The first Oregon Marketing Research Symposium brought together nearly 40 scholars from the Northwest and beyond to share research and build connections April 21-22 at the Lundquist College of Business.

Organized and hosted by the University of Oregon Department of Marketing, the morning focused on various companies" missteps and consumer reactions while the afternoon talks centered on innovation and building customer relationships.

“As a department, we had been looking for creative ways to build more connections with the broader academic community," said Joshua Beck, assistant professor of marketing for the Lundquist College. “Then Linda Price came on board and said, ‘What about a regional symposium?""

Professor of Marketing and Philip H. Knight Chair Linda Price, who Beck described as a visionary shaping the field of consumer behavior study, joined the faculty in fall 2016. Price was recently named an editor of the Journal of Consumer Research, a premier journal in marketing.

After establishing a need for such a conference, Price, Beck, and marketing department head and Edwin E. & June Woldt Cone Professor of Marketing T. Bettina Cornwell, along with the rest of the department, collectively reached out to their own professional networks to spread the word.

The team thought it most efficient to offer a one-day program along with a networking opportunity the evening before at Sweet Cheeks Winery.

“People seemed to appreciate the mix of short and longer-format presentations," Beck said of the 15- and 30-minute research presentations. More than a dozen scholars shared their research and perspectives on the field.

Attendees were impressed by the college as well as the city of Eugene, he added.

The event went off without a hitch, Beck said, thanks to the team effort and the handful of PhD students serving as “boots on the ground."

“This event really reflects the awesome trajectory we are on as a department," Beck said. “It's exciting to be here."

Several universities in the region indicated interest in rotating locations year to year.

“This will truly be a Northwest symposium," he said.