SONNENTOR is one of the early-movers in sustainability marketing. The company has been producing organic teas and organic spices since 1988 and sells them through its own stores and franchise partners. The strategy of focusing on sustainability and the common good was initially ridiculed, but is now being imitated by many competitors in the market. Against this backdrop, students specializing in retail and marketing worked on the project "The SONNNENTOR store today and tomorrow!". During the summer semester of 2024 they tried to find out how SONNENTOR can continue to be perceived as an innovative store in the future. Following desk research, the students took a close look at 7 store locations in Vienna and conducted a total of 252 interviews with existing and potential SONNENTOR customers gaining exciting insights for store design and sustainability communication.

"Thank you for allowing SONNENTOR to be a project partner. It was great to experience the enthusiasm of the students. I have rarely heard sustainability so often and I am happy that the circular economy has also found a prominent place in modern economics and thus at WU Vienna!" Johannes Gutmann, founder and owner of SONNENTOR

The project was part of the course „Retail Marketing Consulting

Project lead: Dr. Cordula Cerha (Institute for Retailing & Data Science)

„The interaction with students from the Institute of Retailing and Data Science in the course of the project work is a valuable opportunity for Maresi Austria GmbH to gain new brand insights and also to establish contacts with potential future employees. For the participants, working on a specific question offers the opportunity to try out theoretical knowledge in real life and thus gain initial insights into their potential future jobs. The comprehensive and in-depth analysis of the competition offers our Shan'shi brand exciting starting points for the design of the future marketing mix. The quality of the work carried out is very impressive. The guidance provided by Dr Cordula Cerha is valuable for both sides, as this format is an excellent way of fruitfully combining the two worlds of university and practice.“ Andreas Nentwich, CEO Maresi

As Austrians are becoming bolder in their culinary tastes, Asian food is increasingly popular for at-home consumption. Against this backdrop, students on the Retail Marketing Consulting course were given the opportunity to work on the Shan'shi brand and its competitive positioning this semester. After store visits, blind tastings and interviews with potential customers, we presented our insights to the management team and were delighted with the positive feedback.

The project was part of the course „Retail Marketing Consulting"

Project lead: Dr. Cordula Cerha (Institute for Retailing & Data Science)

"I am equally excited and inspired by the huge commitment and expertise of the student consultants! I would like to thank the entire project team at WU Vienna for the exciting presentation and all their efforts." Johannes Holzleitner, CEO INTERSPAR Österreich

What services should INTERSPAR - as a leading one-stop shopping destination - offer in the future to make everyday life easier for customers in the long term? This is the question that students of SBWL Retail and Marketing addressed as part of a project in the course Retail Marketing Consulting.

In a diary study, they recorded and evaluated 3.513 activities that consumers completed over the course of a week. They also determined what chores consumers did not have enough time to do and where they would have needed help. Based on the findings suggestions were made what services INTERSPAR could offer to facilitate consumers’ daily challenges.

The project was part of the course „Retail Marketing Consulting

Project lead: Dr. Cordula Cerha (Institute for Retailing & Data Science)

"Both the survey and the social media analysis were very informative for us. The implications that the students derived from the project are a good starting point for new sales strategies in this market." Christian Schubert, Director Residential Marketing, A1

The smart phone is a constant companion of Generation Z and thus an indispensable part of students' everyday lives. As a consequence, the student market for mobile services is highly competitive. That is why our project partner A1 asked students in the course Retail Marketing Consulting to look at the positioning and differentiation of their brand XOXO among students. Based on an analysis of the social media and web presences of XOXO and relevant competitors as well as a survey of 221 students at 9 universities and universities of applied sciences, the student consulting team developed recommendations for addressing the target market.

The project was part of the course „Retail Marketing Consulting

Project lead:

Dr. Cordula Cerha (Institute for Retailing & Data Science)

„VO ÜS is now just two years old. So it didn’t exist at the time the students have started to study at WU Wien. Nevertheless, they choose us for their course. I am very happy about that. It was very interesting to learn how the students see our beverage brand and where it can be in the next years. Good work. Thank you for that.” Philipp Wüstner, Head of Marketing & Sales, VO ÜS, is grateful for the collaboration.

VO ÜS is a newly established joint venture of beer breweries from Vorarlberg offering lemonades with all kinds of flavors. The soft drinks are bottled in glass, which underlines the company's environmentally conscious and resource-conserving approach. The collaboration with a student team led to a market entry plan into Italy.

The project was part of the course Global Business Planning

Projekt lead:
ao.Univ-Prof. Mag. Dr. Elfriede Penz, MAS EurPhD (Institute for International Marketing Management)

"The students have thoroughly analysed our brand and developed a sophisticated survey instrument. Based on a profound study, they have made specific suggestions for our marketing communication." Mag. Lukas Steiner, Head of Operations, Polestar

In the summer semester of 2022, a team of students from the Department of Marketing worked on the topic of e-mobility on behalf of Polestar.

Investigating the changes due to digitalization, electrification and other trends, the students first conducted desk research and then empirically examined the purchase decisions for automobiles in the digital age. In particular, they explored the question of which channels and information inspire confidence in the purchase of an electric car.

The results were used to derive starting points for Polestar's brand communication in the growth market of e-mobility.

The project was part of the course „Retail Marketing Consulting

Project lead:

Dr. Cordula Cerha (Institute for Retailing & Data Science)

"Our cooperation was a special highlight of the year for CPB. In great presentations, the students gave an oversight of many new ways to acquire customers and opened up completely new perspectives for us. We would like to express our sincere thanks to everyone involved!" Peter Thomayer, Spokesman of the Board CPB Software AG

As a specialist for complete IT solutions, CPB stands for the implementation of innovative software solutions. CPB is dedicated to the development of software solutions for banks, customer-specific software development for public authorities, educational institutions and industry, as well as comprehensive IT services for customers from all industries.

In the course "Marketing and Consumer Research Project" the students dealt with the topic of innovative software solution, having a closer look at the example of "edwin: education wins". Edwin is a modern and innovative web-based education management system. Since a solution like edwin can be adapted to the needs of any type of education through a multitude of settings, the students dealt with the question for which industries such a software solution could be exciting. By conducting expert interviews, the students were able to gain new insights into Austria's digital landscape and gather and present findings about the need for innovative digital solutions.

Project within the course "Marketing and Consumer Research Project" (SBWL Bachelor Course)

Project Management:

Assoz.Prof. PD Dr. Monika Koller (Institute for Marketing and Consumer Research)

Dr. Barbara Hartl (Institute for Marketing and Consumer Research)

"The dedicated support of the students through sound research and structured fieldwork has helped the RepaNet team to gain some useful insights for their own work. Some of the assumptions we made could be supported by research, and in addition, the results of the field research got to the heart of the wishes and needs of potential customers of a re-use online store. The outside perspective on our own work was very beneficial to the progress in our WIDADO project. We thank the Institute for Marketing and Consumer Research at WU for the good, professional cooperation." MMag.a Irene Schanda, Communication RepaNet

As an interest group of socially oriented re-use businesses as well as repair networks and repair initiatives, RepaNet deals with central issues in the current circular economy debate with a focus on intelligent, fair use of raw materials by extending the product life cycle, creating fair jobs in this sector and involving civil society in Austria.

In the course "Marketing and Consumer Research Project" everything revolved around the topic "Re-Use and Second-Hand". What are the special aspects to be considered from the consumer's point of view? What role do topics such as social media and influencer marketing play? The students explored these and other questions in their empirical projects. The constant joint reflection and discussion of the findings with RepaNet has brought exciting new perspectives on the topic to light.

Project within the course "Marketing and Consumer Research Project" (SBWL Bachelor Course)

Project Management:

Assoz.Prof. PD Dr. Monika Koller (Institute for Marketing and Consumer Research)

Dr. Barbara Hartl (Institute for Marketing and Consumer Research)

What if salmon came out of the printer instead of water?

Revo Foods offers a plant-based smoked salmon which is produced using the 3D-printing technology to its customers. By proposing a plant-based solution Revo Foods tackles environmental issues such as of overfishing and contributes to a healthy diet. In the collaboration with a student team, a market entry plan was developed for yet another market, Sweden.

"It was a great experience for Revo Foods to work together with motivated students from WU Vienna on a plan for the market entry of our vegan fish products in Sweden. We gained great insights, and would like to tackle such a project again anytime.", so Robin Simsa, who enjoyed working with the excellent team of IMM students.

The project was part of the course Global Business Planning

led by ao.Univ-Prof. Mag. Dr. Elfriede Penz, MAS EurPhD (Institute for International Marketing Management)

"The students used an interesting methodical mix of observations and surveys and conducted the fieldwork with a lot of commitment. The results are exciting for the Libro brand." Ulrike Kittinger, Head of eCommerce, CRM and Marketing

In an exciting semester project, a team of students in the course Retail Marketing Consulting had a look at "Customer expectations and success factors in omni-channel management". The study was carried out for Libro.

Following desk research on the topic, mystery shopping at the point of sale was used to evaluate the implementation of the integration of online and offline channels at Libro and to examine the omni-channel readiness of the staff in the stores. In addition, the status quo of the shopping experience in Libro stores was assessed. For this, 88 shoppers were asked about their experiences immediately after leaving the store. Finally, 168 in-depth interviews were conducted about habits, motives and expectations when shopping in the omni-channel world.
Based on the finings management implications for the product range and services at Libro were formulated.

Project in the course Retail Marketing Consulting

Project management:

Dr. Cordula Cerha (Institute for Retailing & Data Science).

"Weinbau Burger has been cooperating with a group of students of the International Marketing Management course to gain support in entering an overseas market with our excellent wines. The IMM-students delivered us high-quality results, which more than exceeded our expectations. Besides their professional work, their high commitment was also impressive. It was a privilege for us to work together with your wonderful students. Thanks a lot!" - Andreas Burger, Weinbau Burger

Weinbau Burger, an Austrian wine producer, sets traditional values ​​and new ideas as the cornerstones of the company. Integrated production and sustainability are the essential factors in dealing with the most valuable asset, the nature. The group of students created a market entry strategy to Taiwan.

The project was part of the course Global Business Planning

led by ao.Univ-Prof. Mag. Dr. Elfriede Penz, MAS EurPhD (Institute for International Marketing Management)

„The student consultants conducted thorough research. Their results provide deep insight into the needs and wants of tomorrow’s customers.” Gustav Soucek, CEO of The Main Association of Austrian Book Trade

In the summer term of 2021 our retail marketing consulting project revolved around the topic of reading and books. The Main Association of Austrian Book Trade wanted to check the relevance of book stores for digital natives. An extensive desk research, an explorative brainstorming, and an online survey of 772 participants were conducted showing the following results:

When it comes to reading, traditional values are still important in a digital world. Bricks-and-mortar bookstores remain the most important distribution channel for books. A good selection, the touch and feel of the books at the point of sale, and the expertise of the sales staff are highly valued qualities of a store. Digital services, like QR codes, interactive screens or click & collect, can add to the experience if they are tailored to the needs of the individual target group.

The project was part of the course „Retail Marketing Consulting

Project Management:
Dr. Cordula Cerha (Institute for Retailing & Marketing)
Dr. Fabian Nindl (Institute for Retailing & Marketing)

„We are impressed by the high quality and practicality of the research. A big thank you to both the students working on the project and their supervisors!“

The Institute for Retailing & Marketing has conducted a study for Inzersdorfer, one of Maresi Austria’s top brands. A total of 765 generation Z consumers were surveyed on their attitudes and behaviour concerning cooking, dining and convenience food products. A brand positioning check shows how the brand compares to other significant competitors in the market. The study reveals how Inzersdorfer can tap into the market of younger consumers by presenting itself as a an attractive meal solution on the right communication channels.

The project was part of the course „Retail Marketing Consulting

Project Management:
Dr. Cordula Cerha (Institute for Retailing & Marketing)
Dr. Fabian Nindl (Institute for Retailing & Marketing)

„It was a great pleasure working together with the WU, it gave us new perspectives and insight into our own company, It is always great to work with students that identify with ones brand and bring out of the box ideas to the table. We look forward to the next projects together!”

Neni - with its product line “Neni am Tisch” - offers a product line with a wide range of ready-to-eat, healthy gourmet meals, which have the potential to reach many different consumer groups. The Austrian company is already present in various European countries and successfully offering its products in supermarket chains. During the course Global Business Planning, a market entry approach into the Netherlands was developed.

The project was part of the course Global Business Planning

led by ao.Univ-Prof. Mag. Dr. Elfriede Penz, MAS EurPhD (Institute for International Marketing Management)

“An open house for everyone - the Kunsthalle Wien wanted to live up to this claim using the Pay as you wish-payment model in the summer to make contemporary art accessible to all Viennese. Due to the competent scientific support of the campaign by Dr. Margit Kastner and her team, the Kunsthalle Wien was able to collect well-founded arguments for alternative pricing policies, which will be taken into account in future considerations. It should also be emphasized that the cooperation was perceived as extremely positive and inspiring, not only on a professional level, but also in personal contact by all colleagues involved and we are looking forward to possible further collaborations." Katharina Baumgartner

After the first Covid-19 lockdown, the Kunsthalle Wien wanted to enable everyone to visit the Kunsthalle, regardless of his or her financial situation. Therefore, from July 15 to August 31, 2020, the “Pay as you wish” pricing model was used. As part of a field experiment, the Marketing Department, together with the University of Surrey and the University of Zurich, accompanied the Kunsthalle Wien's campaign. The results not only provide starting points for a future use of “Pay as you wish” for the Kunsthalle Wien itself, but also valuable insights for research.

Project leader:

Dr. Margit Kastner (Department für Marketing)

"For Bioblo, as a small and still relatively unknown player in the hotly contested toy industry, cooperating with the IMM Institute students was an inexpensive and exciting opportunity to gain first impressions of the relevant target market. The resulting report thoroughly summarized our eco-building blocks' weaknesses and strengths in the target country's context. It also showed us a whole range of ways in which one could, in all likelihood, favor the market entry."

The project was part of the course Global Business Planning

led by ao.Univ-Prof. Mag. Dr. Elfriede Penz, MAS EurPhD (Institute for International Marketing Management)

“The students of the Institute for Retail and Marketing conducted a profound analysis of the consumers’ attitudes and behavioral patterns based on over 900 interviews. This provides our company with interesting insights.”

Mag. Alfred Berger, Managing DirectorNÖM

On behalf of NÖM, a leader in the Austrian dairy industry, a team of students at the Institute for Retailing and Marketing conducted a study on vegan product innovations. The project dealt with the question whether the vegan diet trend represents a disruptive hazard for a dairy brand or rather a promising positioning opportunity. Based on a briefing by our client, students first conducted desk research about the vegan food trend, and analyzed national and international good-practices. Based on the results an online survey was carried out. The questionnaire focused on the existing eating habits and the image of a vegan lifestyle. Furthermore, several branding concepts and positioning alternatives for vegan product innovations were evaluated. 

The project was part of the course „Retail Marketing Consulting

Project Management:
Dr. Cordula Cerha (Institute for Retailing & Marketing)
Dr. Fabian Nindl (Institute for Retailing & Marketing)

“I am impressed by the student’s creative approach to the project. They created a sound and multi-layered analysis, which is of substantial value for us.”
Mag. (FH) Manuel Kaiser, MSc

Schenkel, a former supplier to the Austro-Hungarian court (K.&K. Hofliferant) is known as an exclusive and traditional brand in the FMCG sector. Austrian consumers have enjoyed Schenkel’s delicacies on special occasions since 1883. The taste and quality of the products speak for themselves, yet the disruptive forces of modern information and communication technologies present new marketing and communication challenges.

On behalf of Schenkel, the Institute for Retail and Marketing has examined the influence of digitalization through extensive desk research, over 300 interviews, and a degustation. The evaluation of the results show new opportunities for the brand, like monitoring online food trends and cross-media storytelling.

Projekt im Rahmen des Kurses Retail Marketing Consulting

The project was part of the course „Retail Marketing Consulting

Project Management:
Dr. Cordula Cerha (Institute for Retailing & Marketing)
Dr. Fabian Nindl (Institute for Retailing & Marketing)

To supply hospitals with safe blood products, we have to manage and mobilize an adequate donor base. Demographic shifts, diverse media usage, and changing donor expectations influence the marketing mix and call for new communication approaches. Our collaboration with WU significantly helps us to test and improve the effectiveness of marketing tools used to recruit, retain, and activate blood donors.

The blood services of the Austrian Red Cross (ARC) fulfill an important mission in the Austrian health system by organizing the collection of more than 340,000 blood donations per year.

The collaboration between the ARC and members of the Department of Marketing is ongoing since 2017 and builds on the shared belief in the value of combining complementary resources to explore new managerial practices. The topics of this collaborative work include novel communication approaches to attract and retain younger donor generations, machine-learning methods for demand prediction, and competitive influences of paid plasma donation centers. We integrate these topics in BSc and MSc theses and discuss our findings in collaborative workshops and seminars with industry professionals, academic experts, and students.

The research project receives financial support from a WU Projects grant (Project-IA 11000571).

Project Management:

Dr. Pascal Güntürkün (Department of Marketing)
Dr. Nils Wlömert (Institute for Interactive Marketing and Social Media)

„Every year, the collaboration with m.core is an important contribution to a better brand and marketing understanding of our members. We are very glad to have an academically sound and operationally-oriented partner on our side for the future-oriented development of our brands!”

Günter Thumser, Geschäftsführer MAV

The Austrian Association of Branded Goods (Österreichische Verband der Markenartikelindustrie, MAV) represents 100 national and international branded goods manufacturers in the FMCG industry.

The Institute for Marketing & Consumer Research has collaborated successfully with the MAV and its members since 2012. Together, they have worked on different topics, relevant for the branded goods industry, such as the additional value of brands over private labels, brand choices of young adults, emotions during brand choice, brands in the digital age, brand authenticity and product packaging. The joint projects are conducted with the support of bachelor’s and master’s students who work on the projects in courses or in their theses.

Project lead:

Prof. Bernadette Kamleitner (Institute for Marketing & Consumer Research)

“The collaboration with the m.core institute and Prof. Kamleitner is a lot of fun. We let students work on practical cases that we also work on. It is great to see the commitment of the student groups working out their solutions, their level of professionalism and their great presentations.”

Peter Buchauer, CEO FELIX Austria

FELIX Austria is one of the best-known food producers in Austria. Apart from ketchup, where FELIX is the undisputed market leader, FELIX offers a broad product range including ready-made meals, sauces, pickles and muesli.

The Institute for Marketing & Consumer Research (m.core) has collaborated with FELIX on various successful projects since 2012. For instance, every year, the institute conducts a brand monitoring study for FELIX. Due to the regularity of the studies, changes in brand perceptions can be detected in a timely manner and an appropriate course of action can be derived.

Project lead:

Prof. Bernadette Kamleitner (Institute for Marketing & Consumer Research)
Eva Marckhgott, MSc (Institute for Marketing & Consumer Research)

“In times of digitalization, promotional merchandise is gaining importance as a haptic advertising medium in the media mix. Consumers wish for touch and real sensation. The VÖW is very pleased with the fruitful cooperation with m.core. When generations work together, talk to each other and exchange ideas, it is greatly enriching for everyone.”

Kathrin Schneider, spokesperson Verband österreichischer Werbemittelhändler (VÖW), ©Eva Heindl

Together with the Association of Promotional Merchandise Companies (Verband österreichischer Werbemittelhändler, VÖW), the Institute for Marketing & Consumer Research (m.core) has worked on the topic of promotional merchandise since 2014. Several consecutive studies have been conducted in project courses on both the bachelor’s and master’s levels. Students and researchers have elaborated on various questions regarding the effectiveness of promotional merchandise.

The interesting results are regularly covered by the media:

Projekt 2014/15 in den Salzburger Nachrichten
Projekt 2016/17 in der Tiroler Tageszeitung
Projekt 2018/19 in Horizont

Project lead:

Prof. Bernadette Kamleitner (Institute for Marketing & Consumer Research)
Dr. Monika Koller (Institute for Marketing & Consumer Research)
Eva Marckhgott, MSc (Institute for Marketing & Consumer Research)

„Joint projects with students are win-win situations. The students learn about the challenges that companies have to face in their daily business and companies benefit from fresh perspectives.”

Dr. Alfred Schrott

The well-known Austrian confectionary brand Manner’s flagship stores are a perfect demonstration of the importance of brick-and-mortar retailing. The shops offer customers an excellent opportunity to experience Manner’s products and brands with all their senses.

On behalf of Manner, the Institute for Retailing & Marketing analyzed the relevance of in-store experiences in company flagship stores shops. The findings provide ideas for Manner on how to stage the company’s brands in the store and link positive emotional experiences to the brands.

The project was part of the course „Retail Marketing Consulting

Project Management:
Dr. Cordula Cerha (Institute for Retailing & Marketing)
Dr. Fabian Nindl (Institute for Retailing & Marketing)

„The success of this cooperation is not just based on the students’ knowledge, but also on their unbiased approach and fresh ideas.”

As a rapidly growing international retail business, CCC faces both competition of stationary retailers as well as online marketplaces. When deciding which shoes to buy, many factors come into play. Apart from in-store presentation and the retailer’s own homepage, postings and comments about the brand by influencers and followers on social media have an impact on the purchase decision.

On behalf of CCC, the Institute for Retailing & Marketing analyzed the challenges presented by digitalization and new communication channels. The study’s focus was to identify touchpoints to attract attention and turn prospective customers into buyers.

The project was part of the course „Retail Marketing Consulting”

The project was part of the course „Retail Marketing Consulting

Project Management:
Dr. Cordula Cerha (Institute for Retailing & Marketing)
Dr. Fabian Nindl (Institute for Retailing & Marketing)