Lu Zheng
(Click image to enlarge.)

Congratulations to Lu Zheng, assistant professor of advertising at the University of Florida’s College of Journalism and Communications. Her research paper, co-authored with Professor Joe Phelps of the University of Alabama, was named the 2011 Best Conference Paper at the American Academy of Advertising’s annual conference in Phoenix April 7-10.

The paper, “Revising the Transportation-Imagery Model and Expanding Understanding of Persuasion via Narrative Advertising,” researches the use of narrative in advertising, and is drawing national recognition.

“Narrative advertising uses stories to persuade in lieu of arguments,” said Zheng. “I’m employing a relatively new persuasion model, Transportation-Imagery Model, to examine narrative advertising across modality.

“The transportation theory has been used primarily in the field of psychology, and not in advertising. However, past research has shown consistently that when you are mentally transported into the narrative world, you tend to exhibit positive attitudes towards the story characters and also display story-consonant beliefs.”

Zheng joined the College in the fall of 2010 after earning her doctorate degree from the University of Alabama. Her dissertation was recognized last year by the AAA for one of its two 2010 Doctoral Dissertation Grants, the most prestigious award the Academy awards to doctoral students nationwide each year.

Advertising Department Chair John Sutherland believes Zheng’s research is a strong addition to the department’s research and teaching efforts. “As we continue to develop our teaching and research to meet the needs of global marketing communications, Lu Zheng brings a unique blend of teaching and research to our efforts,” Sutherland said. “She is already a rising star in advertising research.”

The Academy, an organization of advertising scholars and professionals with an interest in advertising and advertising education, fosters research that is relevant to the field and provides a forum for the exchange of ideas among its academic and professional members.

Posted: April 20, 2011
Category: College News, Research News