Americus Reed

Dr. Americus Reed II is the Whitney M. Young Jr. Professor of Marketing at the Wharton School, known for his exploration of how consumers' self-concepts influence their buying decisions. As an "identity theorist," he focuses on the role of social identity, social influence, values, attitudes, and judgments in shaping purchase decisions and consumer behavior, particularly from a social psychology perspective.

Reed's recent work delves into the concept of "Identity Loyalty," where he examines the triggers that lead consumers to identify with and become loyal to a brand. This includes studying how judgments linked to a person's identity are virtually immovable, or "sticky," providing crucial insights for marketing managers about product loyalty. He has extended his research to include brand crisis management and strategies for maintaining brand equity in the face of social media backlash. Reed has authored more than 50 articles, book chapters, and cases on these topics, and his findings have been featured in top-tier academic journals such as the Journal of Consumer Research, the Journal of Marketing Research, and the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology.

Beyond academia, Reed co-founded Persona Partners, a consulting firm that emphasizes strategies to cultivate "Identity Loyalty." He consults with organizations like Americhoice, The Philadelphia Eagles, The Department of Education, Vistakon (a Johnson and Johnson company), NIKE, and the American College of Physicians on marketing and product development related to health and fitness. Reed also hosts "Marketing Matters," a podcast that airs on Wharton’s Sirius XM Channel 132 Business Radio, where he discusses modern techniques of persuasion and the importance of ethical approaches. His teaching portfolio includes courses on customer analysis, branding, and consumer psychology for undergraduate, graduate, doctoral, and executive students at Wharton. Reed received his PhD from the University of Florida, and his MS and BA degrees from Georgia State University.