Tyler Milfeld, PhD

Assistant Professor of Marketing | Villanova School of Business Villanova University

Villanova PA

Tyler Milfeld, PhD, explores how brands can enhance their purpose-driven marketing communications in the prosocial arena.

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Villanova University
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Areas of Expertise

Brand Activism

Sustainability Marketing and Green Advertising

Marketing Communications

Prosocial Advertising

Consumer Packaged Goods

Brand Positioning

Brand Strategy

Biography

Dr. Tyler Milfeld is the Michelle and Sean Traynor '91 Assistant Professor of Marketing at Villanova University. He earned his doctorate from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, his master's in business administration from the University of Texas at Austin and a bachelor's from Northwestern University.

Dr. Milfeld specializes in brand communication, corporate social responsibility, message framing and linguistics. His research has been published in the field's leading journals, including the Journal of Advertising and International Journal of Advertising, and he is a two-time winner of the Best Article of the Year Award and an associate editor for the Journal of Advertising Research.

Prior to entering academia, Dr. Milfeld held marketing and sales roles at The Hershey Company, Colgate-Palmolive, PepsiCo and Johnson & Johnson.

Education

Northwestern University

University of Texas at Austin

MBA

University of Tennessee, Knoxville

PhD

Affiliations

Member, American Academy of Advertising (2019–Present)
Member, European Academy of Advertising (2023–Present)

Select Media Appearances

So You Want to Build an Activist Brand? Stop Responding to Backlash.

PR Daily

2025-08-14

In the age of instant backlash, fueled by the immediacy of social virality, brands may find themselves in the hot seat when they support a social or political movement... Sometimes not responding to backlash is the best strategy, particularly in situations that relate to brand activism, said Tyler Milfeld, an assistant professor of marketing at Villanova University and formerly with PepsiCo and Johnson & Johnson.

Spooked by the Price of Halloween? Why Candy Prices Are up So Much This Year

NBC 10

2023-10-30

Candy prices are on the rise this Halloween season, but that hasn't slowed consumers from purchasing. Dr. Tyler Milfeld, an assistant professor of marketing at Villanova University and former executive at Hershey Co., breaks down the cause of the surging prices, consumer trends and how companies are responding with clever marketing tactics.

Penn Maid, the Iconic Dairy Brand Whose Sour Cream Jars Were Philly's Drinking Glasses, Has Moved On

The Philadelphia Inquirer

2024-10-02

Penn Maid's founding family sold the company in 1996 to Crowley Foods, which in 2004 was acquired by HP Hood... As years passed, Hood's interest in the Penn Maid brand faded. This is common among companies that have similar subsidiaries, said Tyler Milfeld, a professor at Villanova University and a veteran marketer who has worked for PepsiCo, Colgate-Palmolive and Hershey Co. "You don't want to have multiple products that are cannibalizing themselves. You must decide which horse is the one that we want to try to ride in the longer term."

Research Grants

Conference Travel Grant

Villanova University Institute for Research and Scholarship

2022

Conference Travel Grant

Villanova University Institute for Research and Scholarship

2023

International Travel Support Program, Moran Center for Global Leadership

Villanova School of Business

2024

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Select Academic Articles

Sustainable Customer Experience: Bridging Theory and Practice

The Synergy of Business Theory and Practice

2019

When Brands Take a Stand: The Nature of Consumers' Polarized Reactions to Social Narrative Videos

Journal of Product & Brand Management

2021

A Fresh Start for Stigmatized Groups: The Effect of Cultural Identity Mindset Framing in Brand Advertising

Journal of Advertising

2021

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Tyler Milfeld, PhD

Villanova University

Areas of Expertise

Biography

Education

Northwestern University

University of Texas at Austin

University of Tennessee, Knoxville

Links

Affiliations

Select Media Appearances

So You Want to Build an Activist Brand? Stop Responding to Backlash.

Spooked by the Price of Halloween? Why Candy Prices Are up So Much This Year

Penn Maid, the Iconic Dairy Brand Whose Sour Cream Jars Were Philly's Drinking Glasses, Has Moved On

Research Grants

Conference Travel Grant

Conference Travel Grant

International Travel Support Program, Moran Center for Global Leadership

Small Research Grant

International Travel Support Program, Moran Center for Global Leadership

Halloran Ethics and Social Responsibility Grant

Teaching Innovation and Development Grant

Fund for Data Acquisition, Specialized Software and Miscellaneous Research Needs

Select Academic Articles

Sustainable Customer Experience: Bridging Theory and Practice

When Brands Take a Stand: The Nature of Consumers' Polarized Reactions to Social Narrative Videos

A Fresh Start for Stigmatized Groups: The Effect of Cultural Identity Mindset Framing in Brand Advertising

Brand Manager Sensemaking: Cognitive Frames in the Digital Media Environment

Enviro-Bragging: When Influencers Should Not Be Humble About a Brand's Sustainability

Riding the Wave: How and When Public Issue Salience Impacts Corporate Social Responsibility Advertising

Purpose Advertising and the Credibility Gap: How Consumers Respond to Established Versus Emergent Brand Activist Messaging

Why a Single Pro-Environmental Appeal Works to Promote Behavioral Change: On Social Media, One Tip Versus Many Is More Effective for Non-Green Consumers

Fueling or Suppressing Brand Activism Backlash: How Message Type Differentially Influences Perceived Hypocrisy and Consumer Attitudes

Marketplace Power and Choice Framing: How and When CSR Surcharges Generate Consumer Anger

Life Transitions Influence Response to Ad Repetition: When Times of Change Increase Preference for Repeat Advertising Experiences

Green With Arrogance: Dominant Brands Benefit From Arrogant Appeals

The Impact of Luxury Brands' NFT Fashion on Brand Attitude and Electronic Word-of-Mouth

Just for Fun: An Empirically Based Framework for Advertising Fun