Derek D. Rucker
Sandy & Morton Goldman Professor of Entrepreneurial Studies in Marketing
Professor of Marketing
Co-Director, Center for Global Marketing Practice
Dr. Rucker holds the Sandy & Morton Goldman Professorship of Entrepreneurial Studies in Marketing. His research focuses broadly on social rank, compensatory consumption, persuasion, and consumer behavior. His work asks, and seeks answers to, what makes for effective advertising and what motives underlie consumer consumption. To answer these questions, Dr. Rucker draws on his rich training in social psychology. His work has appeared in leading journals such as the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, Psychological Science, the Journal of Consumer Research, the Journal of Marketing Research, and the Journal of Consumer Psychology. His research has been covered in major media outlets such as The New York Times, Time Magazine, and ABC News.
Dr. Rucker currently teaches Advertising Strategy at Kellogg. The course focuses on basic psychological principles to better understand how to plan and execute successful advertising. In recognition of his commitment to teaching excellence Dr. Rucker was a recepient of the Top Elective Professor Award, a recipient of the Sidney J. Levy Award, and a finalist for the L.G. Lavengood Outstanding Professor of the Year Award. Dr. Rucker is also a co-instructor of the annual Kellogg Advertising Superbowl Review. The review is in the spirit of Kellogg's focus on experiential learning and cultivates basic principals learned in the classroom to critically evaluate advertising in a real world and high stakes environment.
- Social rank
- compensatory consumption
- persuasion
- and consumer behavior.
- Advertising strategy
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PhD, 2005, Psychology, Ohio State University
MA, 2000, Psychology, Ohio State University
BA, 1998, Psychology, University of California, Santa Cruz -
Sandy & Morton Goldman Professor of Entrepreneurial Studies in Marketing, Northwestern University, 2013-present
Professor of Marketing, Kellogg School of Management, Northwestern University, 2013-present
Associate Professor of Marketing(with tenure), Kellogg School of Management, Northwestern University, 2009-2013
Assistant Professor of Marketing, Kellogg School of Management, Northwestern University, 2006-2009
Donald P. Jacobs Scholar in Marketing, Kellogg School of Management, Northwestern University, 2005-2006 -
Society for Consumer Psychology Distinguished Scientific Contribution Award, Society for Consumer Psychology
Fellow, Society for Personality and Social Psychology, Relationship Researchers Interest Group of the Society for Personality and Social Psychology (SPSP)
Sidney J. Levy Teaching Award, Kellogg School of Management
Top Elective Professor Award, EMP 96, Kellogg School of Management, Kellogg School of Management
2016 MSI Research Grant Award, Marketing Science Institute
Outstanding Reviewer Award, Journal of Consumer Research
Early Career Contribution Award, Society for Consumer Psychology
Early Career Contribution Award, Society for Consumer Psychology, 2013
Richard M. Clewett Professorship in Marketing, 2010-2012
Park Outstanding Contribution to JCP Award, Runner Up, 2011
Fellow, Society for Experimental Social Psychology, 2011
L.G. Lavengood Outstanding Professor of the Year Award Finalist, Kellogg School of Management, 2008-2011
Marketing Science Institute Young Scholar, 2009
Kraft Research Professorship Chair, Kellogg School of Management, 2006-2007
Advertising Educator Foundation Visiting Professor Fellowship, Kellogg School of Management, 2005 -
Editorial Board, Journal of Consumer Research, 2018
Research (MKTG-590-0)
Independent investigation of selected problems pertaining to thesis or dissertation. May be repeated for credit.
Special Topics in Consumer Research (MKTG-540-0)
This course introduces students to new topics and approaches in consumer behavior research. As such, the topics will change from year to year, and students will be challenged to further develop the theoretical model proposed in the papers. Besides being relevant to marketing students, this course is likely of interest to graduate students in psychology, communication studies and education.
Developing Impactful Consumer Behavior Research (MKTG-531-3)
Taking a problem-solving approach, we examine how psychological insights inform and solve real-world consumption problems, and how real-world problems provide new psychological insights. Taking an empirical deep-dive, we also discuss published data, what we can/cannot infer, how to make objective conclusions, and to enhance their substantive impact (e.g., employing observational data, field studies, choice data, and/or programmatic experimental designs).
Theory Building in Consumer Behavior Research (MKTG-531-1)
The purpose of this course is to acquaint you with the principles of theory building in social science research, to help you distinguish between theory-building research and research with other aims, and to provide you with an opportunity to develop your ability to conceptualize and develop research that builds theory.
Advertising Strategy (MKTGX-454-0)
This course hones critical thinking skills related to the strategic planning, executing, and evaluating advertising. To accomplish these objectives, the course emphasizes the proper construction of a creative brief. This entails deciding to advertise, target selection, consumer insight, brand positioning, execution, and evaluation. At each stage, questions faced by brand managers, advertisers, and marketers are examined. Both classic and contemporary advertising campaigns are used to illustrate key concepts. Assignments focus on skills sets used by brand managers to develop campaigns.
Field Study (MKTG-498-5)
Field Study
Advertising Strategy (.5 Credit Version) (MKTG-454-5)
Advertising Strategy (MKTG-454-0)
Companies spend $560 billion on advertising worldwide and a great deal of it is wasted. This class is designed to teach students to be stronger critical thinkers with an emphasis on developing more effective advertising across traditional and digital channels. Created for client-side managers tasked with advertising responsibilities as well as general managers overseeing communications, the class tackles both advertising strategy and execution. In a rapidly evolving marketing ecosystem, it's never been more important to have a strategic lens. This course emphasizes the development of the central nucleus of any advertising strategy- the creative brief- to manage and guide relationship with your creative partners. The first half focuses on general advertising strategy - creating meaningful goals; selecting an attractive target for advertising, uncovering actionable insights, and developing an effective brand position. The remainder of the course examines the strategic planning of the tactical execution- understanding media, evaluating creative, and measuring effectiveness. The emphasis of the class is on practical application. As such, the courses analyzes advertising challenges through real-life examples. Students review cases weekly, complete several case assignments, tackle a current company's situation in a group assignment, and complete a take home final comprised of mini-cases.
