Descrizione

Aulona Ulqinaku is Associate Professor of Marketing at the Carlo Cattaneo University – LIUC. Her research focuses on the effects of psychological threats – such as loneliness, social exclusion, or fear of death – on individual behavior, particularly in relation to consumer preferences and choices. In this field, Professor Ulqinaku has explored how the consumption of specific brand categories or the recollection of meaningful figures (such as heroes or role models) can help mitigate the negative effects of such threats, assisting individuals in restoring psychological balance and a sense of control. In parallel, her research examines how different forms of restriction – economic, physical, or dietary – affect self-control, risk-taking, and consumption preferences. Her work has been published in leading international journals, including the Journal of Consumer Psychology, Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, Journal of Advertising, Psychology & Marketing, British Journal of Social Psychology, and Annals of Tourism Research. Her publications have received notable recognition, including the Park Best Paper Award from the Journal of Consumer Psychology. Professor Ulqinaku currently serves as Area Editor for Psychology & Marketing.

The monograph Brands in Times of Threat: How Consumers Cope and how Companies can Respond examines how consumers react to psychological threats (social exclusion, identity threats, and mortality salience) and how firms can effectively respond. Integrating insights from psychology, marketing, and consumer behavior, the book proposes three forms of connectedness as coping strategies: social, temporal, and self-connectedness. In its final part, it introduces the innovative concept of the heroic brand, which combines the roles of caregiver and warrior – communications capable of offering both protection and action, serving as symbolic resources in times of uncertainty. The work provides a theoretical framework and managerial implications for understanding how brands can support consumer well-being in contexts of instability.