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Shelby D. Hunt/Harold H. Maynard Award for WiSo Faculty Researchers

We warmly congratulate the team on this outstanding award.

The WiSo scientists Dr Julian R. K. Wichmann, Dr Nico Wiegand and Prof Werner Reinartz, PhD receive one of the 'big' prizes of the marketing discipline, the 2022 Shelby D. Hunt/Harold H. Maynard Award of the American Marketing Association (AMA).  The annual award recognises the publication in the Journal of Marketing that has made the most significant contribution to marketing theory. Julian Wichmann, Nico Wigand and Werner Reinartz are awarded for their publication "The Platformization of Brands", (Journal of Marketing. Vol 86, Issue 1, 109-131). The publication will be recognised at the upcoming Summer AMA Academic Conference in San Francisco in August 2023. The work goes back to Julian Wichmann's excellent dissertation at the WiSo Faculty.

In their paper, "Julian, Nico and Werner", according to the selection committee (John Lynch (MSI Executive Director and Chairman), Alok Kumar and Brian Murtha), conceptualise the emerging brand platforms. They distinguish between "'brand aggregation' platforms" such as Amazon, Google Shopping and Alibaba and so-called "'brand flagship' platforms" such as Nike Running Club or Bosch DIY & Garden.

"'Brand aggregation' platforms" focus on conducting sales transactions and matching customer preferences to standardised product features. In doing so, they tend to equalise the differences between brands and thus contribute to commoditisation. The competitiveness of brands with their own retail platforms is correspondingly decreasing compared to the large brand aggregation platforms as "one-stop shopping" destinations.

"'Brand flagship' platforms", on the other hand, enable brands to create a unique buying experience tailored to the consumer and thus create a brand-relevant value all of their own.  These include, in addition to the commercial goals, social exchange, self-improvement, knowledge gain and creative empowerment - brand loyalty can thus be strongly promoted. Last but not least, the authors offer guidance for companies on how to prioritise these different goals when building their brand flagship platform, according to the jury.

We congratulate Dr Julian R.K. Wichmann, Dr. Nico Wiegand and Prof. Dr. Werner J. Reinartz most warmly and with a certain pride for the Shelby D. Hunt/Harold H. Maynard Award and not least for their outstanding publication.