About ETSYM
The Empirical and Theoretical Symposium for Canadian Marketing Strategy (ETSYM) is the premier quantitative marketing research symposium in Canada. Started in 2013, this symposium will have its tenth version in 2025 and will be held June 5-6, 2025, at University of Guelph. The event will be attended by marketing faculty and PhD students from around the country.
Aims and Goals of ETSYM
The aim of the symposium is to (a) help increase the profile, quality, and capacity of Canadian research in quantitative marketing strategy, and (b) build informal and formal network connections among Canadian faculty and doctoral students in this field. We will do this by:
1. Promoting Canadian Research: We aim to bring together academics and Ph.D. students from across the country to share and discuss high-quality research.
2. Facilitating Research Collaborations: The symposium will serve as a platform to identify and promote future directions in quantitative approaches to consumer and firm strategy by fostering collaboration among scholars and practitioners.
3. Showcasing Quantitative Research: We aim to showcase the latest quantitatively oriented empirical and theoretical research in marketing, providing a space for Canadian scholars to present their work and engage in discussions that contribute to the advancement of the field.
4. Encouraging Student Engagement: We will encourage Ph.D. students to actively participate by providing them with an opportunity to present their work through poster and competitive sessions.
5. Working collaboratively with others outside the discipline for a better world: We will be committed to bridging the gap between research and practice and aim to solve vexing problems and create value for society at large. To this end, we will facilitate dialog between researchers in marketing, and researchers in other disciplines (e.g. engineering, computer science, operations, agriculture), as well as with practitioners from different industry verticals, to discuss marketing issues and innovations of significance to society and the economy.
Aims and Goals of ETSYM
The aim of the symposium is to (a) help increase the profile, quality, and capacity of Canadian research in quantitative marketing strategy, and (b) build informal and formal network connections among Canadian faculty and doctoral students in this field. We will do this by:
1. Promoting Canadian Research: We aim to bring together academics and Ph.D. students from across the country to share and discuss high-quality research.
2. Facilitating Research Collaborations: The symposium will serve as a platform to identify and promote future directions in quantitative approaches to consumer and firm strategy by fostering collaboration among scholars and practitioners.
3. Showcasing Quantitative Research: We aim to showcase the latest quantitatively oriented empirical and theoretical research in marketing, providing a space for Canadian scholars to present their work and engage in discussions that contribute to the advancement of the field.
4. Encouraging Student Engagement: We will encourage Ph.D. students to actively participate by providing them with an opportunity to present their work through poster and competitive sessions.
5. Working collaboratively with others outside the discipline for a better world: We will be committed to bridging the gap between research and practice and aim to solve vexing problems and create value for society at large. To this end, we will facilitate dialog between researchers in marketing, and researchers in other disciplines (e.g. engineering, computer science, operations, agriculture), as well as with practitioners from different industry verticals, to discuss marketing issues and innovations of significance to society and the economy.
Organizing Committee from the
University of Guelph
Department of
Marketing and Consumer Studies
University of Guelph
Department of
Marketing and Consumer Studies
Sourav Ray, Symposium Chair
Director, Marketing Analytics Centre, Lang Chair in Marketing, and Professor
Department of Marketing and Consumer Studies
University of Guelph
Department of Marketing and Consumer Studies
University of Guelph
Tirtha Dhar
Chair and Professor
Department of Marketing and Consumer Studies
University of Guelph
Department of Marketing and Consumer Studies
University of Guelph
Yuanfang Lin
Acting Chair and Associate Professor
Department of Marketing and Consumer Studies
University of Guelph
Department of Marketing and Consumer Studies
University of Guelph
ET Symposium Advisory Board
David Soberman
Canadian National Chair in Strategic Marketing
Area Coordinator for Marketing,
Rotman School of Management,
University of Toronto
Area Coordinator for Marketing,
Rotman School of Management,
University of Toronto
Ceren Kosarici
Director (Scotiabank Center for Customer Analytics), Associate Professor & Ian R. Friendly Fellow of Marketing
Paul Messinger
Chair/MBEL, Alberta School of Business - Marketing, Business Economics and Law
Sourav Ray
Director, Marketing Analytics Centre, Lang Chair in Marketing, and Professor
Department of Marketing and Consumer Studies
University of Guelph
Department of Marketing and Consumer Studies
University of Guelph
Demetrios Vakratsas
Professor, Marketing; Academic Director, MBA program
Bensadoun School of Retail Management Faculty Scholar
Bensadoun School of Retail Management Faculty Scholar
Charles Weinberg
Professor of Marketing Emeritus
Marketing and Behavioural Science Division
University of British Columbia
Marketing and Behavioural Science Division
University of British Columbia
The Symposium is made possible by a generous research grant from the Research Office at the Lang School, and support from the Marketing Analytics Centre.
Panelists
PANEL TOPIC:
Sustainable practices in Food Supply Chains: The role of new age marketing practices and technologies for ensuring food safety and security.
Sustainable practices in Food Supply Chains: The role of new age marketing practices and technologies for ensuring food safety and security.
Dr. Asim Biswas
Canada Research Chair in Environmental Sciences, University of Guelph
Asim, originally from a small farming family in the remote village of Poragachha in West Bengal, India, developed a deep fascination with soil while working on the farm and witnessing the remarkable transformation of seeds into thriving plants and trees. This curiosity, along with his desire to understand why certain soils yield better plant growth than others, motivated him to pursue a Bachelor's degree in Agricultural Sciences, specializing in soil science and soil testing.
He obtained his BSc in Agriculture from Bidhan Chandra Krishi Viswasvidyalaya in 2004 and went on to earn an MSc in Soil Science from the University of Agricultural Sciences in Bangalore, India, in 2006. Asim's dedication to soil research led him to the University of Saskatchewan in Canada, where he pursued further studies and research on soil and its spatial variability. In 2011, he successfully completed his PhD in Soil Physics. Driven by his passion for exploration, Asim accepted a position as an environmental research scientist and post-doctoral fellow at the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) in Australia. In 2013, he joined McGill University's Department of Natural Resource Sciences as an Assistant Professor, and later in 2016, he moved to the University of Guelph.Today, Asim is a renowned scientist specializing in data-driven sustainable soil management. He focuses on enhancing the productivity and resilience of land-based agri-food production systems in an environmentally sustainable manner. His work revolves around utilizing scientific data to inform soil management practices, aiming to optimize agricultural outcomes while minimizing negative environmental impacts. Asim's journey from a humble farming background to a leading scientist exemplifies his unwavering dedication to advancing soil science for the betterment of agriculture worldwide.
Ted McKechnie
Entrepreneur and Senior Industry Executive
Ted McKechnie is a senior executive and entrepreneur with extensive leadership experience across the food and consumer goods industries. He has held executive roles at global companies including Kraft, General Foods, Frito Lay, Philip Morris, and PepsiCo, and served as President and CEO of Humpty Dumpty Foods as well as President and COO of Maple Leaf Foods. Ted is the founder of Canada’s Technology for Food, The Davies Consulting Group, and Advanced Technology for Food Manufacturing, and was Chairman and CEO of Canada’s Food Starter. Ted currently serves on the board of Lexaria Bioscience Corp. and remains actively engaged in advancing the sector through the creation of the Breakthrough National Small & Medium Enterprise (SME) Food Network. Widely recognized for his ability to lead organizations through transformation, build high-performing teams, and deliver sustainable growth, Ted is now passionately focused on mentoring food start-ups and supporting the turnaround of SME food businesses by uncovering untapped value. A recipient of the Philip Morris Chairman’s Award for extraordinary and lasting impact, Ted McKechnie brings a wealth of strategic insight, industry knowledge, and cross-sector connections to the ET Symposium’s 2025 panel discussion.
Tiffany Stephenson
Chief Marketing Officer, Protein Industries Canada
Tiffany Stephenson is a seasoned marketing and communications leader with more than two decades of experience in Canada’s agriculture and food sector. As Chief Marketing Officer at Protein Industries Canada, she drives strategic communications that elevate the profile of Canada’s plant-based innovation ecosystem and position the country as a global leader in sustainable, functional agri-food ingredients. Whether shaping brand strategy, leading public engagement, or amplifying sector impact, Tiffany is driven by a commitment to supporting a more resilient, innovative, and globally competitive food system for Canada.
Dr. Sourav Ray
Lang Chair in Marketing, University of Guelph
Sourav Ray is Professor and Lang Chair in Marketing at University of Guelph. His primary research interests are in marketing strategy, distribution channels, pricing, innovation, governance, and technology. Sourav’s research has been published in top-tier Marketing and Economics journals such as, Journal of Marketing Research, Journal of Marketing, Marketing Science, JAMS, Journal of Monetary Economics, Journal of Law and Economics, Economica, Journal of Business Venturing etc. Sourav serves as an Associate Editor in Journal of Business Research (JBR) and assists several startups in advisory capacities. He has a PhD in Marketing from University of Minnesota, and Aerospace engineering degrees from Texas A&M University and Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Kharagpur in India. Prior to joining University of Guelph, he was the Michael Lee-Chin Family Professor of Strategic Business Studies and Professor of Marketing at the DeGroote School of Business, McMaster University, and an Assistant Professor of Marketing at the John Molson School of Business, Concordia University. Sourav is passionate about and committed to building the capacity and quality of Canadian graduate student education and scholarship in the discipline.
PAPERS, PRESENTERS, DISCUSSANTS
Should a Firm Disclose the Names of Its Major Customers?
Authors: Aoran Hong (Nanjing University of Science and Technology), Vivek Astvansh (McGill University), and Beibei Wang (Nanjing University)
Presenter: Vivek Astvansh, McGill
Discussant:Yuanfang Lin (University of Guelph)
Presenter: Vivek Astvansh, McGill
Discussant:Yuanfang Lin (University of Guelph)
Shakespeare is often quoted, “What’s in a name?” suggesting that a name does not matter. Ask managers of public firms! They face a dilemma when disclosing the names of their major customers. On the one hand, such disclosure can signal managerial transparency and thus benefit the firm. On the other hand, it can reveal proprietary information to the firm’s rivals and impose costs on the firm. We contribute by proposing the type of customer as the dilemma resolver. Concretely, we reason that disclosing major, business customers’ names imposes more proprietary costs on the firm than providing transparency benefits. Therefore, such disclosure lowers the firm’s shareholder return and raises shareholder risk. In contrast, the firm’s disclosure of major, government customers’ names raises shareholder return and does not affect shareholder risk. The findings contribute to the literature on corporate voluntary disclosure of marketing information. The research advises managers of the shareholder implications of the disclosure. It informs lawmakers, stock-market regulators, and standards boards of what types of disclosures help and hurt shareholder value.
Shifting Standards or Changing Preferences? Unraveling Review Polarization via LLMs
Authors: Limin Fang (University of British Columbia ), Chunhua Wu (University of British Columbia), and Baohong Sun (Cheung Kong Graduate School of Business)
Presenter: Limin Fang, UBC
Discussant: Kenichi Shimizu, Univ. of Alberta
Presenter: Limin Fang, UBC
Discussant: Kenichi Shimizu, Univ. of Alberta
This paper examines the drivers of online review polarization, an increasing trend of extreme (1-star and 5-star) ratings over time, and assesses its impact on review informativeness and business sales. Using Large Language Models (LLMs) to analyze Yelp reviews from 2005 to 2021, we distinguish between two main contributors to polarization: (1) the scale effect — shifts in rating standards, and (2) the content effect — changes in consumer experiences revealed in review texts. Our analysis shows that the surge in 5-star reviews is mainly due to the scale effect, reflecting more lenient rating standards, whereas the increase in 1-star reviews is largely driven by the content effect, indicating genuine declines in customer satisfaction. By analyzing votes on the usefulness of reviews and integrating Yelp data with Texas restaurant sales data, we demonstrate that the scale effect significantly reduces the informativeness of reviews and affects sales through displayed ratings. Our findings offer valuable insights for businesses and review platforms seeking to understand and navigate the changing dynamics of online review systems
Are Exposure Bucks Worth It? The Value of Brand Audiences to Creators
Authors: Andrew T. Ching (Johns Hopkins University), Daniel Goetz (University of Toronto)
Presenter: Daniel Goetz, Univ. of Toronto
Discussant: Demetrios Varkatras, McGill Univ.
Presenter: Daniel Goetz, Univ. of Toronto
Discussant: Demetrios Varkatras, McGill Univ.
Brands often use the promise of exposure to their large audiences to incentivize content contributions from artists and creators. This study quantifies the value of exposure for independent creators that supply content to brands' social media pages. We leverage Instagram's co-authorship feature introduced in 2021, which lets brands credit creators in shared posts, and gather data on all co-authored posts between 260 large beauty/clothing brands and small creators. We estimate changes in creators' follower counts after the co-authorship treatment in a difference-in-differences analysis, and address post content endogeneity by matching treatment and control posts using post-level visual content embeddings recovered from a Large Language Model. We find that exposure to a brand's audience increases a creator's cumulative followers by 0.47%, or roughly one week's worth of growth. Although larger brand audiences lead to more growth all else equal, larger brands tend to have less engaged followers and lower quality co-authored posts. This leads to stable treatment effects from co-authoring with brands that have between 0.7m and 8.6m followers. The top 10% of collaborations average only 2.1% cumulative follower growth for the creator. Our findings have implications for incentivizing the creation of user-generated content, and informing creator-brand contract negotiations.
Irrational Exuberance or Strategic Engagement? A Marketing Perspective on Cryptocurrency Airdrops
Authors: Guneet Kaur Nagpal (Western University)
Presenter: Guneet Nagpal, Western Univ.
Discussant: Paul Messinger, Univ. of Alberta
Presenter: Guneet Nagpal, Western Univ.
Discussant: Paul Messinger, Univ. of Alberta
This study examines cryptocurrency airdrops as a novel, IT-enabled promotional mechanism within decentralized blockchain platforms. Using detailed user-level data from Uniswap—a leading decentralized exchange that retroactively distributed governance tokens to over one million users—we analyze the behavioral and financial impact of airdrop receipt on platform engagement. Our dataset includes more than 4 million transactions across 26,000 users over a three-year period surrounding the airdrop.
Leveraging a quasi-experimental design and a doubly robust estimation strategy, we find that receiving an airdropped token significantly increases trading activity but not financial spending. Notably, users who narrowly missed the airdrop also exhibit elevated engagement, suggesting that brand visibility and digital buzz generate spillover effects. User responses are heterogeneous: less experienced users respond with increased activity, while experienced users contribute greater financial value. However, these effects are short-lived, with engagement converging across groups within a year. We also find no evidence that governance rights conferred through token ownership meaningfully influence post-airdrop behavior.
Our findings contribute to marketing literature on technology-mediated incentives, user heterogeneity, and digital governance in decentralized ecosystems. They offer practical insights for platform designers aiming to drive adoption and for policymakers concerned with behavioral volatility and inclusion in tokenized systems.
Leveraging a quasi-experimental design and a doubly robust estimation strategy, we find that receiving an airdropped token significantly increases trading activity but not financial spending. Notably, users who narrowly missed the airdrop also exhibit elevated engagement, suggesting that brand visibility and digital buzz generate spillover effects. User responses are heterogeneous: less experienced users respond with increased activity, while experienced users contribute greater financial value. However, these effects are short-lived, with engagement converging across groups within a year. We also find no evidence that governance rights conferred through token ownership meaningfully influence post-airdrop behavior.
Our findings contribute to marketing literature on technology-mediated incentives, user heterogeneity, and digital governance in decentralized ecosystems. They offer practical insights for platform designers aiming to drive adoption and for policymakers concerned with behavioral volatility and inclusion in tokenized systems.
Inclusive Product Design and Consumer Inference
Authors: Kinshuk Jerath (Columbia University), Z. Eddie Ning (University of British Columbia)
Presenter: Eddie Ning, UBC
Discussant: Tirtha Dhar, Univ. of Guelph
Presenter: Eddie Ning, UBC
Discussant: Tirtha Dhar, Univ. of Guelph
As companies consider the (dis-)adoption of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives, understanding the economic implications of these initiatives is crucial for both firm strategy and consumer welfare. In this paper, we investigate the role of inclusive product design without assuming that firms or consumers have explicit social preferences. Using a game-theoretic model, we explore how firms can use public commitments to inclusive product design as a costly signal of their product development capabilities. Specifically, we consider a seller facing two consumer segments—majority and minority consumers—where each segment values different but overlapping product attributes. We show that a firm’s commitment to product inclusion, i.e., commitment to design products that provide the same utility to majority and minority consumers, can signal higher capability, thus influencing consumer beliefs and increasing demand from both segments. This happens even if inclusive product design reduces product quality for the majority consumers, because the informational value from the commitment outweighs the direct impact of reduced product quality. To test our theoretical predictions, we conducted a lab experiment to show how consumer beliefs about firm capabilities and product qualities are influenced by a firm’s statement about inclusive product design. Our findings offer theoretical insights into the economic mechanisms behind inclusive product design and other similar DEI marketing initiatives.
To Change or Not to Change: When and How Creators Should Respond to Customer Feedback?
Authors: Minjee Sun (University of Iowa), Matthew Osborne (University of Toronto)
Presenter: Matthew Osborne, Univ. of Toronto
Discussant: Vivek Astvansh, McGill Univ.
Presenter: Matthew Osborne, Univ. of Toronto
Discussant: Vivek Astvansh, McGill Univ.
This research investigates the impact of consumer feedback on content modification and outcomes in digital platforms. Using a comprehensive dataset from a large webnovel platform that captures real-time feedback, we analyze how modifications to webnovel episodes respond to consumer input affect economic outcomes. Our data includes daily snapshots of all episode texts of all posted novels and the universe of reader comments posted every day during a onemonth contest period, during which all novels are publicly accessible. This setup allows us to link reader feedback to specific novel changes and examine relevant outcomes, such as reader likes and views of an episode. We employ topic modeling techniques to identify the major topics of each novel, and the extent to which reader comments overlap with these topics. We then use a newly developed machine learning technique for estimation of heterogeneous treatment effects in panel data to estimate the relationship between modifications and outcomes, conditional on reader feedback and writer experience, while instrumenting for writer modifications. We find that, although some modifications in response to feedback improve novel outcomes, this is not always the case. Specifically, changes made in response to topic- relevant feedback with negative sentiment lead to worse outcomes, particularly for highly experienced writers. Conversely, changes made in response to criticism result in better outcomes, but are effective only for highly experienced writers. Clear and directive feedback, such as comments correcting typos or expressing feelings about specific elements in the novel, proves advantageous for less experienced writers, though it offers limited benefit to highly experienced writers. Our findings provide guidance for content creators and platform managers on the types of feedback to incorporate for enhanced content success.
Keywords: Customer Feedback, Cocreation, Natural Language Processing, Machine Learning, Topic Modeling
Keywords: Customer Feedback, Cocreation, Natural Language Processing, Machine Learning, Topic Modeling
Voices Behind the News: The Influence of Comment Sections on News Consumption Behavior
Authors: Hee Mok Park (University of Manitoba), Jaewon Yoo (National Tsing Hua University), and Minki Kim (Korean Institute of Science and Technology)
Presenter: Hee Park, Univ. of Manitoba
Discussant: Sridhar Moorthy, Univ. of Toronto
Presenter: Hee Park, Univ. of Manitoba
Discussant: Sridhar Moorthy, Univ. of Toronto
In the digital age, user engagement is paramount for digital media platforms, with comment sections serving as crucial participatory features. However, the pervasive presence of malicious comments and negative online discourse has prompted platforms to employ two contrasting modes of self-regulation: one involves a restrictive approach that eliminates comment sections entirely, while the other employs a more intricate moderation policy aimed at managing and preventing abusive content. This study, leveraging unique panel data including detailed user engagement metrics and two quasi-experimental events involving policy implementations, investigates the effects of these opposing policies on user engagement and news consumption. Our findings reveal that eliminating comment sections resulted in a 30% decrease in news consumption, highlighting the intrinsic value users derive from reader comments. On the other hand, nuanced strategies that mitigate malicious comments and promote a cleaner news consumption environment led to an 18% increase in news consumption. We further uncover differential effects based on user subgroups, demonstrating that policies designed to diminish online negativity resonate more with readers than active commentators—a finding that is consistent with the notion of attention as a form of social validation.
Keywords: industry self-regulation, digital media platform, reader comment, user generated content, online flaming, media engagement, cross-platform analysis
Keywords: industry self-regulation, digital media platform, reader comment, user generated content, online flaming, media engagement, cross-platform analysis
Ripple Effect of Hybrid vs. Digital Communication on Consumer Benefits: A Field Quasi- Experiment with Rural Microentrepreneurs
Authors: Aindrila Chatterjee (Institute of Management Technology, Hyderabad), AJ Chauradia (University of South Florida), and Kiran Pedada (University of Manitoba)
Presenter: Kiran Pedada, Univ. of Manitoba
Discussant: Miremad Solemiyan, SFU
Presenter: Kiran Pedada, Univ. of Manitoba
Discussant: Miremad Solemiyan, SFU
Microentrepreneurs, particularly within social enterprises, play a crucial role in delivering benefits to rural consumers. We investigate whether male microentrepreneurs can learn and improve their marketing performance through different modes of communication with female microentrepreneurs. We study two types of communication between female and male microentrepreneurs: (1) digital communication compared to (2) hybrid communication, defined as blending digital with face-to-face interactions. We leverage a field quasi-experiment conducted across six districts in rural India and employ difference-in-differences methodology. Our findings suggest that both digital and hybrid communication approaches enhance consumer program enrollment volumes. However, hybrid communication has a significant impact on value delivery. Moreover, male microentrepreneurs who communicate with female microentrepreneurs through hybrid as opposed to only digital means create greater value for consumers, enhancing their benefits by INR 33,74,000 ($40,166 USD). These findings underscore the importance of inclusive communication approaches in creating consumer value, offering valuable insights for rural marketing in emerging markets.
Collusion or Cooperation? Uncovering Agent Relationships’ Impact on Real Estate Prices: Insights from a Comprehensive MLS Dataset
Authors: Sevda Sattari (Simon Fraser University), Miremad Soleymanian (Simon Fraser University), Ting Zhu (Purdue University
Presenter: Sevda Sattari, SFU
Discussant: Yang Pan, McMaster Univ.
Presenter: Sevda Sattari, SFU
Discussant: Yang Pan, McMaster Univ.
This study examines the dynamics of agent connectedness and bargaining power in real estate transactions using a comprehensive MLS dataset from Vancouver (2011–2021). We analyze how agent connectedness, defined as past interactions between listing and buyer agents, affect key performance metrics, such as the deviation of sold price from assessed value and days on market (DOM). Our results reveal that connected agents are associated with higher sold prices, particularly in hot markets, and shorter DOM, raising concerns about potential collusion when agents prioritize ongoing relationships and mutual benefits over client interests. We also explore the bargaining power gap between agents, finding that the impact of connectedness is moderated when the listing agent has greater power, as reflected by network size. Additionally, we assess the effects of the 2018 Dual Agency Ban in British Columbia, showing that agents with dual agency experience leverage connectedness to compensate for reduced commissions. Using Causal Random Forest and Difference-in-Difference analyses, we identify heterogeneity in the effects of connectedness, with amplified impacts for agents with dual agency experience and in high-demand markets.
How Equity Positions Influence Vehicle Choice and Price Negotiations: The Role of Auto Debts
Authors: Amirhossein Torkzad (Simon Fraser University), Srabana Dasgupta (Simon Fraser University), and Sivaramakrishnan Siddarth (University of Southern California)
Presenter: Amirhossein Torkzad, SFU
Discussant: David Soberman, Univ. of Toronto
Presenter: Amirhossein Torkzad, SFU
Discussant: David Soberman, Univ. of Toronto
Consumers who acquire a new durable good often trade in the version they currently own during the purchase process. The trade-in equity position of consumers can vary depending on how much of the loan has been paid off and how much their used product has depreciated. In extreme cases, some consumers may be “upside down” in their trade-in contract, putting them in a negative equity position where their used product is worth less than the amount still owed on the loan. This study examines how consumers’ trade-in equity positions impact the prices and financing terms of new product purchases—a topic that has not been previously addressed. Using the automobile market as our empirical context, we develop a structural model of vehicle choice that incorporates the Nash bargaining framework (Nash, 1950) to relate equity positions to bargaining outcomes. A novel aspect of our work is that, in addition to price, our outcomes include the financial terms of the newly acquired vehicle. We estimate model parameters using a dataset of 12,470 new car transactions. The results show that the price bargaining power of consumers in a negative equity position does not differ significantly from that of consumers in a more favorable position. However, these consumers are in a significantly worse bargaining position when negotiating financing terms. We find that dealer profits from financing account for about 28% of total profit for negative equity consumers, but only 15% for consumers who do not have a remaining loan balance. We discuss the implications for manufacturers and policy officials.
Sales Pipeline Technology: Automated Lead Nurturing
Authors: Johannes Habel (University of Houston), Nathaniel Hartmann (University of South Florida), Phillip Wiseman (Texas Tech University), Michael Ahearne (University of Houston), and Shashank Vaid (McMaster University)
Presenter: Sash Vaid, McMaster Univ.
Discussant: Ernan Haruvy, McGill Univ.
Presenter: Sash Vaid, McMaster Univ.
Discussant: Ernan Haruvy, McGill Univ.
Many business-to-business sales firms use automated lead nurturing (ALN) systems, which track leads’ online behavior and nurture them through personalized content. Commercial ALN software providers claim that ALN improves lead conversion, but whether this benefit materializes is unclear. Therefore, this research examines ALN’s effect across one qualitative and three quantitative studies. The findings indicate that ALN can provide valuable information to both sellers and leads and thereby improve the quality of salesperson–lead interactions, which in turn drives lead conversion. However, these effects strongly depend on a lead’s sales cycle length, expected sales volume, and preexisting relationship with the seller. An additional analysis in the Web Appendix adds further contingencies related to ALN implementation. Thereby, this article conducts the first rigorous “fact check” of ALN and provides ample evidence that understanding the effect of ALN requires a contingency view. The findings also call on practitioners to change their current practices related to ALN. Rather than accepting sweeping industry claims at face value, practitioners should verify whether ALN improves lead conversion in their specific context. Furthermore, they should employ ALN particularly for leads where information asymmetry persists and is unlikely to be resolved through other means.
Effectiveness of Omnichannel Integration: Theory and Evidence
Authors: Bharat Vaishnav (Cape Breton University), Sourav Ray (University of Guelph)
Presenter: Bharat Vaishnav, Cape Breton Univ.
Discussant: Srabana Dasgupta, SFU
Presenter: Bharat Vaishnav, Cape Breton Univ.
Discussant: Srabana Dasgupta, SFU
An omnichannel strategy is increasingly seen as crucial for a retailer to evolve with the times and remain competitive. A key element of this strategy is channel integration, which refers to the degree to which a retailer coordinates functions across its off- and online distribution channels. This aims to create value for consumers by enabling a seamless purchase experience across different channels. We offer a theory to suggest that this value notwithstanding, consumer expectations impose significant boundary conditions on the retailer’s ability to claim the value. As adoption of omnichannel grows, emerging capabilities in the industry inevitably drive consumer expectations, which the retailer is unable to fulfill without a sufficiently high degree of channel integration. However, high levels of integration require synchronizing myriad operational interfaces that come with high coordination costs, which can also derail the expected strategic dividends. Using data from a panel of 81 publicly traded U.S. retailers for the 2008-2019 period, we find support for our propositions. Channel integration can deliver on their value proposition, but runaway consumer expectations indeed dent these outcomes, with advertising exacerbating the effect. While high levels of channel integration dampen retail profitability on average, retailers with greater coordination efficiencies benefit more.
Keywords: Channel Integration, Omnichannel Retailing, Coordination Costs, Runaway Consumer Expectations, Strategic Dividend, Text Mining, Panel Data
Keywords: Channel Integration, Omnichannel Retailing, Coordination Costs, Runaway Consumer Expectations, Strategic Dividend, Text Mining, Panel Data
Does Where You Produce Matter? Evidence from the Movie Industry
Authors: Darlene C. Chisholm (Suffolk University), Xilin Song (UBC Sauder), and Charles B. Weinberg (UBC Sauder)
Presenter: Charles Weinberg, UBC
Discussant: Kamran Eshghi, Laurentian Univ.
Presenter: Charles Weinberg, UBC
Discussant: Kamran Eshghi, Laurentian Univ.
Production location, an important decision in many industries, is particularly critical in filmmaking, shaping both economic outcomes and audience reception. While California has historically dominated as the hub of movie production, tax incentives from other states have shifted the landscape. We explore two key issues in production location: the effect of shooting in California, with its extensive labor and infrastructure resources, and the effect of filming in a location that matches the movie’s storyline in order to enhance a film’s authenticity and resonate with audiences. Using data on US-produced movies, ranked among the top-200 in domestic box office from 2014 to 2018, we employ a two-stage least squares framework, with external and constructed instruments, to assess the effects of production location on box office and critics’ and users’ ratings. We find no significant difference in outcomes between movies produced in California versus elsewhere, while movies whose principal photography location matches the storyline location achieve higher revenues and review ratings. These results highlight the diminishing centrality of California in film production and underscore the importance of authenticity in driving audience engagement. Through a counterfactual analysis, we discuss implications for movie producers and policymakers in determining production strategies and tax-incentive programs, respectively.
The Near-Zero Returns to Open Access Deals: Evidence from Publisher-University Agreements
Authors: Eddie Ning (University of British Columbia) , Qiyuan Wang (Hong Kong Polytechnic University), and Chunhua Wu (University of British Columbia)
Presenter: Chunhua Wu, UBC
Discussant: Guneet Nagpal, Western Univ.
Presenter: Chunhua Wu, UBC
Discussant: Guneet Nagpal, Western Univ.
This paper studies how transformative open access agreements affect research dissemination. Leveraging recent university-publisher agreements as a natural experiment, we find a striking paradox: while the agreement substantially increased paid open access (Hybrid OA) publishing rates— more than tripling from 10% to over 30% in participating journals—we find no evidence of significant citation gains. We show this puzzling result stems from substitution effects: while the agreement primarily converts articles into publisher-mediated open access, authors become less likely to post their articles in open repositories (Green OA). After accounting for this substitution pattern, we find that paid open access publishing through transformative agreements modestly boosts citations. Our findings reveal that while these agreements successfully promote paid open access, their impact on research visibility depends critically on authors’ repository usage. This highlights the importance of considering interactions between different open access channels when designing and evaluating institutional open access policies. Keywords: open access publishing, research impact, transformative agreements, scholarly communication, science policy.
Utilizing a Hierarchical Multi-Branch Multi-Attention Neural Network Model to Understand the Drivers of Player Engagement in Gaming Industry
Authors: Marcus He (University of Sydney), Qiang (Steven) Lu (University of Sydney), and Yupin Yang (Simon Fraser University)
Presenter: Yupin Yang, SFU
Discussant: Yulia Nevskaya, Queens Univ.
Presenter: Yupin Yang, SFU
Discussant: Yulia Nevskaya, Queens Univ.
This paper introduces a hierarchical multi-branch, multi-attention neural network model that integrates machine learning with consumer psychology to predict user engagement. Grounded in flow theory and self-determination theory, the model includes four branches— player performance, simulating events, player behaviors, and matchmaking disparities—each with two attention levels: feature-level (within matches) and match-level (across matches over time). It also incorporates player segmentation through cluster embeddings to capture user heterogeneity. Applied to a dataset of 11,300 players and their 100 most recent matches in a multi-player first-person shooter game, the model predicts next-day playtime using past gameplay data. It outperforms traditional machine learning models such as XGBoost, LightGBM, and LSTM in both R-squared and Mean Absolute Error. An ablation study highlights the importance of player segmentation and the four psychological branches, with segmentation contributing the most to predictive accuracy, followed by matchmaking disparities, simulating events, player performance, and behaviors. The model not only improves prediction performance but also enhances interpretability, offering a structured approach to integrating behavioral data with psychological theory. This framework can be generalized to other marketing contexts where data structure is more complex and user engagement is critical, enabling more personalized strategies and better decision-making.
Keywords: neural network, hierarchical model, user engagement, online gaming, flow theory, self-determination theory, machine learning.
Keywords: neural network, hierarchical model, user engagement, online gaming, flow theory, self-determination theory, machine learning.
Gender Inequality And Household Purchase Decisions: the Case of Automobiles in China
Authors: Han Zhong (University of Torontot), Zachary (Zemin) Zhong (University of Toronto), and Nan Chen (National University of Singapore)
Presenter: Han Zhong, Univ. of Toronto
Discussant: Ceren Kolsarici, Queens Univ.
Presenter: Han Zhong, Univ. of Toronto
Discussant: Ceren Kolsarici, Queens Univ.
We study how gender inequality influences major household purchases in the context of the Chinese auto market. Using administrative data on car registration, we document that consumers in more gender-equal regions and cohorts are more likely to register cars under female ownership, even conditional on buying the same model. We use the introduction of compulsory education in China, which reduced the gender education gap, as a natural experiment to test the causal effect of gender inequality on car purchases. Our findings reveal that reducing gender education inequality increases both female ownership in car purchases. The results are robust to placebo tests and a wide range of alternative samples and model specifications. We also show that the effects are generally stronger among cars of foreign brands, higher prices, and sedan body types.
Posters
Effect of Stimulus Payments on Consumption of Vice Goods: An Empirical Examination
Kaushik Bhattacharjee (University of Manitoba)
Bridging Rationality and Intuition: A Hybrid Model of System 1 and System 2 Thinking
Poorya Selk Ghafari (University of Guelph)
Influencer Marketing for Brands’ Growth: An Implication in Livestream Shopping
Betty Ji (Thompson Rivers University)
Empowering Marginalized Consumers: An investigation of the role of emerging Marketing Technologies
Rehan Khan (McMaster University)
Intellectual Property pricing for market base asymmetrical duopolies
Arjang Nikbakht (University of Alberta)
Privacy Education and Platform Engagement: Field Experiment
Verina F. Que (University of Toronto)
Sweet Spot: Using Percent Daily Value as a Reference Point for Added Sugar in Soft Drinks
Hamzeh Rayej (Concordia University)
When A Quality Verification Program Can Boomerang: Study of Quality Verification in The Context of P2P Sharing Economy Platform
Iman Sadeghi (McMaster University)
Scalable Estimation of Multinomial Response Models with Random Consideration Sets
Kenichi Shimizu (University of Alberta)
How do mandated disclosures influence choice?
Daniella Turetski (University of Toronto)
The Attention Waveform: Exploring User Engagement Dynamics in Social Media
Ma Wenxing (Tsinghua/Univ. of British Columbia)
Exploring the Give and Take: Reciprocal Consideration in Joint Consumption
Lan Yu (McMaster University)
Model Race and Retail Pricing: Strategic Decisions or Implicit Bias
Chu Zhang (Queens University)
Kaushik Bhattacharjee (University of Manitoba)
Bridging Rationality and Intuition: A Hybrid Model of System 1 and System 2 Thinking
Poorya Selk Ghafari (University of Guelph)
Influencer Marketing for Brands’ Growth: An Implication in Livestream Shopping
Betty Ji (Thompson Rivers University)
Empowering Marginalized Consumers: An investigation of the role of emerging Marketing Technologies
Rehan Khan (McMaster University)
Intellectual Property pricing for market base asymmetrical duopolies
Arjang Nikbakht (University of Alberta)
Privacy Education and Platform Engagement: Field Experiment
Verina F. Que (University of Toronto)
Sweet Spot: Using Percent Daily Value as a Reference Point for Added Sugar in Soft Drinks
Hamzeh Rayej (Concordia University)
When A Quality Verification Program Can Boomerang: Study of Quality Verification in The Context of P2P Sharing Economy Platform
Iman Sadeghi (McMaster University)
Scalable Estimation of Multinomial Response Models with Random Consideration Sets
Kenichi Shimizu (University of Alberta)
How do mandated disclosures influence choice?
Daniella Turetski (University of Toronto)
The Attention Waveform: Exploring User Engagement Dynamics in Social Media
Ma Wenxing (Tsinghua/Univ. of British Columbia)
Exploring the Give and Take: Reciprocal Consideration in Joint Consumption
Lan Yu (McMaster University)
Model Race and Retail Pricing: Strategic Decisions or Implicit Bias
Chu Zhang (Queens University)
Don't miss out.
Limited quantity. Please register by May 29th to reserve your spot.
Early Bird Specials apply until April 25th.
We look forward to seeing you there.
If you have any questions, please email [email protected]
Everyone must register.
Early Bird Specials apply until April 25th.
We look forward to seeing you there.
If you have any questions, please email [email protected]
Everyone must register.
Schedule
| June 5th
Registration, Plenary and Dinner
Location: Rozanski Hall, University of Guelph
3:30 PM – Registration Opens
Rozanski Concourse
4:00 PM – 5:00 PM – Refreshments Available
Rozanski Concourse
5:00 PM – 7:00 PM – Welcome & Plenary Session
Plenary Topic: Sustainable Practices in Food Supply Chains: The Role of New Age Marketing Practices and Technologies for Ensuring Food Safety and Security
Panelists:
3:30 PM – Registration Opens
Rozanski Concourse
4:00 PM – 5:00 PM – Refreshments Available
Rozanski Concourse
5:00 PM – 7:00 PM – Welcome & Plenary Session
Plenary Topic: Sustainable Practices in Food Supply Chains: The Role of New Age Marketing Practices and Technologies for Ensuring Food Safety and Security
Panelists:
- Dr. Asim Biswas
- Ted McKechnie
- Tiffany Stephenson
Moderator: Dr. Sourav Ray - 7:00 PM – Dinner and Poster Setup
| June 6th
Full Day of Conference
Location: Rozanski Hall, Rooms 105 & 106
7:30 AM – Breakfast
Rozanski Hall
8:30 AM – 9:20 AM | Morning Sessions
Session 1A – Room 105
Shifting Standards or Changing Preferences? Unraveling Review Polarization via LLMs
Presenter: Limin Fang (UBC)
Discussant: Kenichi Shimizu (University of Alberta)
Session 1B – Room 106
How Equity Positions Influence Vehicle Choice and Price Negotiations: The Role of Auto Debts
Presenter: Amirhossein Torkzad (Simon Fraser University)
Discussant: David Soberman (University of Toronto)
9:20 AM – 10:10 AM
Session 2A – Room 105
To Change or Not to Change: When and How Creators Should Respond to Customer Feedback?
Presenter: Matthew Osborne (University of Toronto)
Discussant: Vivek Astvansh (McGill University)
Session 2B – Room 106
Effectiveness of Omnichannel Integration: Theory and Evidence
Presenter: Bharat Vaishnav (Cape Breton University)
Discussant: Srabana Dasgupta, SFU
10:10 AM – 10:20 AM – Coffee Break
10:25 AM – 11:15 AM | Mid-Morning Sessions
Session 3A – Room 105
Voices Behind the News: The Influence of Comment Sections on News Consumption Behavior
Presenter: Hee Park (University of Manitoba)
Discussant: Sridhar Moorthy (University of Toronto)
Session 3B – Room 106
Irrational Exuberance or Strategic Engagement? A Marketing Perspective on Cryptocurrency Airdrops
Presenter: Guneet Nagpal (Western University)
Discussant: Paul Messinger (University of Alberta)
11:15 AM – 12:05 PM
Session 4A – Room 105
Understanding Drivers of Player Engagement in the Gaming Industry Using Hierarchical Multi-Attention Neural Networks
Presenter: Yupin Yang (Simon Fraser University)
Discussant: Yulia Nevskaya (Queen's University)
Session 4B – Room 106
Does Where You Produce Matter? Evidence from the Movie Industry
Presenter: Charles Weinberg (UBC)
Discussant: Kamran Eshghi (Laurentian University)
12:05 PM – 1:30 PM – Lunch and Poster Session
Rozanski Hall – Concourse Area
1:35 PM – 2:25 PM | Afternoon Sessions
Session 5A – Room 105
Gender Inequality and Household Purchase Decisions: The Case of Automobiles in China
Presenter: Han Zhong (University of Toronto)
Discussant: Ceren Kolsarici
Session 5B – Room 106
Collusion or Cooperation? Real Estate Agents and Price Impact via MLS Data
Presenter: Sevda Sattari (Simon Fraser University)
Discussant: Yang Pan (McMaster University)
2:25 PM – 3:15 PM
Session 6A – Room 105
Ripple Effect of Hybrid vs. Digital Communication on Consumer Benefits
Presenter: Kiran Pedada (University of Manitoba)
Discussant: Miremad Solemiyan (Simon Fraser University)
Session 6B – Room 106
Inclusive Product Design and Consumer Inference
Presenter: Eddie Ning
Discussant: Tirtha Shar (University of Guelph)
3:15 PM – 3:25 PM – Coffee Break
3:30 PM – 4:20 PM | Late Afternoon Sessions
Session 7A – Room 105
Sales Pipeline Technology: Automated Lead Nurturing
Presenter: Sash Vaid (McMaster University)
Discussant: Ernan Haruvy (McGill University)
Session 7B – Room 106
Are Exposure Bucks Worth It? Valuing Brand Audiences to Creators
Presenter: Daniel Goetz (UBC)
Discussant: Demetrios Varkatras (McGill University)
4:20 PM – 5:10 PM
Session 8A – Room 105
The Near-Zero Returns to Open Access Deals: Publisher-University Agreements
Presenter: Chunhua Wu (UBC)
Discussant: Guneet Nagpal (Western University)
Session 8B – Room 106
Should a Firm Disclose the Names of Its Major Customers?
Presenter: Vivek Astvansh (McGill University)
Discussant: Yuanfang Lin (University of Guelph)
5:10 PM – Wrap-Up and Refreshments
Rozanski Concourse
Evening Social
6:00 PM – Free Time
Optional: Join fellow delegates at Brass Taps (on campus)
7:00 PM – 10:00 PM – Closing Dinner at Brass Taps
7:30 AM – Breakfast
Rozanski Hall
8:30 AM – 9:20 AM | Morning Sessions
Session 1A – Room 105
Shifting Standards or Changing Preferences? Unraveling Review Polarization via LLMs
Presenter: Limin Fang (UBC)
Discussant: Kenichi Shimizu (University of Alberta)
Session 1B – Room 106
How Equity Positions Influence Vehicle Choice and Price Negotiations: The Role of Auto Debts
Presenter: Amirhossein Torkzad (Simon Fraser University)
Discussant: David Soberman (University of Toronto)
9:20 AM – 10:10 AM
Session 2A – Room 105
To Change or Not to Change: When and How Creators Should Respond to Customer Feedback?
Presenter: Matthew Osborne (University of Toronto)
Discussant: Vivek Astvansh (McGill University)
Session 2B – Room 106
Effectiveness of Omnichannel Integration: Theory and Evidence
Presenter: Bharat Vaishnav (Cape Breton University)
Discussant: Srabana Dasgupta, SFU
10:10 AM – 10:20 AM – Coffee Break
10:25 AM – 11:15 AM | Mid-Morning Sessions
Session 3A – Room 105
Voices Behind the News: The Influence of Comment Sections on News Consumption Behavior
Presenter: Hee Park (University of Manitoba)
Discussant: Sridhar Moorthy (University of Toronto)
Session 3B – Room 106
Irrational Exuberance or Strategic Engagement? A Marketing Perspective on Cryptocurrency Airdrops
Presenter: Guneet Nagpal (Western University)
Discussant: Paul Messinger (University of Alberta)
11:15 AM – 12:05 PM
Session 4A – Room 105
Understanding Drivers of Player Engagement in the Gaming Industry Using Hierarchical Multi-Attention Neural Networks
Presenter: Yupin Yang (Simon Fraser University)
Discussant: Yulia Nevskaya (Queen's University)
Session 4B – Room 106
Does Where You Produce Matter? Evidence from the Movie Industry
Presenter: Charles Weinberg (UBC)
Discussant: Kamran Eshghi (Laurentian University)
12:05 PM – 1:30 PM – Lunch and Poster Session
Rozanski Hall – Concourse Area
1:35 PM – 2:25 PM | Afternoon Sessions
Session 5A – Room 105
Gender Inequality and Household Purchase Decisions: The Case of Automobiles in China
Presenter: Han Zhong (University of Toronto)
Discussant: Ceren Kolsarici
Session 5B – Room 106
Collusion or Cooperation? Real Estate Agents and Price Impact via MLS Data
Presenter: Sevda Sattari (Simon Fraser University)
Discussant: Yang Pan (McMaster University)
2:25 PM – 3:15 PM
Session 6A – Room 105
Ripple Effect of Hybrid vs. Digital Communication on Consumer Benefits
Presenter: Kiran Pedada (University of Manitoba)
Discussant: Miremad Solemiyan (Simon Fraser University)
Session 6B – Room 106
Inclusive Product Design and Consumer Inference
Presenter: Eddie Ning
Discussant: Tirtha Shar (University of Guelph)
3:15 PM – 3:25 PM – Coffee Break
3:30 PM – 4:20 PM | Late Afternoon Sessions
Session 7A – Room 105
Sales Pipeline Technology: Automated Lead Nurturing
Presenter: Sash Vaid (McMaster University)
Discussant: Ernan Haruvy (McGill University)
Session 7B – Room 106
Are Exposure Bucks Worth It? Valuing Brand Audiences to Creators
Presenter: Daniel Goetz (UBC)
Discussant: Demetrios Varkatras (McGill University)
4:20 PM – 5:10 PM
Session 8A – Room 105
The Near-Zero Returns to Open Access Deals: Publisher-University Agreements
Presenter: Chunhua Wu (UBC)
Discussant: Guneet Nagpal (Western University)
Session 8B – Room 106
Should a Firm Disclose the Names of Its Major Customers?
Presenter: Vivek Astvansh (McGill University)
Discussant: Yuanfang Lin (University of Guelph)
5:10 PM – Wrap-Up and Refreshments
Rozanski Concourse
Evening Social
6:00 PM – Free Time
Optional: Join fellow delegates at Brass Taps (on campus)
7:00 PM – 10:00 PM – Closing Dinner at Brass Taps
- Awards Announcement
- Social Mixer with DJ
Conference Location
ROZH, 98 Trent Ln, Guelph, ON N1G 2W2
University of Guelph
University of Guelph
Canadian Society Of Quantitative Marketing
Currently, the disciplinary governance of the symposium is organized under the umbrella of the Canadian Society for Quantitative Marketing (CSQM). CSQM is a volunteer driven not for profit organization, which was launched in 2024 and is currently in the process of being further formalized and registered. The founding governing board members are –
Sourav Ray (University of Guelph), Paul Messinger (University of Alberta), David Soberman (University of Toronto), Ceren Kolsarici (Queens University), Demetrios Varkatras (McGill University), and Charles Weinber, (University of British Columbia).
Sourav Ray (University of Guelph), Paul Messinger (University of Alberta), David Soberman (University of Toronto), Ceren Kolsarici (Queens University), Demetrios Varkatras (McGill University), and Charles Weinber, (University of British Columbia).
Accommodations and Parking
Accommodations and parking details are provided to ensure a smooth and convenient travel experience.
Delta Hotel
Delta Hotels Guelph Conference Centre for 239.00 CAD per night - Last Day to Book : Thursday, April 17, 2025
Book your group rate for Lang School of Business and Economics Room Block
Book your group rate for Lang School of Business and Economics Room Block
On Campus Accomodations
Please follow link and use code: ETS2025
East Townhouses
East Townhouses