Rohini Ahluwalia

Rohini Ahluwalia is the Curtis L. Carlson Trust Professor of Marketing and Marketing Department Chair at the Carlson School of Management, University of Minnesota, renowned for expertise in consumer psychology with research spanning persuasion, branding, decision-making, and wellbeing.

Her academic credentials include:

• PhD in Marketing from The Ohio State University
• MBA from Clarion University of Pennsylvania
• BA in Economics Honors from the University of Pune

Her research investigates how consumers process persuasive information—particularly negative messaging—and how branding influences decisions, with recent focus on wellbeing dynamics. She examines cultural distinctiveness in brand preferences, the psychological mechanisms of brand extensions, and how consumption patterns impact consumer happiness, revealing critical insights for marketers and policymakers.

Analysis of her 11 selected publications (2012-2020) shows two dominant research streams: childhood adversity's impact on consumer health/stress responses (4 articles), and branding mechanisms including cultural symbolism and wellbeing enhancement (7 articles). Her work increasingly integrates psychology with marketing, addressing real-world issues like ACEs (Adverse Childhood Experiences) and social exclusion through empirical consumer studies.

Key recognitions include:

• American Marketing Association Doctoral Dissertation Award (1997)
• Curtis L. Carlson Professorship in Marketing (2010-present)
• Business Week Faculty of the Year Teaching Award Finalist (2017, 2008)
• Outstanding Reviewer Award, Journal of Consumer Research (2006)

Ahluwalia actively mentors doctoral students through AMA/ACR Doctoral Consortiums and Symposia. Her editorial leadership as former Associate Editor of Journal of Consumer Research and current board member for Journal of Consumer Psychology demonstrates scholarly influence. Media coverage in NPR, CBS, and The New York Times underscores the societal relevance of her work on branding and consumer wellbeing.