Research
Strategic Marketing in Retail and Digital Media

My work focuses on the dynamics of marketing strategies and consumer behavior, particularly in the context of retailing and digital media. My research portfolio is organized along two related foci:
(1) the consequences of retailing changes on manufacturers, retailers, and consumers (where I focus on price wars, promotions, location-based mobile advertising, private labels, front-of-package labels, model photography, and online gaming), and
(2) the impact of media changes (such as the role of electronic word-of-mouth and social media, influencer marketing, gender differences in social media communication among top managers).
My two lines of research allow me to use different methods depending on the problem at hand, from conceptual work and meta-analyses, to experimental research, econometrics modeling, text analyses, and machine learning.
I publish regularly in top-tier marketing journals and collaborate with firms to generate real-world impact. Browse the links below to learn more about my recent projects, publications, and working papers.
Papers Under Review and Work in Progress
“From Washing to Hushing: Brand Ecosystem Positioning Strategies and Their Impact on Social Media Engagement” view here…
Authors: Liadeli, G., Sotgiu, F., and Verlegh, P.
“Touch, Swipe, and Tilt: Exploring the Impact of Mobile In-App Advertising Content on Consumer Brand Choice Intention” view here…
Authors: Oc, Y., Bernritter, S., Plangger, K., and Sotgiu, F.
“Social Commerce: Influencer Unboxing” view here…
Authors: Liadeli, G., Sotgiu, F., Liu, Y., and Li, Y.
“Diversity in Top Management: Exploring Gender Differences across Social Media Communication” view here…
Authors: Liadeli, G., Kühnl, C., and Sotgiu, F.
“Brands on Social Media: A Meta-Synthesis on the Effectiveness of Owned and Earned Social Media” view here…
Authors: Liadeli, G., Sotgiu, F., and Verlegh, P.
“Marketer-Appropriated Electronic Word of Mouth: Investigating the Effect of Online Reviews Displayed in Marketer-Generated Messages” view here…
Authors: Babic Rosario, A., Sotgiu, F., and Besharat, A.
Latest Publications
Bernritter, S., Danatzis, I., Möller-Herm, J., Sotgiu, F., (2025)
“Toxic Playgrounds: Managing Reputational and Financial Brand Safety in Multiplayer Video Games,” International Journal of Research in Marketing, forthcoming.
Zhang, Y., Ikonen, I., Eelen, J., Sotgiu, F., (2024)
“One size does not fit all: Optimizing size-inclusive model photography mitigates fit risk in online fashion retailing,” Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, 1-30.
Liadeli, G., Sotgiu, F., Verlegh, P., (2024)
“Brands on Social Media: A Meta-Synthesis on the Effectiveness of Owned Social Media,” Journal of Marketing, 87(3), 406-427.
Bernritter, S., Verlegh, P., Schartman, N., Gruber, V., Sotgiu, F., (2021)
“Don’t Worry, We are Here for You”: Brands as External Source of Control During the COVID-19 Pandemic,” Journal of Advertising, 50(3), 262-270.
Bernritter, S., Ketelaar, P., Sotgiu, F. (2021)
“Behaviorally targeted location-based mobile marketing, Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science 49 (4), 677-702.
Ikonen, I., Sotgiu, F., Aydinli, A., And Verlegh, P.W.J., (2020)
“Consumer Effects Of Front-Of-Package Nutrition Labeling: An Interdisciplinary Meta-Analysis,” Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, 48(3), 360-383.
Babic Rosario, A., De Valck, K., and Sotgiu, F., (2020)
“Conceptualizing the Electronic Word-of-mouth Process: What We Know and Need to Know about eWOM Creation, Exposure, and Evaluation,” Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, 48 (3), 422-448.
Babic Rosario, A., Sotgiu, F., De Valck, K., and Bijmolt, T., (2016)
” The Effect of Electronic Word of Mouth on Sales: A Meta-Analytic Review of Platform, Product, and Metric Factors,” Journal of Marketing Research, (June), 296-318.
Sotgiu, F., and Gielens, K., (2015),
“Suppliers Caught In Supermarket Price Wars: Victims or Victors?,” Journal of Marketing Research, (December), 784-800.
Krafft, M., Goetz, O., Mantrala, M., Sotgiu, F., and Tillmanns, S., (2015)
“The Evolution of Marketing Channel Research Domains and Methodologies: An Integrative Review and Future Directions,” Journal of Retailing, 91 (4), 569-585.
Sotgiu, F. (2010)
Not All Promotions are Made Equal: From the effects of a price war to cross-chain cannibalization. ERIM, Rotterdam. ISBN 978-90-5892-238-0.
Sotgiu, F. and Ancarani, F., (2004),
“Exploiting the Opportunities of Internet and Multi-Channel Pricing: An Exploratory Research,” Journal of Product and Brand Management, 13 (2-3), 125-36.