May 29–31, 2008

The Center for Marketing and Public Policy Research (CMPPR) brought leading scholars, business leaders, and government experts from across the country to the birthplace of democracy for a three-day national conference addressing major business and public policy issues. Philadelphia played host to cutting-edge research and thoughtful academic discussion as the center hosted the annual American Marketing Association (AMA) Marketing and Public Policy Conference.

CMPPR thought leaders examine the impact of government initiatives on business and consumer welfare. Currently home to the Journal of Public Policy & Marketing—one of the world's leading marketing journals—the center houses scholars who study the effects of marketing strategies on consumers, competitors, and the broader society; specifically, faculty experts in the food, pharmaceutical, and financial services arenas. Recent research has examined improvements in the presentation of financial information to investors, the impact of the subprime mortgage crisis on consumers, and health education initiatives to curb heart disease and obesity.

The center hosted a three-day preconference workshop for young scholars and doctoral students. Thought leaders from across the field lent their time and experience including Professors Josh Wiener, Pam Ellen, Ray Taylor, Dave Stewart, George Franke, Julie Ozanne, Elizabeth Moore, Debra Ringold, Lauren Block, Sonya Grier, Punam Keller, John Kozup, and Madhu Viswanathan.

Research presented during the conference addressed and spurred vigorous debate over a variety of pressing social issues such as subprime mortgage lending, environmental sustainability, childhood obesity, financial literacy, and deceptive weight loss advertising. Scholars and experts from the nation's most recognized business institutions took part in the discussions, along with members of key federal agencies central to the debates including the Federal Reserve, Federal Trade Commission, and the Food and Drug Administration. Distinguished CMPPR advisory council members Joseph Del Raso (chair), Mark Valente, Denise Devine, Brett Loper, Murray Kessler, Doug Lioon, Gerry Banmiller, and Vern Farnsworth generously supported and took part in the event. Academic board members Alan Levy, Jan Pappalardo, Jeanne Hogarth, Sonya Grier, and Steve Kopp lent their expertise to special sessions and competitive paper discussions. Lastly, the Inaugural Brenda Derby Memorial Award, given to a doctoral student participant of distinction in both the preconference and conference portions of the program, was awarded to Kate Pounders of LSU.

VSB presenters included Angela Cerino, JD and Ronald Hill, PhD, with their collaborative findings from "The Writing on the Wall: Broader Implications from Massachusetts v. EPA"; Peggy Chaudhry, PhD and Stephen Stumpf, PhD, with their practical implications from "Assessing Government Sting Operations and Anti-Counterfeiting Advertisements"; and Jeremy Kees, PhD, with his findings from "The Use of Thin Models in Advertising: The Moderating Effect of Self-Monitoring on Female." The latter has since gained international media interest for its topical findings.

The three day conference concluded with a keynote luncheon featuring John Feehry, noted Washingtion Communications Director for former Speaker of the House Hastert, and a keynote dinner and dialogue led by nationally-recognized strategist and political pollster Kellyanne Conway.