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The purpose of this paper is to gain insight into how both characteristics of toys and marketer‐provided cues influence parents' perceptions of advertised toys and their ideas of what life skills are important for their children's future well‐being and success.

Data were collected with a 2 (toy encourages structured play vs toy encourages unstructured play) × 2 (ad mentions “brain development” vs ad mentions “child development”) experimental design involving four advertisements for a hypothetical toy.

Parents recognized that the toy encouraging unstructured play has many benefits. Relative to parents who saw an ad with a “child development” appeal, those who saw an ad with a “brain development” appeal rated social and intellectual development as less important for their children.

Findings support the idea that manufacturers can and should continue to develop toys, which encourage relatively unstructured play; such toys are both appreciated by parents and valued by experts. They also support eliminating “brain talk” from advertising; such messages do not enhance parents' evaluations of toys and detract from parents' maintaining the value they place on social and intellectual development.

By designing toys which encourage play which is most beneficial to children and promoting them with advertisements without “brain” language, marketers can support children's development and parents' values.

This paper provides insights into the effects of toy and ad characteristics on parents' perceptions of toys and what is important for their children.

The USA is witnessing a conflict between LGBTQ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer) consumers/supporters and Christian fundamentalist service providers/opponents regarding whether service can be denied based on religious values. The purpose of this paper is to make a timely investigation into this conflict between marketplace inclusion (for LGBTQ consumers) and freedom of religion (for religious service providers).

The intersection of marketplace inclusion for LGBTQ consumers and religious freedom for service providers is examined by identifying appropriate strategies that address this conflict and reviewing how differing religious perspectives influence perceptions of LGBTQ consumer rights, all building off the social identity threat literature.

LGBTQ and religious identities often conflict to influence consumer behavior and service provider interactions. Such conflict is heightened when there is a lack of substitutes (i.e. only one service provider in an area for a specific service). Common LGBTQ consumer responses include changing service providers, providing justification for the provision of services and pursing legal recourse. Suggested strategies to address this conflict include highlighting common social identities and using two-sided messages for service providers, using in-group interventions for social groups and using government interventions for public policy.

Research has yet to examine the conflict between marketplace inclusion and religious freedom, particularly for the inclusion of LGBTQ consumers. Thus, this paper provides a novel conceptual model detailing these relationships to stimulate discussion among consumers, service providers, social groups and public policy in addition to serving as a foundation for future research.

This paper proposes a framework for connecting the involvement construct’s antecedents of Internet marketing, measured involvement degree, related constructs and consequences of consumer behavior. The research first determined the factors that influence the degree of Internet marketing involvement then established the different involvement degree clusters by measured involvement. Finally, the relationship among influence factors, Internet marketing involvement degree, and consequences of consumer behavior was analyzed. Based on the research findings, this paper discusses the possible Internet marketing strategies for a variety involvement degree clusters.

Top marketing executives and middle managers understanding and utilizing emotions when attempting to gain a competitive advantage through developing various marketing strategies may find this to be of added value when reaching their customers. To enhance the marketing executive's arsenal of weapons when waging competitive battles, this article will review some appropriate theories of emotions and then attempt to develop various advertising, merchandising and selling strategies based on these propositions. This article demonstrates ways in which marketing managers may match various marketing strategies with the various emotional states of typical customers. Also, to counter customer defense mechanisms, battlefield tactics are presented when engaging in a competitive war.

This paper describes the personal history and intellectual development of Morris B. Holbrook (MBH), a participant in the field of marketing academics in general and consumer research in particular.

The paper pursues an approach characterized by historical autoethnographic subjective personal introspection or HASPI.

The paper reports the personal history of MBH and – via HASPI – interprets various aspects of key participants and major themes that emerged over the course of his career.

The main implication is that every scholar in the field of marketing pursues a different light, follows a unique path, plays by idiosyncratic rules, and deserves individual attention, consideration, and respect … like a cat that carries its own leash.

In the case of MBH, like (say) a jazz musician, whatever value he might have depends on his originality.

Considers the impact of multi‐faceted measures of job satisfaction on customer‐oriented behaviours demonstrated by service providers. Reveals how overall job satisfaction, together with specific satisfaction related to supervision, colleagues, promotion and work are positively related to customer‐orientation, while satisfaction with pay is not of significance in this case. Discusses recommendations for management and suggestions for further research.

Suggests that while businesses have made great efforts to reduce the length of time customers wait for service, little attention has been paid to the actual experience of waiting. Argues that the final service encounter is crucial for reinforcing customers′ performance expectations. Suggests that the expectations and perceptions of customers influence their actual experience of waiting at the point of sale. Offers hints on improving customers′ waiting experiences.

Organizational life and policy making is increasingly conceived in terms of a “three sector” model – public, private and “third”. The purpose of this research paper is to examine a little‐studied phenomenon that increasingly characterises societies in both the “developed” and the “developing” worlds. It aims to argue that these “sectors” have permeable boundaries, and that increasing numbers of activists and professionals operate across such boundaries, with important implications for policy and work.

The research paper reports on a set of new ethnographic life‐work history data from the UK, Bangladesh and Philippines to explore experiences of people who cross between, or straddle, the third sector and the public sector.

The paper constructs a preliminary typology of boundary crosser archetypes for purposes of further analysis. This is based on motivations and levels of boundary crossing. Boundary crossing of this kind is linked with the concept of “work role transition”, and with the micro‐politics of policy contention.

The paper concludes by suggesting that such work may offer new practical insights into strengthening the capacity of both third sector and government agencies.

The paper aims to be original in opening up this new topic for further discussion (and in particular problematizing the idea of sector boundaries), and through using the life history method to as part of organisational ethnography.