We Mean Business

Parasocial relationships in the age of social media

In this episode, Ananya Bhargava [https://businessjournalism.org/author/ananya-bhargava/] interviews Lauren Auverset [https://louisiana.edu/graduateschool/blog/meet-outstanding-masters-mentor-dr-lauren-auverset-van-gerwen], Assistant Professor of Strategic Communication at the University of Louisiana. The discussion explores the historical context and evolution of parasocial relationships, the rise of influencer culture across new media platforms, and influencer responsibility and ethical standards in an online world.

Personalized persuasion and the role of AI

In this episode, Ananya Bhargava [https://businessjournalism.org/author/ananya-bhargava/] interviews Jacob Teeny [https://www.kellogg.northwestern.edu/academics-research/faculty/teeny_jacob/], 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.

How corporate pressure and silence lead to ethical collapse

In this episode, Quỳnh Lê interviews Marianne Jennings [https://search.asu.edu/profile/68539], an emeritus professor of legal and ethical studies in business at Arizona State University’s W. P. Carey School of Business. The discussion looks at business ethics, corporate responsibility and how to spot the signs of ethical trouble before things fall apart.   Source note: The introduction includes brief archival audio about Boeing, Wells Fargo and FTX, from public YouTube recordings.

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

In this episode, Ananya Bhargava [https://businessjournalism.org/author/ananya-bhargava/] interviews Daniel Mochon [https://freeman.tulane.edu/faculty-research/marketing/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 [https://businessjournalism.org/author/ananya-bhargava/] interviews Evan Weingarten [https://www.marshall.usc.edu/personnel/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.