{"type":"rich","version":"1.0","provider_name":"Transistor","provider_url":"https://transistor.fm","author_name":"Ivey Impact Podcast","title":"Are nicknames good for business?","html":"<iframe width=\"100%\" height=\"180\" frameborder=\"no\" scrolling=\"no\" seamless src=\"https://share.transistor.fm/e/0f900cfe\"></iframe>","width":"100%","height":180,"duration":1536,"description":"Nicknames are everywhere—from “Beemer” and “Tarzhay” in the branding world, to quirky workplace monikers passed around the office. But while they often signal familiarity and fun, new research reveals a more complicated story. In this episode of Dialogue with the Dean, Julian Birkinshaw speaks with Zhe Zhang, assistant professor of marketing at Ivey, whose latest research examines the double-edged sword of nickname usage by firms and also in the workplace. Together, they unpack how adopting consumer-generated nicknames can unintentionally weaken a brand’s authority, and why power dynamics matter when nicknames are used between bosses and employees. In this episode: 2:07 Understanding the challenges of corporate nickname usage7:49 When can embracing corporate nicknames be beneficial?12:34 Examining nicknames in the workplace21:54 What is the future of nickname research? To learn more about the research discussed in this episode, please visit: From Beemer to Tarjay: How nicknames impact iconic brandshttps://www.ivey.uwo.ca/impact/read/2024/12/from-beemer-to-tarjay-how-nicknames-impact-iconic-brands/  The power (and peril) of office nicknameshttps://www.ivey.uwo.ca/impact/watch/2025/03/the-power-and-peril-of-office-nicknames/  Research: The Rules of Using Playful Nicknames at Workhttps://hbr.org/2024/10/research-the-rules-of-using-playful-nicknames-at-work  BMW Is Powerful, Beemer Is Not: Nickname Branding Impairs Brand Performancehttps://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/00222429241266586  ","thumbnail_url":"https://img.transistorcdn.com/p3c5G6cLaEhh_AVFfZIk6AanLIq3pOyjXbjwzjxsGHU/rs:fill:0:0:1/w:400/h:400/q:60/mb:500000/aHR0cHM6Ly9pbWct/dXBsb2FkLXByb2R1/Y3Rpb24udHJhbnNp/c3Rvci5mbS9lNWQz/YmUxYzY5NGVkZTgw/MDQwY2UzOGE3MWJm/MGNjZi5qcGc.webp","thumbnail_width":300,"thumbnail_height":300}