Tyler Milfeld, PhD
Assistant Professor of Marketing | Villanova School of Business
- Villanova PA UNITED STATES
Tyler Milfeld, PhD, explores how brands can enhance their purpose-driven marketing communications in the prosocial arena.
Areas of Expertise
Biography
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
BA
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
The Risks of Brand Activism With Professor Tyler Milfeld
The Marketing Architects Podcast
2026-01-27
When brands try to stand out through purpose or activism, they often stumble into controversy. So, what's driving these missteps? And how should brands respond when backlash strikes?... Villanova University's Tyler Milfeld unpacks why high-profile rebrands fail, when purpose messaging actually works and how brands should respond when they face backlash.
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
Small Research Grant
Villanova University
2024
International Travel Support Program, Moran Center for Global Leadership
Villanova School of Business
2025
Halloran Ethics and Social Responsibility Grant
Villanova School of Business
2025
Teaching Innovation and Development Grant
Villanova School of Business
2025
Fund for Data Acquisition, Specialized Software and Miscellaneous Research Needs
Villanova School of Business
2025
Select Academic Articles
Sustainable Customer Experience: Bridging Theory and Practice
The Synergy of Business Theory and Practice2019
When Brands Take a Stand: The Nature of Consumers' Polarized Reactions to Social Narrative Videos
Journal of Product & Brand Management2021
A Fresh Start for Stigmatized Groups: The Effect of Cultural Identity Mindset Framing in Brand Advertising
Journal of Advertising2021
Brand Manager Sensemaking: Cognitive Frames in the Digital Media Environment
Journal of Current Issues & Research in Advertising2022
Enviro-Bragging: When Influencers Should Not Be Humble About a Brand's Sustainability
Journal of Interactive Advertising2023
Riding the Wave: How and When Public Issue Salience Impacts Corporate Social Responsibility Advertising
Journal of Advertising2024
Purpose Advertising and the Credibility Gap: How Consumers Respond to Established Versus Emergent Brand Activist Messaging
Journal of Advertising Research2024
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
Journal of Advertising Research2024
Fueling or Suppressing Brand Activism Backlash: How Message Type Differentially Influences Perceived Hypocrisy and Consumer Attitudes
Journal of Advertising Research2025
Marketplace Power and Choice Framing: How and When CSR Surcharges Generate Consumer Anger
Journal of Business Research2025
Life Transitions Influence Response to Ad Repetition: When Times of Change Increase Preference for Repeat Advertising Experiences
Journal of Advertising Research2025
Green With Arrogance: Dominant Brands Benefit From Arrogant Appeals
Journal of Current Issues & Research in Advertising2025
The Impact of Luxury Brands' NFT Fashion on Brand Attitude and Electronic Word-of-Mouth
International Journal of Advertising2025
Just for Fun: An Empirically Based Framework for Advertising Fun
International Journal of Advertising2025