Zixia (Summer) Cao is Associate Professor of Marketing at the Business School at the University of Colorado Denver. She obtained her Ph.D. in Marketing from Texas A&M University. Her research focuses on branding, product innovation, acquisitions and alliances, and the financial value of marketing activities. Her research appears in premier journals such as Marketing Science, Journal of Marketing, Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, International Journal of Research in Marketing, and others. She was awarded the AMA Winter Conference Best Paper in the Analytics track and received multiple research grants.

Education

PhD Marketing, Texas A&M University

Areas of expertise

Branding

Innovation

Marketing Strategies

Marketing-Finance Interface

Publications

Cao, Z., Feng, H., Wiles, M. (2023). When Do Marketing Ideation Crowdsourcing Contests Create Shareholder Value? The Effect of Contest Design and Marketing Resource Factors. Forthcoming in the Journal of Marketing 

Cao, Z., Song, R., Sorescu, A., & Chua, A. (2023). Innovation Potential, Insider Sales, and IPO Performance: How Firms Can Mitigate the Negative Effect of Insider Selling. Journal of Marketing 87 (4), 550-574. 

Cao, Z.& Xu, K. (2022). CEO Narcissism, Brand Acquisition and Disposal, and Shareholder Wealth. Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science 50, 777–799.  

Cao, Z. (2022). Brand Equity, Innovation and Warranty Expense: How Marketing Factors Help Reduce Warranty Costs? International Journal of Research in Marketing, 39 (4), 1166-1185. 

Cao, Z & Yan, R (2021). Product Nutrition, Innovation, Advertising, and Firm’s Financial Gains. Journal of Business Research 133, 13-22.  

Cao, Z & Yan, R (2017). Does Brand Partnership Create a Happy Marriage? The Role of Brand Value On Brand Alliance Outcomes Of Partners. Industrial Marketing Management 67, 148-157. 

Yan, R, & Cao, Z (2017). Is Brand Alliance Always Beneficial to Firms? Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services 34, 193-200. 

Yan, R & Cao, Z, (2017). Product Returns, Asymmetric Information, and Firm Performance. International Journal of Production Economics 185, 211-222. 

Cao, Z & Yan, R (2016). Health Creates Wealth? The Use of Nutrition Claims and Firm Financial Performance. Journal of Public Policy & Marketing 35 (1), 58-75. 

Yan, R, Cao, Z, & Pei, Z (2016). Manufacturer's Cooperative Advertising, Demand Uncertainty, and Information Sharing. Journal of Business Research 69 (2), 709-717.  

Cao, Z & Sorescu, A (2013). Wedded Bliss or Tainted Love?: Stock Market Reactions to the Introduction of Co-branded Products. Marketing Science 32 (6), 939-959.