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DR. KAREN ANNE WALLACH

I hold a PhD and an MBA from Emory University, and a BSBA from Washington University in St. Louis. My research examines consumer behavior and marketing strategy on topics that lie at the intersection of social responsibility and digital wellness.

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My industry experience spanned roles in brand management, social & digital marketing, product development, advertising and market research. I worked on brands such as Carnival Cruise Lines, M&M Mars Inc. (Twix/Dove), Kimberly-Clark (Huggies), and Diageo (Smirnoff). 

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Originally from Florida, but have lived in New York City, Atlanta, Paris, London, St. Louis, Wisconsin and Alabama! I am currently a tenure-track Professor at the University of Alabama in Huntsville. 

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Email: kw0134@uah.edu

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EDUCATION


Emory University

Ph.D., Marketing 

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Emory University

M.B.A., Marketing

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Washington University in St. Louis

B.S.B.A., Triple Major: Marketing, French, International Business

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RESEARCH

RESEARCH INTERESTS

Social Media, Digital Wellness, Branding, Emerging Technology, CSR/Sustainability

DISSERTATION

“Three Essays on Corporate Social Responsibility & Sustainability Efforts with Brands and Consumers”

(Dissertation Approved: April 2021)

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Dissertation Chair:  Professor Jagdish Sheth

Committee:  Professor Douglas Bowman, Professor Sandy Jap, Professor Wes Longhofer, Professor Morgan Ward

JOURNAL PUBLICATIONS (updated 2024)

  • Wallach, K.A., Pham, H., Koschmann, T & Arwade, G (2025), Analyzing the Impact of Faces on Consumer Engagement in Social Media Videos: A Machine Learning Approach. Journal of Consumer Marketing. (ABDC Rating: A)

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  • Anderson, K.C., Wallach, K.A., Albinsson, P.A. and Tracy, R. (2025), From Body Positivity and Beyond: Investigating Affective Aesthetic Atmospheres of Influencers. Journal of Consumer Behaviour. (ABDC Rating: A) https://doi.org.elib.uah.edu/10.1002/cb.2474

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  • Anderson, K.C., Wallach, K.A., & Grimes, M. (2024), The Anti-Consumption Journey: Unplugging for Improved Well-Being. Journal of Consumer Behaviour,1-23. (ABDC Rating: A) https://doi.org/10.1002/cb.2390 *Featured in The Conversation (11/2024) & Inc. Magazine (12/2024)

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  •  Wallach, K. A., & Popovich, D. (2023). Cause Beneficial or Cause Exploitative? Using Joint Motives to Increase Credibility of Sustainability Efforts. Journal of Public Policy & Marketing, 42(2),187–202. (ABDC rating: A) https://doi.org/10.1177/07439156221138755. *Best Paper Research Award for 2023, University of Alabama in Huntsville, COB

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  • Wallach, K. A., & Popovich, D. (2023). When Big Is Less than Small: Why dominant brands lack authenticity in their sustainability initiatives. Journal of Business Research, 158, 113694. (ABDC rating: A) https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusres.2023.113694

PAPERS UNDER REVIEW

  • Wallach, Karen Anne, Sean Blair and Jaclyn Tanenbaum, “This Paper is Not for Everyone: Message Framing and Perceived Preferences.” (Conditional Acceptance at the Journal of Consumer Research)

 

  • Hamilton, Ryan, Kathleen Vohs, Morgan Ward, and Karen Anne Wallach, “The Upside of Incompetence: When Low Brand Competence Signals Low Prices” (Under review at the Journal of Marketing).

PUBLISHED BOOK CHAPTER

  • Bright, Laura F., and Karen-Anne Wallach (2021), “How to Turn Consumer Privacy into a Strategic Benefit for Your Brand,” An Audience of One: Drive Superior Results by Making the Radical Shift from Mass Marketing to One-to-One Marketing, eds. Jamie Turner and Chuck Moxley; McGraw Hill

RESEARCH IN PROGRESS

  • “Examining Consumer and Investor Responses to Corporate Social Responsibility Initiatives and Firm Diversity Targets” with Dionne Nickerson (Target Journal: Journal of Marketing)

 

  • “Commoditization of Digital Wellness: Market Actor Responsibilization in an Emerging Anti-consumption Marketing System” with Kelley Cours Anderson 

 

  • “Branding & Emotionality on TikTok” with Anthony Koschmann, Buffy Mosley, and Hieu Pham

 

  • “Who Made This? Perceived Influencer Quality and Its Effect on Social Media Engagement” with Buffy Mosley

CONFERENCES

CONFERENCE PRESENTATIONS

  • “Examining Consumer and Investor Responses to Corporate Social Responsibility Initiatives and Firm Diversity Targets.” 2025 Academy of Marketing Science Conference, Montreal

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  •  “Examining Consumer & Investor Responses to Corporate Social Responsibility Initiatives and Firm Diversity Targets.” 2024 Marketing Science Conference, Sydney, Australia

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  •  “Digital Wellness Commoditization: Following Market Actor Responsibilization in an Anti-Consumption Market System.” 2024 Consumer Culture Theory Conference, San Diego, CA

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  • “Commoditization of Digital Wellness: Market Actor Responsibilization in an Emerging Anti-consumption Marketing System.” 2024 Macromarketing Conference, Finland

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  •  “Redefining Beauty in the Digital Age: Affective Aesthetic Atmospheres of #BodyPositivity on Social Media.” 2024 American Marketing Association (AMA) Conference, FL

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  •  “Affective Aesthetic Atmospheres: Redefining Beauty with #BodyPositive TikTok Influencers.” 2023 Society for Marketing Advances (SMA) Conference, Fort Worth, TX,  *Won Best Paper in Track: Consumer Behavior

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  • “Examining Consumer & Investor Responses to Corporate Social Responsibility Initiatives and Firm Diversity Targets.” 2023 AMA Marketing and Public Policy Conference, Arlington, VA

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  • “Examining Consumer and Investor Responses to Corporate Social Responsibility Initiatives and Firm Diversity Targets. 2023 Theory and Practice in Marketing (TPM) Conference (2023), Lausanne, Switzerland

 

  • “Examining Consumer and Investor Responses to Corporate Social Responsibility Initiatives and Firm Diversity Targets.” 2023 Marketing Science Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Conference, Dallas, TX

 

  • “Face Size and User Engagement in Social Media Videos: A Machine Learning Approach.” 2023 American Marketing Association (AMA) Conference, Nashville, TN

 

  • “Examining Consumer and Investor Responses to Corporate Social Responsibility Initiatives and Firm Diversity Targets. ” 2023 American Marketing Association (AMA) Conference, Nashville, TN

 

  •  “The Psychology of Price: Advances in Pricing and Payment Perceptions in Consumer Decision Making”, Special Session at the 2022 Association for Consumer Research Conference (ACR) – October 2022, Denver, CO

 

  • “When Big is Bad: Brand Dominance and the Authenticity Deficit of Sustainable Products.” Presented Competitive Paper at the 2020 Academy of Marketing Science Conference– Virtual conference in January 2021

 

  • “When Big is Bad: Brand Dominance and the Authenticity Deficit of Sustainable Products.” Presented Competitive Paper and Session Chair at the 2020 Society for Marketing Advances Conference– Virtual conference in November 2020. *Won Runner Up: Best Dissertation Proposal Competition

 

  • “When Big is Bad: Brand Dominance and the Authenticity Deficit of Sustainable Products.” Accepted Paper for 2020 Atlantic Marketing Association Conference, Virtual conference in   October 2020. *Won Best Student Paper Award

 

  • “This Paper is Not for Everyone: Message Framing and Perceived Preferences.” Presented Competitive Paper and Session Chair at the 2019 Association of Consumer Research (ACR), Atlanta, GA 

 

  • “Breaking up Before You Get Together: Brand Honesty and Expectations.” Presented Competitive Paper and Session Chair at the 2019 Atlantic Marketing Association Conference, Asheville, NC. *Won Best Student Paper Award

 

  • “This Paper is Not for Everyone: Message Framing and Perceived Preferences” Poster presented at the 2019 Society for Consumer Psychology (SCP), Savannah, GA

 

  • “The Upside of Incompetence: How Discounting Luxury Affects Retailer Price Image.” Presented Competitive Paper at the 2018 Association of Consumer Research (ACR), Dallas, TX

 

  • “The Upside of Incompetence: How Discounting Luxury Affects Retailer Price Image,” Poster presented at the 2017 Society for Consumer Psychology (SCP), Dallas, Texas

TEACHING

 

TEACHING INTERESTS:

 Digital Marketing, Social Media Marketing, Consumer Behavior, Marketing Principles          

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TEACHING EXPERIENCE:

The University of Alabama in Huntsville

  • Digital Marketing (MBA & BBA), Fall 2024 (4.50/5.0)

  • Social Media Marketing (BBA & MBA), Fall 2024 (4.91/5.0)

  • Buyer Behavior (BBA), Spring 2024 – (4.67/5.0)

  • Social Media Marketing (BBA & MBA), Spring 2024 – (4.64/5.0)

  • Principles of Marketing (BBA) – Spring 2024 – (4.24/5.0)

  • Digital Marketing, (BBA & MBA), Fall 2023 – (4.95/5.0)

  • Social Media Marketing (BBA & MBA), Fall 2023 – (4.65/5.0)

  • Buyer Behavior, Fall 2022 (BBA), Spring 2023 – (4.80/5.0)

  • Social Media Marketing (BBA & MBA), Spring 2023 – (4.76/5.0)

  • Buyer Behavior, Fall 2022 (BBA), Fall 2022 (4.58/5.0)

  • Social Media Marketing (BBA & MBA), Fall 2022 – (4.60/5.0)

  • Buyer Behavior, Spring 2022  (4.54/5.0)

  • Social Media Marketing (BBA & MBA), Spring 2022 (4.86/5.0)

  • Buyer Behavior, Fall 2021 (4.77/5.0)

  • Social Media Marketing (BBA & MBA), Fall 2021 (4.4/5.0)

 

Kennesaw State University

  • Principles of Marketing, Spring 2021, Visiting Lecturer      

 

Emory University:

  • Global Marketing MBA Seminar, Fall 2019, Lecturer, select sessions                    

  • Global Marketing BBA Seminar, Fall 2019, Lecturer, select sessions                                 

  • Integrated Marketing Communications, Fall 2019, Lecturer, select sessions                       

  • Introduction to Consumer Behavior, Spring 2019, Lecturer, select sessions           

  • Marketing Strategy Consultancy MBA, Fall 2018, Teaching Associate

  • Marketing Strategy Consultancy BBA, Fall 2018, Teaching Associate

 

Georgia State University:

  • Buyer Behavior, Spring 2019, Lecturer, select sessions                                           

  • Masters Teaching Program Certification

AWARDS, HONORS, SERVICE

AWARDS & HONORS

  • Richard A. Witmondt Faculty Fellowship, College of Business, UAH, 2025-2026

  • Richard A. Witmondt Faculty Fellowship, College of Business, UAH, 2024-2025

  • Selected Faculty for UAH Charger Blue Impact, UAH Honors Day, 2024

  • Award Recipient for the 2024 Summer Research Grant, UAH

  • Award Recipient for the 2024 Course Innovation Grant Program, UAH ($5000)

  • Student Choice Award for Teaching, Honor Roll, College of Business (2023)

  • Best Research Paper Award of 2023, “Cause Beneficial or Cause Exploitative? Using Joint Motives to Increase Credibility of Sustainability Efforts.” Awarded by the College of Business at the University of Alabama in Huntsville (Article published in the Journal of Public Policy & Marketing in 2022)

  • Award Recipient for the 2023 Course Innovation Grant Program, UAH ($5000)

  • ISMS Early Career Scholars Fellow, Duke University, 2022

  • Award Recipient for the Mark McDaniel, Henri McDaniel, and Robert (Bud) Cramer Faculty Fellowship, College of Business, UAH, 2022/2023 ($5000)

  • Award Recipient for the Office of Research & Economic Development New Faculty Research Grant, UAH, 2022 ($10,000)

  • Grant Recipient for the ICPSR Program in Quantitative Methods of Research Workshop, UAH, 2022 ($1800)

  • Honor Roll Recipient, College of Business Student's Choice Award for Teaching, UAH, 2022

  • Selected Faculty for UAH Charger Blue Impact Survey, UAH Honors Day, 2022

  • AMA-Sheth Doctoral Consortium Fellow, Indiana University, 2021

  • Runner Up Award for Best Overall Dissertation Proposal- Society for Marketing Advances Dissertation Competition, 2020 ($500)

  • Marketing Strategy Consortium Fellow, 2020

  • AMA DocSig Spotlight Award, American Marketing Association, 2020

  • Laney Graduate School Research Grant, Emory University, 2019 ($2500)

  • AMA Sheth Foundation Doctoral Consortium Fellow, 2019 ($1000)

  • Goizueta Business School Doctoral Fellowship, Emory University, 2016-2021

SERVICE

University, College and Department Services

  • Judge, College of Business 24-Hour Challenge (2025)

  • Member, Faculty Development Committee, College of Business (2025-current)

  • Moderator, Panel on Artificial Intelligence and Higher Ed, University of Alabama in Huntsville (2024)

  • Faculty Advisor, Women in Business and Leadership Student Organization, College of Business, UAH (2023-current)

  • UAH Library Committee (2023–current)

  • Honor Student Advisor, College of Business, UAH (Spring 2024, Fall 2023)

  • WGS (Women's, Gender, and Sexuality Studies) Program Advising Committee (2023–current)

  • Faculty Advisor, Research Assistants (2 students), UAH (Spring 2024-current)

  • Featured Presenter for Marketing Department, Business Explorations Day Camp, College of Business, UAH (Summer 2023)

  • Faculty Co-Advisor, Immerse DC, College of Business, UAH (2023-2024)

  • Evaluator, 2022 BSBA Assurance of Learning Assessment, UAH (Fall 2022)

  • Invited Judge, Emory Impact Student Competition (Spring 2022)

  • Member, Department Chair Search Committee, College of Business, UAH (Fall 2021)

  • Invited Participant, Finance Tenure Track Candidate Hiring Search, UAH (Fall 2021)

  • Honor Student Advisor, College of Business, UAH (Fall 2021)

  • GBS Graduate Student Representative, Emory, 2019-2020

  • Net Impact Goizueta Member, Emory, 2019-2020

  • Co-Manager, Behavioral Lab, Goizueta Business School, Emory University, 2016-2017

 

 

Professional Services

  • Reviewer, Journal of Public Policy and Marketing

  • Reviewer, Journal of Business Research

  • Reviewer, American Marketing Association Academic Conference, 2024

  • Invited Mentor, Hudson Alpha AgTech Accelerator Day, 2023

  • Reviewer, European Association of Consumer Research, 2023

  • Reviewer, AMA Global Marketing Conference, 2023

  • Reviewer, American Marketers Association Academic Conference, 2023

  • Reviewer, Association of Consumer Researchers Conference, 2022

  • Session Chair: AMA Conference. Topic: Behavioral Outcomes of Marketing Strategy, 2021

  • Reviewer, Society of Marketing Advances, 2021

  • American Marketing Association Case Competition Judge, 2020

  • Reviewer, Association for Consumer Research Conference, 2019

  • Reviewer, Association for Consumer Research Conference, 2018

  • Doctoral Student Volunteer, Association for Consumer Research Conference, 2019

  • Doctoral Student Volunteer, Society for Consumer Psychology Conference, 2018

INDUSTRY EXPERIENCE

NORWEGIAN CRUISE LINE, MIAMI, FL (2013-2015)

Director of Marketing

  • Directed the strategic and creative direction across 25 teams for marketing initiatives. Managed projects for Norwegian.com, print advertising, direct mail, brochures and onboard selling promotions.

 

CARNIVAL CRUISE LINES, MIAMI, FL (2008-2013)

Senior Manager, Marketing Research and Product Development

  • Developed new brands under the Carnival umbrella including Guy Fieri Burger Joint & Cherry on Top candy store. Efforts included marketing research (qualitative and quantitative), concept development and testing, product design and brand standards.

Senior Manager, Brand Marketing

  • Managed and led social media platforms, new ship launch efforts (including Carnival Dream in Rockefeller Center), and onboard programming initiatives.                       

                           

DIAGEO NORTH AMERICA, NEW YORK, NY (2007-2008)

Associate Brand Manager, Smirnoff Vodka                                                      

  • Performed classic brand management responsibilities for the #1 vodka brand. Efforts included quarterly business analyses on vodka category, digital program on Yahoo.com, and James Bond/Sony Pictures partnership for digital and point-of-sale.

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***Further details of industry experience available upon inquiry.

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SKILLS:

  • Software Packages: SAS, SPSS, Qualtrics, Process, Stata, MPlus

  • Industry Skills: Google Analytics, Hootsuite, Crimson Hexagon/Brandwatch, Salesforce, Hubspot, Wix, Mailchimp, Social Media advertising, A/B testing, Focus group moderator, Field experiments

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UAH FACULTY PAGE (2023)

JBR ARTICLE (2023)

JPPM ARTICLE (2022)

BOOK CHAPTER (2021)

EMORY RESEARCH (2021)

AMA SPOTLIGHT (2020)

SHETH FELLOWSHIP (2019)

Coding

CONTACT INFO

Dr. Karen Anne Wallach

(e) kw0134@uah.edu

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©2022 by Karen Anne Wallach

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