Herbert Jack Rotfeld essays, notes and observations

Hav'too, D.Og., published authorPublished in a variety of academic journals, newspapers, magazines, professional newsletters and internet commentary lines, the essays selected below examine the conventional wisdom of business education, discuss common marketing practices, comment on the role of advertising and marketing in modern society, and critically assess the nature of higher education activities. 


HJR main web page
Of special interest
The Suicide of Ad-Supported Television, a MediaNewsDaily commentary of MediaPost.com
→ For marketing elective courses, standard syllabi language for textbooks selection, learning goals & trigger warnings
→ A University Pandemic Teaching Guide for managing teaching & students during COVID-19 infection dangers
→ Analysis of the inherent limits to the power of business (& advertising) self-regulation, Journal of Public Policy & Marketing, 11 (Spring 1992): 87-95
→ "Fear Appeals and Persuasion: Assumptions and Errors in Advertising Research," Journal of Current Issues & Research in Advertising, 11 (#1, 1988): 21-40
→ "The Textbook Effect: Conventional Wisdom, Myth, and Error in Marketing," Journal of Marketing, 64 (April 2000): 122-6
→ "The Advertising Regulation & Self-Regulation Issues Ripped from the Headlines with (Sometimes Missed) Opportunities for Disciplined Multidisciplinary Research," Journal of Advertising, 38 (Winter 2009): 5-14 [with C.R. Taylor]
Teaching, higher education and other campus illusions
"Advertising in Communications: Home Is Where the Scholars Live," Journal of Advertising Education, 23 (#1, 2019): 53-59
"Annual Report Guidelines," The Irascible Professor (October 29, 2012)
"Slacker Profs Make for Slacker Students," The Irascible Professor (July 28, 2008)
"Please Waste Your Money On Me," The Irascible Professor (January 11, 2005)
"Classes for the Sake of Research," AMS Quarterly, 6 (January 2004): 12
"Endowed Faculty Chairs are a Waste of Money (Except Mine)," Journal of Consumer Marketing, 21 (#2, 2004): 94-6
"School for the Sake of Football,"Columbus Ledger-Enquirer (October 14, 2001): F3
"Evaluating the Point of Grades," AMS Quarterly, 4 (June 2000): 7
"Lights!! Cameras!! PowerPoint!! Now. . . Lecture!!" AMS Quarterly, 3 (February 2000): 7
"More Eclectic Stories I Didn't Want to Hear," AMS Quarterly, 3 (November 1999): 8
"The Life of Homo Academicus," Marketing Educator, 18 (Summer 1999): 4
"Directives for Quality Control of Faculty Activity," AMS Quarterly, 3 (Spring 1999): 5
"Marketing Wisdom of Dagwood, Hagar or Charlie Brown," AMS Quarterly, 2 (December 1998): 5
"Hello, Bird, I'm Learning Ornithology," Marketing Educator, 17 (Fall 1998): 4, 6
"Libraries, Learning and Dirty Sandals," Marketing Educator, 17 (Summer 1998): 1, 8
"Grades, Grief and Gratuitous Genial Graduations," Marketing Educator, 17 (Spring 1998): 8, 10
"Are These Lists Really Necessary?" Marketing Educator, 17 (Winter 1998): 6
"Schola Gratia Doctrinae [school for the sake of education]," Marketing Educator, 16 (Summer 1997): 2
"Students Need More From Professors Than Facts," Mobile Register (November 17, 1996): 1D, 4D
"Excuse Me, I Thought You Had a Ph.D." Marketing Educator, 15 (Summer 1996): 7
"Phantom Disabilities," Mobile Register (May 12, 1996): 1C, 4C
"Are You a Comedian?" Marketing Educator, 15 (Spring 1996): 3
"Noticing the Students' Notes Not Written," Marketing Educator, 14 (Fall 1995): 8, 11
"Why Students Should Study Marketing," Marketing News, 29 (July 17, 1995): 8
"How Students Choose a Marketing Major," Marketing Educator, 14 (Spring 1995): 1,3
"Marketing Degrees and the Illusion of Job Training," Marketing Educator, 14 (Winter 1995): 3
"Chris: A Professor's Memory," Marketing Educator, 13 (Fall 1994): 4
"Confusions & Assumptions of Marketing Scholarship," Marketing Educator, 13 (Winter 1994): 2, 8
"What Should Marketing Students Learn?" Marketing Educator, 12 (Spring 1993): 1,6
"Instead of Job Training," Journal of Advertising, 18 (#1, 1989): 3
"Marketing Educators Must Become More Scholarly," Marketing News, 19 (July 19, 1985): 35-6
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Business practices against the consumers' interest
"The Suicide of Ad-Supported Television," a MediaNewsDaily commentary of MediaPost.com
"A Pessimist's Simplistic Historical Perspective on the Fourth Wave of Consumer Protection," Journal of Consumer Affairs, 44 (Summer 2010): 423-9
"Function and Problems of Brand Name Pharmaceuticals," Journal of Product & Brand Management, 18 (#4, 2009): 240-1 & 18 (#6, 2009): 392-3
"Mistaking Demographic Segments for People: Another Source of Customer Abuse," Journal of Consumer Marketing, 24 (#6, 2007): 332-3
"Movie Theaters' Suicide-by-Advertising With Income from Abusing Customers," Journal of Consumer Marketing, 23 (#7, 2006): 480-2
"Depending on the Kindness of Strangers," Journal of Consumer Affairs, 40 (Winter 2006): 407-9
"It's Just Business," Journal of Consumer Affairs, 40 (Summer 2006): 196-9
"For the Drugs We Need," Journal of Consumer Marketing, 22 (#7, 2005): 365-8
"Consumers, People and Kim," Journal of Consumer Affairs, 38 (Winter 2004): 355-8
"The Consumer as Serf," Journal of Consumer Affairs, 38 (Summer 2004): 188-191
"Information You Can't Use," Journal of Consumer Affairs, 36 (Winter 2002): 299-302
"'Mine is the Blue One on the Left': Function and Dysfunction of Pharmaceutical Brand Names," Journal of Consumer Marketing, 19 (#5, 2002): 377-9
"Slapping Down Dangerous Information," Journal of Consumer Affairs, 36 (Summer 2002): 127-30
"Wham! Spam! And Direct Misplaced Marketing," Journal of Consumer Marketing, 16 (#1, 1999): 7-8
"Model Numbers Meant to Confuse Shoppers," Marketing News, 31 (December 8, 1997): 11

Marketing abused: serving the "wrong" consumer benefitsAdventures in Misplaced Marketing
"The Largest Segments That Should Not Be Served: Higher Education Marketing Serving the Growing Slacker Segment," Journal of Consumer Marketing, 25 (#6, 2008): 378-80.
"Mistaking a Marketing Perspective for Ethical Analysis: When Consumers Can't Know What They Should Want," Journal of Consumer Marketing, 24 (#7, 2007): 383-4
"And a Comedian Shall Show Journalists the Way," Journal of Consumer Marketing, 22 (#3, 2005): 119-20
"The Cynical Use of Marketing to the Unwitting Consumer," Journal of Consumer Marketing, 22 (#2, 2005): 60-1
"'It Hurts. Fix It.' The Patients' Lament and Unhealthy Medical Care Marketing," Journal of Consumer Marketing, 20 (#1, 2003): 7-9
"Marketing's Potential Harm to Education," AMS Quarterly, 4 (May 2001): 14
"When Marketing Misplaces the Benefits of Education," Journal of Consumer Marketing, 16 (#5, 1999): 415-7
"Are We Teachers or Job Trainers," AMS Quarterly, 2 (August 1998): 2
"Gratuitous Graduations," Mobile Register (March 22, 1998): 1D, 4D
"What Do Students Want?" Marketing Educator, 13 (Spring 1994): 1, 4
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Marketing myths and common misunderstandings
"The Pragmatic Importance of Theory for Marketing Practice," Journal of Consumer Marketing, 31 (#4, 2014): 322-27
"The Public as the Problem for Public Health," Journal of Consumer Affairs, 45 (Spring 2011): 165-8
"The Marketing Myths and Consumers' Fear of Marketing," Journal of Consumer Marketing, 26 (#5, 2009): 309-10
"Imitation as the Sincerest Form of Ignorance," Journal of Consumer Marketing, 25 (#4, 2008): 254-5
"Financial Aliteracy," Journal of Consumer Affairs, 42 (Summer 2008): 306-9
"The Stealth Influence of Covert Marketing and Much Ado About What May Be Nothing," Journal of Public Policy & Marketing, 27 (Spring 2008): 63-8
"A Snapshot or a Painting? Metaphors, Myths, Misuses and Misunderstandings of Marketing Research Information by Journalists and Other People Who Should Know Better," Journal of Consumer Marketing, 22 (#1, 2005): 4-5
"Political Polls, Samples and Research Misinformation," AMS Quarterly, 6 (November 2004): 10
"Misuse and Misdirection of Sex in Advertising," Journal of Consumer Marketing, 20 (#3, 2003): 189-91
"Who Do You Hire When the Advertising Audience Isn't You?" Journal of Consumer Marketing, 20 (#2, 2003): 87-9
"The Social Harm of Public Service Advertising," Journal of Consumer Marketing, 19 (#6, 2002): 465-7
"The Real Reason for the Real Bad Advertising," Journal of Consumer Marketing, 19 (#4, 2002): 299-301
"Imagine the Television Commercial: 'No Stems, No Seeds That You Don't Need, Baja Gold's a Real Smooth Weed'," Journal of Consumer Marketing, 18 (#5, 2001): 389-91
"The Textbook Effect: Conventional Wisdom, Myth, and Error in Marketing," Journal of Marketing, 64 (April 2000): 122-6
"Social Marketing and Myths of Appeals to Fear," Journal of  Consumer Marketing, 16 (#2, 1999): 119-21
"Fear of Audience Segmentation," Journal of Marketing, 63 (January 1999): 121-3
"Condom Companies Face Unfair Marketing Limitations," Marketing News, 32 (May 11, 1998): 14
"Public Broadcasting Should Not Seek the Largest Audience," Marketing News, 32 (February 16, 1998): 15
"Fear Appeals and Persuasion: Assumptions and Errors in Advertising Research," Current Issues & Research in Advertising, 11 (#1, 1988): 21-40
HJR main web page
Marketing regulation & self-regulation
"The Advertising Regulation & Self-Regulation Issues Ripped from the Headlines with (Sometimes Missed) Opportunities for Disciplined Multidisciplinary Research, Journal of Advertising, 38 (Winter 2009): 5-14 (co-author Charles R. Taylor)
"Privacy Crimes, Annoyances and Self-Defeating Business Practices," Journal of Consumer Affairs, 43 (Fall 2009): 538-42
"Health Information Consumers Can't or Don't Want to Use," Journal of Consumer Affairs, 43 (Summer 2009): 373-7
"The Stealth Influence of Covert Marketing and Much Ado About What May Be Nothing," Journal of Public Policy & Marketing, 27 (Spring 2008): 63-8
 "Toward a Pragmatic Understanding of the Advertising & Public Policy Literature," Journal of Current Issues and Research in Advertising, 29 (Spring 2007): 67-80 (co-author Marla Royne)
"Do-Not-Call as the U.S. Government's Improvement to Telemarketing Efficiency," Journal of Consumer Marketing, 21 (#4, 2004): 242-4
"Desires Versus the Reality of Self-Regulation," Journal of Consumer Affairs, 37 (Winter 2003): 424-7
"The Boob Tube: U.S. Networks Avoid Bare-Breasted Commercials," Marketing News, 32 (April 13, 1998): 7
"Media Managers Mustn't Allow Ads That Mislead Consumers," Marketing News, 32 (March 16, 1998): 14
"'Ban on Liquor Ads Not What It Seems," Marketing News, 31 (May 26, 1997): 12
"Power & Limitations of Media Clearance Practices and Advertising Self-Regulation," Journal of Public Policy & Marketing, 11 (Spring 1992): 87-95
"Radio Station Standards for Acceptable Advertising," Journal of Business Research,  24 (June 1992): 361-375
"The Compatibility of Advertising Regulation and the First Amendment--Another View," Journal of Marketing & Public Policy, 1 (1982): 139-47
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Doing & publishing research: authors, editors and reviewers
"Parting Perspectives from an Aging Editor (& thanks for all the fish)," Journal of Consumer Affairs, 45 (Fall 2011): 539-46The Journal of Consumer Affairs
"Researchers, Scholars and Ivan," Journal of Consumer Affairs, 45 (Summer 2011): 358-64
"Editors Talking," Journal of Consumer Affairs, 44 (Fall 2010): 615-9
"Adventures in Misplaced Mentoring," Journal of Consumer Affairs, 44 (Spring 2010): 265-70
"The Advertising Regulation & Self-Regulation Issues Ripped from the Headlines with (Sometimes Missed) Opportunities for Disciplined Multidisciplinary Research, Journal of Advertising, 38 (Winter 2009): 5-14 (co-author Charles R. Taylor)
"Disciplined Conduct of Interdisciplinary Research," Journal of Consumer Affairs, 43 (Spring 2009): 181-3
"Looking Forward by Looking Back," Journal of Consumer Affairs, 43 (Spring 2009): 1-3
"Can You Really Say That?" Journal of Consumer Affairs, 42 (Fall 2008): 484-7
"How Do You Know That?" Journal of Consumer Affairs, 42 (Spring 2008): 123-6
"Theory, Data, Interpretations and More Theory," Journal of Consumer Affairs, 41 (Winter 2007): 376-9
"Mistaking Precision for Reality," Journal of Consumer Affairs, 41 (Summer 2007): 187-91
"Impact, Influence and Fame," Journal of Consumer Affairs, 39 (Winter 2005): 414-7
"Alliterates' Scholarship," Journal of Consumer Affairs, 39 (Summer 2005): 229-32
"Endowed Faculty Chairs are a Waste of Money (Except Mine)," Journal of Consumer Marketing, 21 (#2, 2004): 94-6
"Convenient Abusive Research," Journal of Consumer Affairs, 37 (Summer 2003): 191-4
"Pusillanimous Paranoia in Pedagogical Publishing," AMS Quarterly, 6 (April 2003): 12
"So Now I Are One," AMS Quarterly, 5 (October 2001): 12
"It Gets in the Way," AMS Quarterly, 4 (September 2000): 7
"The I.C.O.M. Offense," Marketing Educator, 18 (Winter 1999): 6
"Short Stories We Shouldn't Hear," Marketing Educator, 18 (Spring 1999): 3
"We Unequivocally Do Not Thank the @#$*& Anonymous Reviewers," Marketing Educator, 16 (Fall 1997): 6
"Contribution Calculating & Credit Counting," Marketing Educator, 16 (Spring 1997): 2
"Research Sense? Or Nonsense?" Marketing Educator, 13 (Summer 1994): 1, 3
"I'm Sorry You Dislike My Research, But Thanks for the Brochure," Marketing Educator, 13 (Winter 1994): 8
"What If They Published a Journal That Was Never Printed?" Marketing Educator, 12 (Winter 1993): 1,3
Comments on presumptions of journal quality, via book review in Journal of Advertising, 14 (#2, 1985): 62-3
Comments on narrow definitions of marketing scholarship, via book review in Journal of Advertising, 10 (#2, 1981): 44-5
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Conference "discussants" & other bystanders 
American Academy of AdvertisingComments composed during the American Academy of Advertising's 2013 Global Conference in Honolulu
"Dear Watson Arnold Guy," AMS Quarterly, 5 (September 2002): 10
"Are Discussants Worth Keeping?" Marketing Educator, 15 (Fall 1996): 2
"How Discussants Prevent Discussion," Marketing Educator, 14 (Summer 1995): 7
Businesses' too-common production orientation
"Brand Image of Company Names Matters in Ways That Can't Be Ignored," Journal of Product & Brand Management, 17 (#2, 2008): 121-2
"Is There a Strategy Behind Buying Advertising Time and Space?" Journal of Consumer Marketing, 24 (#3, 2007): 131-2
"Understanding Advertising Clutter," Journal of Consumer Marketing, 23 (#4, 2006): 180-1
"Mismanagement of Misfocused Trade Association Leaders," Journal of Consumer Marketing, 20 (#4, 2003): 291-3
"The Real Reason for the Real Bad Advertising," Journal of Consumer Marketing, 19 (#4, 2002): 299-301
"Training Book for the New Store Clerk: 'Go and Be Charming!'" Journal of Consumer Marketing, 19 (#3, 2002): 185-7
"A Service Economy Whose Employees say: 'Customer Service Is Not My Job!'" Journal of Consumer Marketing, 18 (#2, 2001): 99-101
"Meanwhile, At the Service Desk: 'Hello! Is Anyone Here?'" Journal of Consumer Marketing, 17 (#7, 2000): 573-4
"'Dumbth' Adventures in Retailing," Journal of Consumer Marketing, 17 (#5, 2000): 384-5
"Misplaced Marketing of Product 'Life' After the Sale," Journal of Consumer Marketing, 16 (#4, 1999): 312-3
"Misplaced Marketing -- When Consumers or Society Are Not Satisfied," Journal of Consumer Marketing, 15 (#6, 1998): 523-4

HJR main web page
Also of interest
"The Pragmatic Importance of Theory for Marketing Practice," Journal of Consumer Marketing, 31 (#4, 2014): 322-27
"How I Met the Late Howard Gossage," on the 2006 disk companion for The Book of Gossage, 2nd Edition
Dean of Commerce 1999 Distinguished Erskine Lecture, University of Canterbury, New Zealand

Professor Emeritus Herbert Jack Rotfeld
Special Advisor to the Graduate School
Hargis Hall
Auburn UniversityAuburn University
Auburn, Alabama  36849
         rotfehj@auburn.edu
         334.844.2459
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Copyright 1990-2024 Herbert Jack Rotfeld