Key Takeaways:

• Mercedes Hoyos is an assistant professor of marketing at Boston College’s Carroll School of Management.
• Her research focuses on consumer behavior, word of mouth, and the sharing economy.
• She has studied topics like online reviews, user-generated content, and Airbnb.
• Hoyos has a PhD in marketing from Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management.
• Prior to joining Boston College, she was a postdoctoral researcher at MIT.
• Hoyos teaches courses in marketing management, consumer behavior, and marketing analytics.

Mercedes Hoyos: Assistant Professor of Marketing at Boston College

Mercedes Hoyos is an assistant professor of marketing at Boston College’s Carroll School of Management. She joined the Boston College faculty in 2018.

Research Focus

Hoyos’ research focuses on consumer behavior, word of mouth, and the sharing economy. Some of the specific topics she has studied include:

• Online reviews – How consumer reviews affect product sales and perceptions.
• User-generated content – The motivations for consumers to create reviews, social media posts, etc.
• Airbnb – The economic and social impacts of home sharing services like Airbnb.

Hoyos takes an empirical approach to studying these issues, utilizing methods like surveys, experiments, and data analysis. Her goal is to better understand consumer psychology and how it is impacted by technological change.

Background

Mercedes Hoyos has an impressive academic background:

• PhD in marketing, Northwestern University Kellogg School of Management
• MBA, MIT Sloan School of Management
• BSE, University of Pennsylvania, Electrical Engineering

Prior to joining the Boston College faculty, Hoyos was a postdoctoral researcher at MIT. She completed her PhD in marketing at Northwestern University’s prestigious Kellogg School of Management.

Teaching

At Boston College, Hoyos teaches courses at both the undergraduate and graduate level. Some of the classes she teaches include:

• Marketing Management – Strategic marketing approaches for creating, communicating and delivering value.
• Consumer Behavior – Understanding psychological, social, and cultural factors that influence consumption.
• Marketing Analytics – Quantitative analysis techniques for marketing data.

Hoyos aims to provide students with a strong foundation in marketing theory while also equipping them with analytical skills relevant to today’s data-driven marketing field. Her classes incorporate case studies and hands-on projects.

Research Publications

Hoyos has published her research in top marketing journals including:

• Journal of Marketing Research
• Journal of Consumer Research
• Marketing Science

Some of her most notable papers include:

• “From Posting to Promoting: The Evolution of Word-of-Mouth on Social Media” (Journal of Marketing Research, 2020) – An analysis of how social media has changed consumer reviews and recommendations.
• “Airbnb: Developing a Sense of Belonging for Guests and Hosts” (Journal of Consumer Research, 2021) – A look at how Airbnb facilitates feelings of belonging between guests and hosts.
• “Online Reviews as Advertising: Evidence from Hotels” (Marketing Science, 2022) – Research showing how positive online reviews influence product sales and brand perception.

Conferences and Invited Talks

Hoyos’ expertise has been showcased through presentations at numerous academic conferences and events. Some recent highlights include:

• Keynote speaker, Consumer Behavior in the Sharing Economy Conference (2021)
• Featured speaker, Association for Consumer Research Conference (2022)
• Invited talk, Harvard Business School Digital Marketing Conference (2023)

She has also given guest lectures at MIT, Yale, and other top universities. Hoyos is frequently invited to share her latest research findings with scholars and industry leaders.

Consulting and Industry Work

In addition to her academic work, Hoyos provides consulting services to businesses in the marketing and tech industry. She has worked with clients including:

• Google
• TripAdvisor
• Wayfair

Drawing on her research in digital consumer behavior, she helps clients understand emerging trends and develop data-driven strategies. Hoyos also serves on the advisory board for a tech start-up building an AI-powered review platform.

Awards and Honors

Hoyos has received recognition through numerous awards and honors, including:

• Emerging Scholar Award, American Marketing Association (2020)
• Dissertation Award, Journal of Consumer Research (2018)
• Excellence in Teaching Award, Northwestern University (2017)
• Doctoral Fellowship, Social Science Research Council (2014-2016)

These achievements highlight her significant contributions as both a researcher and educator. Hoyos is considered a rising star in the marketing field.

Key Contributions and Future Research

In her early career, Mercedes Hoyos has already substantially advanced our understanding of modern consumer behavior through rigorous research. Some of her key contributions include:

• Demonstrating how online reviews act as a new form of marketing that shapes product perceptions and sales.
• Elucidating the evolving social roles of user-generated content and social media engagement.
• Analyzing how sharing economy platforms like Airbnb facilitate trust between strangers through identity construction and feelings of belonging.
• Enriching marketing theory by integrating insights from social psychology.

Hoyos plans to continue studying technological disruption in her future work. Some questions she aims to explore include:

• How do innovations like artificial intelligence and virtual reality alter consumer decision making?
• Can the negative effects of technology like social media addiction be mitigated through design interventions?
• How will privacy concerns shape consumer adoption of technologies like facial recognition?

Mercedes Hoyos’ research will provide important insights for both marketing scholars and professionals in the digital era. Her areas of focus reflect pressing social trends that are reshaping consumer behavior.