The 2024 AMA CBSIG Vienna Conference, themed “Why” Matters: The Imperative to Understand Consumer Behavior in a Data-Driven World, took place on July 1-3, 2024, in the historic city of Vienna, Austria. Hosted by the Institute for Digital Marketing & Behavioral Insights at WU Vienna in collaboration with the Special Interest Group of the American Marketing Association (AMA CBSIG), this conference is a significant event for scholars in the field of marketing and consumer behavior.

Several members of the Marketing Group Zurich from UZH and ETH Zurich presented their latest research projects.

Prof. Dr. Andrea Giuffredi-Kähr

Amplifying and Buffering: Understanding Consumer-Brand Relationships in the Face of Negative Events – A Meta-Analytical Study

Andrea Giuffredi Kähr* (University of Zurich); Bettina Nyffenegger (University of Bern); Mansur Khamitov (Indiana University); Wayne Hoyer (University of Texas at Austin); Harley Krohmer (University of Bern)

Abstract: Why do strongly connected customers tolerate a negative brand-related event in some cases but oppose it in others? Our meta-analysis covering various negative events and consumer-brand relationship (CBR) constructs demonstrates that the interplay of self-brand distance and type of negative event determines whether a CBR buffers or amplifies consumers’ responses.

Session: Firms and Brands: Navigating the Bad and Ugly


Dr. Andrea Bublitz

The Mere Sharing Effect: Sharing Ambiguous Information Increases Truth Ratings

Andrea Bublitz* (University of Zurich); Eli Sugerman (Columbia University); Gergely Nyilasy (University of Melbourne); Gita Johar (Columbia University)

Abstract: Sharing information online offers new information opportunities but also increases consumers’ susceptibility to misinformation. This research uncovers that ambiguous information is perceived to be more true after sharing. Motivated by the need to perceive oneself as truthful, the effect persists when sharing anonymously or only intending to share.

Session: Social Matters

Malin Pimper

The Art of Understanding Consumers: Using Consumers’ Sustainability Understanding to Foster Sustainable Consumption

Malin Pimper* (University of Zurich); Andrea Giuffredi Kähr (University of Zurich)

Abstract: Despite consumers’ sustainable intentions, sustainable products’ market share remains low. Data from a European retailer revealed that conventional eco-label communication did not drive sustainable consumption. However, product-specific sustainability claims increased sustainable purchases. Crucially, in distracting retail environments, only specific eco-claims (without eco-labels) enhanced sustainability, offering insights for effective sustainability communication.

Session: Flash Talks

Dr. David Finken

The AR-Display Bias: Why Augmented Reality Increases Preferences More for Inferior Than for Superior Products

David Finken* (ETH), Thomas Scheurer (Uni Luzern), Leif Brandes (Uni Luzern), Reto Hofstetter (Uni Luzern)

Abstract: We demonstrate that AR product displays increase preferences for products with objectively inferior performance more than for products with superior performance. The reason is that AR induces psychological ownership for products fostering associations between products and the self. Seven experiments provide evidence and offer insights for managers and policymakers. 

Session: Making Sense of Products and their Characteristics


Our team’s participants would like to thank the organizing committee members Christina Schamp (WU Vienna), Melanie Clegg (WU Vienna), Burçak Baş (WU Vienna), Mathew Isaac (Seattle University), Mansur Khamitov (Indiana University), and Julio Sevilla (University of Georgia).

Special thanks to Prof. Dr. Christina Schamp and her team from the WU Vienna for the amazing organization. Their loving hospitality and attention to detail have been instrumental in providing a place for exchanging research, lively discussions and experiencing Vienna.