Patti Williams
- Ira A. Lipman Associate Professor of Marketing
Contact Information
- Primary Email:
pattiw@wharton.upenn.edu - Office Phone:
(215) 898-0670 - Office Fax Phone:
(215) 898-2534
- office Address:
762 Jon M. Huntsman Hall
3730 Walnut Street
University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA 19104
Research Interests: emotion regulation, emotional and attitudinal ambivalence, emotions and social identity, the persuasive effects of emotion, brand purpose
Overview
Professor Patti Williams examines ways consumers’ emotional responses influence consumption and persuasion. Her current research projects focus on how emotions influence consumer decisions and processes of persuasion; consumer responses to emotional and attitudinal ambivalence; and emotion regulation.
Her research has been published in top-tier academic journals including the Journal of Marketing Research and the Journal of Experimental Psychology: Applied. She serves on the Editorial Review Board for the Journal of Marketing Research and is an Associate Editor at the Journal of Consumer Psychology. She previously served as an Associate Editor at the Journal of Consumer Research. She is President of the Society for Consumer Psychology.
She teaches a course on Strategic Brand Management to undergraduate and MBA students; previously she has taught the MBA core courses and classes on Advertising Management. Professor Williams earned her PhD and MBA from the University of California, Los Angeles, and her BA from Stanford University.
Research
Yimin Cheng, Anirban Mukhopadhyay, Patti Williams (2020), Smiling Signals Intrinsic Motivation, Journal of Consumer Research, 46 (5), pp. 915-935. https://doi.org/10.1093/jcr/ucz023
Evan Weingarten, Amit Bhattacharjee, Patti Williams (Under Review), So Bad It’s Good: When Consumers Prefer the Bad Option.
Ludovica Cesareo, Eugenia C. Wu, Keisha M. Cutright, Patti Williams (Under Revision), The Consequences of Beautiful Products: Sacredness, Awe, and Forgiveness.
Patti Williams (2014), Emotions and Consumer Behavior, Journal of Consumer Research, 40 (5).
Nicole Verrochi Coleman and Patti Williams (2013), Feeling Like My Self: Emotion Profiles and Social Identity, Journal of Consumer Research, 40 (August)), pp. 203-222.
Eric Bradlow, Keith Niedermeier, Patti Williams, Marketing for Financial Advisors: Build Your Business by Establishing Your Brand, Knowing Your Clients and Creating a Marketing Plan (2009)
Aimee L. Drolet, Patti Williams, Loraine Lau-Gesk (2007), Age-Related Differences in Responses to Emotional vs. Rational Ads for Hedonic vs. Utilitarian Products (Lead Article), Marketing Letters, Volume 18, Number 4 (December), pp. 211-221.
Suresh Ramanathan and Patti Williams (2007), Immediate and Delayed Emotional Consequences of Indulgence: The Moderating Influence of Personality Type on Mixed Emotions, Journal of Consumer Research, 34 (August), pp. 212-223.
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Gavan Fitzsimons, Joseph C. Nunes, Patti Williams (2007), License to Sin: The Liberating Role of Reporting Expectations, Journal of Consumer Research, 34 (June), pp. 22-31.
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Patti Williams, Lauren G. Block, Gavan J. Fitzsimons (2006), Simply Asking Questions About Health Behaviors Increases Both Healthy and Unhealthy Behaviors, Social Influence, 1 (2, June), pp. 117-127.
Teaching
Current Courses
MKTG278 - Strategic Brand Mgmt
Which brands make you happy? Apple? Amazon? Starbucks? Everlane? Soulcycle? Sweetgreen? What draws you into these brands? How do companies create compelling brand experiences? How could you cultivate a well-loved brand? This course explores such questions with the goal of identifying the ingredients for building an inspired brand. The course is created for students interested in building a brand and/or immersing themselves in the enhancement of an existing brand, and it is comprised of lectures, cases, guest speakers, discussions, in and out of class exercises, and a final project. Broadly, the course will be divided into four parts: 1) Understanding Brand, 2) Crafting Brand, 3) Measuring Brand, and 4) Managing Brand. The course will provide students with an appreciation of the role of branding and (taking a consumer-centric approach) will augment students' ability to think creatively and critically about the strategies and tactics involved in building, leveraging, defending, and sustaining inspired brands.
MKTG278001 ( Syllabus )
MKTG778 - Strategic Brand Mgmt
Which brands make you happy? Apple? Amazon? Starbucks? Everlane? Soulcycle? Sweetgreen? What draws you into these brands? How do companies create compelling brand experiences? How could you cultivate a well-loved brand? This course explores such questions with the goal of identifying the ingredients for building an inspired brand. The course is created for students interested in building a brand and/or immersing themselves in the enhancement of an existing brand, and it is comprised of lectures, cases, guest speakers, discussions, in and out of class exercises, and a final project. Broadly, the course will be divided into four parts: 1) Understanding Brand, 2) Crafting Brand, 3) Measuring Brand, and 4) Managing Brand. The course will provide students with an appreciation of the role of branding and (taking a consumer-centric approach) will augment students' ability to think creatively and critically about the strategies and tactics involved in building, leveraging, defending, and sustaining inspired brands.
MKTG778001 ( Syllabus )
MKTG778002 ( Syllabus )
Awards and Honors
- President-Elect, Society for Consumer Psychology, 2019-2020
- President, Society for Consumer Psychology, 2020-2021
- Outstanding Reviewer, Journal of Consumer Psychology, 2018
- Outstanding Reviewer, Journal of Consumer Research, 2016
- Wharton WEMBA Class of 2016 Excellence in Teaching Award, 2016
- MBA Core Curriculum Award, “Goes Above and Beyond the Call of Duty”, 2014
- MBA Core Curriculum Award “Goes Above And Beyond The Call of Duty”, 2012
- MBA Core Curriculum Excellence in Teaching Award, 2011
- Wharton Excellence in Teaching Award, 2010
- MBA Core Curriculum Award “Goes Above And Beyond The Call of Duty”, 2008
- Wharton Excellence In Teaching Award, 2007
- Fellow, Wharton Risk Center, 2007
- Wharton Excellence in Teaching Award, 2006
- 2001 Marketing Science Institute Young Scholars Conference, 2001
- 2000-2006 James G. Campbell Jr. Memorial Term Assistant Professor, 2000
- 1999 Marketing Science Institute Research Grant (with Aimee Drolet), 1999
- 1997 Procter & Gamble Market Innovation Research Fund Recipient, 1997
- 1997 UCLA Graduate Division Merit Fellowship, 1997
- 1997 American Marketing Association Doctoral Consortium Fellow, 1997
- 1997 Center for International Business (CIBER), Internationalization Marketing Consortium Fellow, 1997
- 1996 CIBER International Research Grant (with Jennifer Aaker), 1996
- 1992-1993 Los Angeles Women in Business MBA Fellowship Recipient, 1992
- 1991-1993 Dean’s List, UCLA, MBA Program, 1991
- Past-President, Society for Consumer Psychology, 2020-2021
- President, Society for Consumer Psychology, 2020-2021
In the News
- Inside the Mysterious World of Celebrity Beauty Brands - 05/04/2021
- Choosing the Right Brand Name, Wharton Magazine Online - 01/25/2021
- Homespun BLM products include cookie kits, garden gnomes, Associated Press - 09/27/2020
- Anthony Martignetti, TV commercial star who ran home for Prince pasta, dies at 63, Washington Post - 08/27/2020
- Super Bowl Ads Were Slightly Less Sexist This Year. Don’t Celebrate Yet., The New Republic - 02/01/2015
- Expect Lots of Puppies, Little Cleavage in SuperBowl Ads, Fortune - 01/30/2015
- What the #%*# Did That Ad Just Say?, Marketplace - 06/04/2013
- Research Roundup: Foreign Diversification, Social Comparisons and Consumer Identity, Knowledge at Wharton - 05/08/2013
- Lights, cameras…nappies, Financial Times - 04/11/2013
- The Hazards of Celebrity Endorsements in the Age of Twitter, Knowledge@Wharton - 04/09/2013
- Vegetables in the Winter, Served Family Style, New York Times - 01/29/2013
- Merck Under Fire for Marketing Meds to Kids, Marketplace Business - 06/21/2012
- Thinking vs. Feeling: The Psychology of Advertising, The Atlantic - 10/27/2011
- Silicon Valley moves into Madison Avenue | Marketplace From American Public Media, Marketplace Public Radio - 10/03/2011
- Circles and Swooshes: What’s Behind the Trend Toward Kinder, Gentler Logos, Time - 03/14/2011
- Will Fewer Choices Reap Higher Profits for the Girl Scouts, Knowlege@Wharton Today - 02/03/2011
- Top Business Trends of 2010, Wharton@Work - 01/01/2010
- For ‘Avatar,’ An Unprecedented Marketing Push, NPR - 12/17/2009
- Do Ads with High Schock Value Work?, Marketplace - 10/14/2009
- The Urge to Buy Turns on Ethics, Philadelphia Inquirer - 09/19/2009
- Worn Clothes Make the Man, Wall Street Journal - 08/20/2009
- Hog Futures Down, Knowledge@Wharton - 07/20/2009
- Warmer, Fuzzier: The Refreshed Logo, New York Times - 05/31/2009
- ITunes: The Preferred Plastic, Philadelphia Inquirer - 02/04/2009
- World’s most recession-proof economy? The Super Bowl, Espn.com - 01/28/2008
- Why Do Some People Shop Impulsively, Newsweek - 08/17/2007
- Guilt Won’t Stop Impulsive Shoppers, Researchers Say, CBC - 08/09/2007
- Single Question Could Lead to Drug Use, ABC News - 07/26/2006
- Do Mixed Emotions and Advertising Mix?, Knowledge@Wharton - 10/16/2000
Knowledge @ Wharton
- Rebranding the NFL: How the League Shifted Its Message on Racial Justice, Knowledge @ Wharton - 9/11/2020
- Why This Year’s Super Bowl Ads Were ‘Meh’, Knowledge @ Wharton - 2/5/2019
- Did Gillette Miss the Mark with Its Toxic Masculinity Ad?, Knowledge @ Wharton - 1/24/2019
- Dunkin’, WW and IHOB: When Do Name Changes Pay Off?, Knowledge @ Wharton - 10/11/2018
- Emotions as ‘Power’: How to Handle Chronic Stress, Knowledge @ Wharton - 4/25/2017
- Talcum Trouble: Where Does J&J’s Responsibility Lie?, Knowledge @ Wharton - 5/11/2016
- Customer Journey Mapping Is at the Heart of Digital Transformation, Knowledge @ Wharton - 11/4/2015
- Six Lessons Your Brand Can Learn from Google’s Logo Reboot, Knowledge @ Wharton - 9/1/2015
- Research Roundup: Foreign Diversification, Social Comparisons and Consumer Identity, Knowledge @ Wharton - 5/8/2013
- How ‘Scroogled’ Could Hurt Both Microsoft and Google, Knowledge @ Wharton - 3/8/2013
- The Hazards of Celebrity Endorsements in the Age of Twitter, Knowledge @ Wharton - 2/27/2013
- Patients versus Profits at Johnson & Johnson: Has the Company Lost its Way?, Knowledge @ Wharton - 2/15/2012
- Seeing Red, Knowledge @ Wharton - 1/30/2012
- Has Reebok Misled with Its EasyTone Ads? No ‘Butts’ About It, Knowledge @ Wharton - 9/30/2011
- Ronald McDonald — Ambassador of Goodwill — Or Purveyor of Poor Health?, Knowledge @ Wharton - 5/19/2011
- Will Fewer Choices Reap Higher Profits for the Girl Scouts?, Knowledge @ Wharton - 2/3/2011
- Logo Overhaul: Will Customers Still Answer the Siren Call of Starbucks?, Knowledge @ Wharton - 2/2/2011
- Can Walmart Make Us Thinner?, Knowledge @ Wharton - 1/24/2011
- Available All the Time: Etiquette for the Social Networking Age, Knowledge @ Wharton - 3/8/2010
- Brands on the Brink: Marketing in a Down Economy, Knowledge @ Wharton - 2/3/2010
- Buying Authenticity, Knowledge @ Wharton - 10/6/2009
- Available All the Time: Etiquette for the Social Networking Age, Knowledge @ Wharton - 9/30/2009
- Technological Evolution Stirs a Publishing Revolution, Knowledge @ Wharton - 8/5/2009
- Marketing for Financial Advisors: Harness Data, Drill Deep into a Niche — and Thrive, Knowledge @ Wharton - 7/22/2009
- When the Going Gets Tough, the Tough Don’t Skimp on Their Ad Budgets, Knowledge @ Wharton - 11/26/2008
- ‘Dead-tree Medium’ No Longer: For Many Marketers, Print Outperforms Digital, Knowledge @ Wharton - 3/19/2008
- If Online Marketing Is the Future, Why Are Some CMOs Stuck in the Past?, Knowledge @ Wharton - 2/6/2008
- Super Bowl Showstoppers: Despite the Economy, the Big Game Is Still on for Advertisers, Knowledge @ Wharton - 1/23/2008
- The Holiday Shopping Outlook: I Saw Mommy Dissing Santa Claus, Knowledge @ Wharton - 11/14/2007
- In the Growing Market for Online Video, TV Networks Want a Piece of the Action, Knowledge @ Wharton - 10/3/2007
- Media Moves: Will the New Online Advertising Models Click?, Knowledge @ Wharton - 5/30/2007
- At Google, the Search Is On for a New Approach to Old Media, Knowledge @ Wharton - 3/7/2007
- Brand It Like Beckham: Can the Soccer Star Sustain the Hype?, Knowledge @ Wharton - 1/24/2007
- Product Placement in the Pews? Microtargeting Meets Megachurches, Knowledge @ Wharton - 11/15/2006
- Burgers and Other Goods in the Blink of an Eye: How Effective Are Short Ads?, Knowledge @ Wharton - 10/18/2006
- To Blog or Not to Blog: Report from the Front, Knowledge @ Wharton - 10/18/2006
- Will the New Nike+iPod Sport Kit Hit the Ground Running, or Hit the Wall?, Knowledge @ Wharton - 7/26/2006
- The Coffee Wars Heat Up: New Strategies to Jolt the Caffeine-Conscious Consumer, Knowledge @ Wharton - 4/19/2006
- Talking Chimps, Subservient Chickens And Others Blend Entertainment and Advertising, Knowledge @ Wharton - 4/5/2006
- Christmas Creep: The Shopping Season Is Longer, but Is It Better?, Knowledge @ Wharton - 3/1/2006
- ‘Tastes Great, Less Filling, and Perfect with Cheese’: Beer Tries to Brew Up a New Image, Knowledge @ Wharton - 1/25/2006
- Food Fight: Obesity Raises Difficult Marketing Questions, Knowledge @ Wharton - 3/9/2005
- James Bond’s BMW and Other Product Placements: New, Racier Ways to Advertise, Knowledge @ Wharton - 12/15/2004
- Creating the Buzz Behind Bill’s Blockbuster, Knowledge @ Wharton - 7/14/2004
- Low-carb, High-carb: What’s a Baker/Pasta Maker to Do?, Knowledge @ Wharton - 6/16/2004
- Getting Close to the Customer: Quantitative vs. Qualitative Approaches, Knowledge @ Wharton - 5/5/2004
- It’s Showtime: Will the GE-Vivendi Deal Please the Critics?, Knowledge @ Wharton - 9/10/2003
- Darn Those Pop-Up Ads! They’re Maddening, But Do They Work?, Knowledge @ Wharton - 8/13/2003
- 2002: The Year of the Apology, Knowledge @ Wharton - 12/4/2002
Wharton Stories
- The Implications of Smiling at Work, Wharton Stories - 03/16/2020
- Why This Aspiring Marketing Leader Decided to Upskill with an MBA Degree, Wharton Stories - 06/12/2019
- Why These Wharton Faculty Love Teaching in San Francisco, Wharton Stories - 02/19/2018
- How I’ve Used the Wharton Network and Flexible Options, Wharton Stories - 04/05/2016
Activity
Latest Research
In the News
Rebranding the NFL: How the League Shifted Its Message on Racial JusticeIn a stark turnabout, the NFL is now embracing the same goals of social justice and racial equality that cost quarterback Colin Kaepernick his football career. Experts explain the change and why other brands should follow suit.
Knowledge @ Wharton - 9/11/2020Wharton Magazine
20 Years of Knowledge@WhartonIn the two decades since its launch, Knowledge@Wharton has become an invaluable resource for lifelong learning online, on the radio, and on podcasts. Meet its visionary founder and the team that’s spreading insights and education to a global audience.
Wharton Magazine - 04/19/2019Wharton Stories
The Implications of Smiling at WorkDo you know how your employees really feel about their job? New research shows that an employee’s smile could be a reliable indicator. Ira A. Lipman Associate Professor of Marketing Patti Williams sat down with Wharton Business Daily host Dan Loney to discuss a new research paper she co-authored, which…
Wharton Stories - 03/16/2020