讲座题目：Pronounced as Prestigious: How Stress Patterns in Brand Name Pronunciations Influence Perceived Luxuriousness（“尊贵”的发音：品牌名称发音中的重音模式如何影响人们对奢华的感知）

主讲人： Lei Su (苏磊) 香港城市大学

时间：2025年04月17日10:00

地点：学院319

内容摘要：

重音，即英语单词中音节的重读，是人们经常遇到并一听到就能轻易识别的基本语音特征。然而，很少有市场研究调查过重音模式——具体来说，重读音节出现在品牌名称发音的前面（例如，Luvwar /ˈlʌvwɑːr/）还是后面（例如，Luvwar /lʌvˈwɑːr/）——如何影响消费者的感知和后续行为。通过十项研究，包括八个实验室实验和两个利用声谱图和文本挖掘技术的现场数据分析，本研究表明，品牌名称发音中的后重音模式（相对于前重音模式）增强了消费者对品牌奢华感的感知，并增加了他们为广告产品付费的意愿。这种影响由感知发音复杂性和品牌名称复杂度感连续介导。本研究还发现，当品牌名称包含正面或负面含义、品牌名称故事复杂以及个人对发音不敏感时，这种效果会减弱。研究结果为营销从业者提供了切实可行的建议，即利用品牌名称发音可以有效提升品牌认知度和形象，尤其是针对高端市场的企业。

Stress, the accentuated pronunciation of a syllable in an English word, is a fundamental phonetic feature that individuals frequently encounter and can readily identify upon hearing. However, scant marketing research has investigated how stress patterns—specifically, whether the stressed syllable occurs at the front (e.g., Luvwar /ˈlʌvwɑːr/) or back (e.g., Luvwar /lʌvˈwɑːr/) of a brand name’s pronunciation—can influence consumers’ perceptions and subsequent behavior. Through ten studies, including eight lab experiments and two field data analyses utilizing sound spectrograms and text mining techniques, this research demonstrates that back (vs. front) stress patterns featured in brand name pronunciations enhance consumers’ perceived brand luxuriousness and increase their willingness to pay for the advertised products. This effect is serially mediated by perceived pronunciation intricacy and a sense of brand name sophistication. This research also finds that the effect diminishes when the brand name contains positive or negative connotations, when it features a sophisticated naming story, and when individuals are sound-insensitive. The findings provide marketing practitioners with actionable implications that leveraging brand name pronunciation can effectively elevate brand perception and image, especially for those targeting high-end markets.

主讲人简介：

苏磊，香港城市大学副教授（终身教职），研究重点为消费者行为，并且通过融合自身在消费者行为方面的专长以及大数据分析的知识，开展多方法研究。近期研究兴趣包括数字传播、人工智能与新技术、社会及社会经济影响以及心理语言学。研究成果发表在如Journal of Marketing Research、Journal of Consumer Research、Journal of Marketing和Journal of Consumer Psychology等国际顶级营销期刊上。主讲消费者行为研究研讨课以及与大数据分析相关的课程，并作为首席研究员主持多项研究项目，在著名国际会议上获得最佳论文奖。在投身学术界之前，苏磊博士曾在一家跨国快速消费品公司和一家广告公司担任管理职务，积累了丰富的行业工作经验。苏磊博士目前担任香港城市大学商学院市场营销硕士项目主任。

Dr. Lei Su is an Associate Professor (with tenure) at the City University of Hong Kong. Her research focuses on consumer behaviour, and she is also handling multiple-methods research by synergizing her expertise in consumer behaviour and knowledge in big data analytics. Her recent research interests include digital communication, Al and new technology, social and socioeconomic influence, and psycholinguistics. Her research has been published in top-tier marketing journals, including Journal of Marketing Research, Journal of Consumer Research, Journal of Marketing, and Journal of Consumer Psychology. She has led grant-funded research projects over the years as Principal Investigator and achieved an award for the best paper at a prestigious international conference. Professor Su is also the program director for the marketing MSc program in the College of Business, City University of Hong Kong.