From the roar of stadiums to the subtleties of sponsorships, Clemson University’s Angeline Scheinbaum — sports enthusiast, Dan Duncan Professor of Sports Marketing and fellow at the Robert H. Brooks Sports Science Institute — studies how teams use branding to build fan loyalty, connection and trust. In this Q&A, she opens her playbook on sports marketing research.
What questions does your research explore and answer about consumers and brands?
Angeline Scheinbaum: My research examines how consumers interact with brands in digital and real-world settings. I study the chain of effects of marketing, like how advertisements might affect attitudes and emotional reactions and ultimately impact behavior. While those processes are well documented in traditional and digital advertising, I focus on sports and live experiences.
What fuels your passion for sports marketing research?
AS: I have always loved sports. I grew up playing tennis and softball, and today, I still remain active in the United States Tennis Association. Sports are a source of joy and community for my family and me. They bring people together across ages and backgrounds, which is why sports are such a natural space for brands to engage consumers.
What methods do you use to study sports marketing, and how do your insights translate into real-world impact?
AS: I study both traditional advertising and experiential marketing and their effects on consumers. For example, my research on sports gambling ads showed how targeting strategies can unintentionally reach vulnerable groups like college athletes or young males. Insights like these help organizations, policymakers and brands design marketing practices that are effective and responsible.
What might surprise consumers about the research and decisions that go into marketing?
AS: Many decisions are going on behind the scenes with marketing campaigns, like the timing, placement and even the emotions an ad is designed to elicit. Small choices in language or imagery can strongly influence how audiences respond, and research can help uncover the hidden effects, both the positive and negative, of marketing campaigns.
Can you give an example of your work that illustrates these ideas in practice?
AS: In a book I co-authored with several Clemson colleagues, Corporate Cancel Culture and Brand Boycotts, we examine what happens when consumers turn against brands. This includes why brand boycotts happen, how companies respond and what those responses reveal about corporate values. It’s a good example of how research can highlight the relationship between brands and consumers and how marketing decisions are based on trust, reputation and long-term loyalty.
