Firms frequently collaborate with universities to access novel scientific knowledge and technological expertise with an aim to develop superior new products. While previous research has highlighted the innovation potential of so-called university-industry-collaborations, a new study published in the current issue of the prestigious Journal of Marketing takes a novel perspective and shows that collaborating with universities might be beneficial not only for innovation, but also for marketing purposes.

In particular, the study identifies a positive university effect – consumers perceive a given product as more attractive when it is portrayed as developed in collaboration with a university. Specifically, collaborating with a university infuses the underlying firm with a stronger sense of scientific legitimacy (i.e., the ability to understand and effectively work with the latest scientific ideas in the field), thereby making the resulting product more attractive to consumers.

Check out the Journal of Marketing paper, which has been co-authored by faculty from WU’s Marketing Department:
Maier, L., Schreier, M., Baccarella, C. V., & Voigt, K.-I. (2024). University Knowledge Inside: How and When University–Industry Collaborations Make New Products More Attractive to Consumers. Journal of Marketing, 88(2), 1-20. https://doi.org/10.1177/00222429231185313