Olaf Werder, Ph.D.
Ph.D., University of Florida, 2002  Office: Room 230	Associate Professor Mass Communication

Research:
My research program centers on two interrelated paths— intercultural social advocacy promotions and designing campaigns that improve the way social and health-oriented messages are received by and are beneficial to recipients. The majority of my research projects (and thus my areas of expertise) converge on two interrelated topics:

1. Dissemination of mass-mediated communication toward culturally diverse and disenfranchised population segments
2. Analysis of current health marketing and prevention efforts (strategy, message) and exploration of new ways to communicate with/reach relevant target audiences.

My future research agenda has two complementary components. The first is to continue my research on communication toward the ever-changing culturally diverse population segments and generations in this country and others especially as it relates to health and disease perception. I am currently involved in a book on ethnic and generational marketing that should be ready for publication by 2010. I also plan to further explore the different perceptions of health and wellness among different groups as they pertain to doctor-patient communication and community-based prevention work. Second, I plan to expand my research program into health promotion, and specifically, health maintenance and disease prevention campaigns. According to the CDC, health marketing campaigns are not only a multidisciplinary area of public health practice, but also a relatively new and innovative approach to educate, motivate and inform the public on health messages. It draws from traditional marketing theories and principles and adds science-based strategies to prevention, health promotion and health protection. Collaborating with public health researchers, professionals and organizations has been extremely beneficial here and is a goal for me for the future.

Sample Publications:

• Werder, O. (forthcoming). "Generational advertising approaches." In M. Tharpe & M. Roberts (Eds.), Multicultural Advertising (working title). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.

• Werder, O. (forthcoming). "Advertising Theories." In Karen Foss, Stephen Littlejohn (Eds.), Encyclopedia of Communication Theory, (pp. TBD). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.

• Werder, O. (forthcoming). "Media Effects Theories." In Karen Foss, Stephen Littlejohn (Eds.), Encyclopedia of Communication Theory, (pp. TBD). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.

• Werder, O. (2008). "The influence of family, peer and media communication on the prosocial behavior of young adults in two cultures." In: Yorgo Passadeos & Dimitra Dimitrakopoulou (Eds.), Mass Media Research: International Approaches, (pp. 92-104). Athens, Greece: Atiner Publishing.

• Werder, O. (2008). "'Niche' & New Planning Approaches" (Chapter 8). In M. Azarro (Ed.), Strategic Media Decisions, 2nd Ed., (pp. 219-254). Chicago, IL: The Copy Workshop.

• Werder, O. (2008). "Standardization vs. differentiation – Cultural influences on English-language and Spanish-language TV advertising in the US." In: Pedro Rodrigues, Peter Neijens (Eds.), New Trends in Advertising Research, (pp. 85-100). Lisbon, Portugal: Silabo Publishing.

• Werder, O. (2007). "Battle of the bulge: A comparison of obesity prevention campaigns in the United States and Germany." Obesity Reviews, 8(5), 451-457.

• Werder, O., Cotter, M., & Chadwick, C. (2007). "The relative influence of fear appeals on consumer responses in commercial product campaigns." Proceedings of the 2007 Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Advertising, pp. 89-92.

• Werder, O. (2006). "Influences on the recycling behavior of young adults: Avenues for social marketing campaigns." Environmental Communication Yearbook 3, 77-96.

Methods:
Triangulation of quantitative and qualitative methods. Knowledge about an area of interest seems to be gained better when looking at methods as a means and not as a dogma.