Kusum L. Ailawadi

Kusum L. Ailawadi is the Charles Jordan 1911 TU'12 Professor of Marketing at the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth College. She has established herself as a leading expert in marketing channel strategy, brand equity, and multi-channel distribution systems. Her research examines the strategic interaction and distribution of power between manufacturers and their distribution channel partners, with particular focus on how store brands, promotions, and brand equity affect performance.

Education:

• PhD, University of Virginia, 1991
• MBA, Indian Institute of Management, 1984
• BSc (Honors), St. Stephen's College, Delhi University, 1982

Professor Ailawadi's research spans two primary streams: the first focuses on manufacturer-retailer relationships and channel strategy, examining how power dynamics affect brand performance; the second investigates how marketing actions influence consumers' health status and the nutritional quality of grocery shopping. She has pioneered research showing how warehouse club shopping affects consumer behavior, revealing that club store shoppers spend more, shop more frequently, and consume more calories than non-club shoppers. Her work on multi-channel distribution has been synthesized in her influential 2020 book Getting Multi-Channel Distribution Right, which provides practical guidance for managing brands across physical and digital channels.

Her extensive publication record in top marketing journals like Journal of Marketing, Journal of Marketing Research, and Marketing Science demonstrates consistent scholarly impact. Analysis of her recent work shows a strong focus on the evolving retail landscape, with particular attention to private label brands, multi-channel strategies, and the behavioral economics of consumer shopping patterns. Her research increasingly bridges marketing theory with practical applications in retail strategy and consumer health.

Notable Awards:

• Winner, Paul H. Root Award for Significant Contribution to the Advancement of the Practice of Marketing (2018)
• Distinguished Alumni Award, Indian Institute of Management Bangalore (2020)
• Winner, John D.C. Little Best Paper Award, Marketing Science (2005)
• Winner, First William Davidson Award for Best Contribution to Theory and Practice in Retail Marketing (1997)
• Multiple finalist positions for Paul E. Green Award across various years

Professor Ailawadi serves as president of the INFORMS Society for Marketing Science and has held editorial positions at major marketing journals including Journal of Marketing, Journal of Marketing Research, and Marketing Science. She teaches the highly regarded MBA elective on Multi-Channel Routes to Market and has consulted with companies across consumer goods, retailing, consulting, and financial services sectors. Her expertise has also been sought in legal cases related to distribution, brand equity, and promotions, where she has served as both consulting and testifying expert.

Her research has been widely covered in media outlets including Harvard Business Review, Wall Street Journal, Forbes, and Advertising Age, demonstrating the practical relevance of her academic work. Her TEDx talk 'Outsmarting the Marketers' further illustrates her ability to translate complex marketing concepts for broader audiences.