Linguistics brownbag series: Transdisciplinary connections

Informal conversation exploring some of the common interests and goals, and possible transdisciplinary projects between linguistics and marketing.

Ruth Pogacar, MBA, PhD is an Associate Professor of Marketing at Haskayne School of Business and an Adjunct Associate Professor at the Department of Psychology. Her research explores the hidden influences of language on consumers, and how subtle linguistic cues relate to marketing outcomes. She is particularly interested in the effect of brand name linguistics on consumer evaluations and choice, and how this correlates with brand performance. She is also interested in consumer welfare, and how differences in the way a choice is framed can bias people’s decisions, how marketers and policy makers can help people make less biased choices, and the benefits for business in doing so. Her goal is to understand marketing elements that are outside people’s awareness for the purposes of improving consumer experience and business outcomes.

Darin Flynn, PhD is an Associate Professor of Linguistics at the School of Languages, Linguistics, Literatures and Cultures. He is also the director of the University of Calgary Phonology Lab. His current interests include phonology and its relation to phonetics, morphology, and syntax; Indigenous languages; rap linguistics; taboo language; and personal names. 

Svitlana Winters, CAIP, PhD is a Senior Research Manager at Dig Insights. Additionally, she works as a Research Consultant for the Law Societies in five provinces: Alberta, British Columbia, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, and Nova Scotia, as well as for the Canadian Bar Association.