Nicknames are everywhere—from “Beemer” and “Tarzhay” in the branding world, to quirky workplace monikers passed around the office. But while they often signal familiarity and fun, new research reveals a more complicated story. In this episode of Dialogue with the Dean, Julian Birkinshaw speaks with Zhe Zhang, assistant professor of marketing at Ivey, whose latest research examines the double-edged sword of nickname usage by firms and also in the workplace. Together, they unpack how adopting consumer-generated nicknames can unintentionally weaken a brand’s authority, and why power dynamics matter when nicknames are used between bosses and employees. In this episode: 2:07 Understanding the challenges of corporate nickname usage7:49 When can embracing corporate nicknames be beneficial?12:34 Examining nicknames in the workplace21:54 What is the future of nickname research? To learn more about the research discussed in this episode, please visit: From Beemer to Tarjay: How nicknames impact iconic brandshttps://www.ivey.uwo.ca/impact/read/2024/12/from-beemer-to-tarjay-how-nicknames-impact-iconic-brands/  The power (and peril) of office nicknameshttps://www.ivey.uwo.ca/impact/watch/2025/03/the-power-and-peril-of-office-nicknames/  Research: The Rules of Using Playful Nicknames at Workhttps://hbr.org/2024/10/research-the-rules-of-using-playful-nicknames-at-work  BMW Is Powerful, Beemer Is Not: Nickname Branding Impairs Brand Performancehttps://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/00222429241266586  

Ver todos los episodios