckhgott, E., & Kamleitner, B. (2021). A Manager's Toolbox for Consumer-Centric Food Packaging. Marketing Review St. Gallen, 38(3), 24-33. 

Crowdsourcing is a promising approach for identifying new product ideas. Many consumer goods firms such as Starbucks and Lay’s have identified successful innovations by tapping into the creative potential of their user-community “crowd”.

Recent research uncovers unintended consequences for a sponsoring brand. Crowdsourcing contests commonly have one winner (or a handful of winners) – the overwhelming majority of participants lose. It turns out that crowdsourcing participants whose ideas are not selected temporary disengage from the brand. Consumers show a decreased word of mouth and purchase intention, they even delay redeeming a lucrative discount voucher. There is a way to save the relationships and rip the benefits of crowdsourcing at the same time. Reframing the contest as a community activity (e.g., “Join the Crowd and help us find a name for our new restaurant”) rather than a competition (e.g., “Compete with the Crowd to be the one who names our new restaurant”) helps address the problem. 

Community framing shifts attention away from losing the contest to collectively creating a superior outcome, without changing the nature of the contest itself (i.e., participants continue to work and submit their ideas as individuals). Lab and field studies show that this cost effective treatment shows a positive effect on word of mouth, purchase intent and spending. 

Karpukhina, T., Schreier, M., Janiszewski, C., & Nishikawa, H. (2024). I Didn’t Win! An Overlooked Downside of Crowdsourcing? Journal of Interactive Marketing, 59(1), 42-58. https://doi.org/10.1177/10949968231184417 

Time and time again "top in demand job market skills" surveys place Creative Thinking on the first place (Forbes 2024, LinkedIn 2024).

It is a demanded skill for a reason - being creative is hard. Being creative on demand is even harder. How can you tame the music with its fickle nature when you feel uninspired or stuck? In practice this feeling is called a “creative block”. In academic context lack of inspiration is a fixation on one area within one’s cognitive space. Practically or in scientific terms, how can you get “unstuck"?

In her working paper Tatiana Rittler together with Jiabi Wang, Martin Schreier and Ayelet Fishbach have developed and tested a straightforward yet effective technique to boost your creativity here and now. 

Across over 10 experiments they find that generating silly or stupid ideas for a task first increases creativity of the subsequent ideas generated once the task is approached formally. The technique has been tested in personal contexts, such as online dating and on typical business problems, such as coming up with product extensions (new flavors). Generating silly or stupid ideas unlocks your creativity because it allows you to tap into your cognitive potential - think of solutions in a different way - while also making the process easier and more enjoyable. 

Check out this podcast episode to learn more: https://www.upnextpodcast.com/episodes/362

Kamleitner, B., Holub, S., & Koller, M. (2016). Der Aufbruch konzeptioneller Grenzen. Wer ist der Konsument und was will er? Wirtschaftspolitische Blätter 16(4): 857-870.

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Thürridl, C., & Kamleitner, B. (2016). What Goes around Comes Around? Rewards as Strategic Assets in Crowdfunding. California Management Review, 58(2), 88–110. https://doi.org/10.1525/cmr.2016.58.2.88

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Kamleitner, B., & Marckhgott, E. (2021). Silent Persuasion. Incidental Use of Promotional Merchandise Benefits Unfamiliar Brands. International Journal of Advertising, 40(7), 1135-1159. https://doi.org/10.1080/02650487.2020.1855823