The Foundation is proud to announce the Joseph A. Floreano Scholarship + Internship Program recipients for the 2015 Performing Arts Managers Conference (PAMC), recognizing five, deserving individuals who demonstrate leadership, character, community involvement, and the potential to be future leaders in the venue management industry. The Foundation also offers scholarships + internships to a variety of other IAVM conferences and schools, click here to learn more and to apply. Thanks to the support of committed donors, together we are Building Amazing Futures. Click here to learn more about the Foundation’s annual campaign.

Let’s say you’re trying to get someone to buy your product and you want to purchase an ad. Do you go with a black-and-white or color ad? Well, that depends on where you want to draw attention.

“Black-and-white images can lead consumers to focus on the abstract, essential, and defining components of a product,” wrote authors Hyojin Lee, Xiaoyan Deng, H. Rao Unnava, and Kentaro Fujita (all The Ohio State University), in a new study in the Journal of Consumer Research. “In contrast, color images can draw attention to the concrete, sometimes unimportant and idiosyncratic features of the product.”

The researchers had consumers in one study look at either black-and-white or color pictures of four shoes (plain sneakers, leopard print sneakers, plain heels, and leopard print heels) and asked them to categorize the shoes into two groups. Those who saw the black-and-white images most likely categorized the shoes based on function (high heels vs. sneakers) instead of differences in aesthetic design.

“Color has become dominant in marketing because it attracts attention and promotes favorable attitudes,” the authors wrote. “However, there may be times when companies might prefer to use black-and-white advertising. If a product’s primary features are superior, companies can successfully promote the product by using black-and-white images. On the other hand, if a product’s secondary features are superior, companies should consider using color images to draw attention to these otherwise easily overlooked features.”

(photo credit: Thomas Hawk via photopin cc)

Good news. Let’s add beer to the list of beverages that are good for your health. According to a report in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, a compound from the ingredient hops could protect brain cells from damage. The report specifically points out that it has the potential to slow down the development of Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases.

“One compound found in hops, called xanthohumol, has gotten the attention of researchers for its potential benefits, including antioxidation, cardiovascular protection, and anticancer properties,” the American Chemical Society reported. “In lab tests, the researchers found that the compound could protect neuronal cells and potentially help slow the development of brain disorders. The scientists conclude xanthohumol could be a good candidate for fighting such conditions.”

The scientists plan to keep researching their findings. In the meantime, if you drink beer, make sure it’s in moderation. Too much is bad for your health (and your belly).

(photo credit: JoseXL via photopin cc)

A study in the Journal of Marketing shows that a scent’s “temperature” in a store can affect what and how much a customer buys.

“People smelling warm fragrances such as cinnamon feel that the room they are in is more crowded, and feel less powerful as a result,” wrote study authors Adriana V. Madzharov (Stevens Institute of Technology), Lauren G. Block (City University of New York), and Maureen Morrin (Temple University). “This can lead them to compensate by buying items they feel are more prestigious.”

The researchers conducted many experiments on how warm and cool scents affect perception and decision making. As mentioned, people in “warm” scented rooms felt more crowded than when they were in a “cool” scented room, even when the room contained the same number of people each time. The “warm crowded” room people made up for this feeling of less power by buying prestigious items to help raise their personal status. They even bought significantly more items overall.

“This study, to the best of our knowledge, is the first to show how fragrance in the environment can affect how we feel about the space surrounding us, and how that in turn can drive customers to choose prestigious products,” the authors wrote. “We show that retailers can easily manipulate social density perceptions with a subtle and relatively inexpensive application of ambient scenting in the store environment.”

Now all the team stores will smell like cinnamon, right?

(photo credit: jypsygen via photopin cc)

The IAVM community is deeply saddened by the loss of Tanya Baugus, and we extend our support and sympathy to our friend and former colleague, R.V. Baugus, and to the family and friends of Tanya.

Coaches Outreach will be establishing an annual scholarship in honor of Tanya, and a tribute from the Dallas Mavericks honoring one of their loyal, passionate, season ticket holders will be presented during an upcoming game.

Tanya Renee Baugus of Grand Prairie passed away January 30, 2015. She was born on September 16, 1966 to LaVerne and Marie Bailey. Tanya was a graduate of Hawkins High School and she attended Dallas Baptist University. She was a member of Oak View Baptist Church in Irving and worked as an event coordinator and office manager for Coaches Outreach for 8 years. She is preceded in death by her parents and is survived by her husband R. V. Baugus, Jr. of Grand Prairie; 2 two brothers; 1 sister and aunt Carrie “Honey” Marshall and numerous cousins, nieces and nephews.

The family will receive friends from 6:00 to 8:00 pm. on February 6, 2015 at Oak View Baptist Church. A funeral service will be held at 2:00 p.m. Saturday, February 7, 2015 at Oak View Baptist church with Dr. Jim Gerlach officiating. Interment will follow at Roselawn Cemetery in Seagoville. Services are being coordinated by Browns Memorial Funeral Home.