Keeping up with the trends of a changing world, the theme of the Annual Conference of the Academy of Marketing Science focused on creating marketing magic, especially in terms of future trends. The location of the conference was the Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando, Florida -- the single largest travel destination for consumers worldwide. Walt Disney is among the true pioneers and legends in the domain of creating memorable customer experiences and the company he left behind continues to be on the forefront of entertainment and innovation.

Mirja Bües (IFM) and Dr. Knapp (LMM) presented current research projects in this engaging environment. The topics of their talks covered participative pricing, the sales effect of brand names, and the development of a holistic survival strategy for brick-and-mortar retail firms in a digital age. Scholars of the MCM were furthermore honored in two different ways. First, Prof. Hennig-Thurau was announced as the winner of the Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science’s Best Article of the Year Award. Second, the work of Dr. Knapp as a track chair for this year’s conference was recognized by the community.