ProfessorStacey Brennan

Language and Framing in Brand Communication

Stacey's research investigates how subtle linguistic and design cues influence consumer perceptions, attitudes, and behaviours. Her work in this area focuses on the psycholinguistic properties of words, such as sound symbolism, phonesthemes, and stylistic language, and how these shape brand impressions. Her research also extends to message framing, including gain versus loss appeals, moral versus health messaging, and other rhetorical strategies that influence consumer decision-making.

Spokesperson Effects in Marketing Communication
A second core focus of Stacey's research is the role of spokespeople in advertising and brand messaging. She studies how both physical attributes (e.g., attractiveness, gaze direction) and symbolic features (e.g., name fluency, value alignment) of endorsers affect the credibility, effectiveness, and persuasiveness of brand messages. Her work has examined a wide range of endorser types, with an emphasis on the interaction between spokesperson characteristics, message content, and brand positioning. This stream of research contributes to understanding how brands can strategically use spokespersons to enhance communication outcomes.