Mark J. Pelletier

Mark Pelletier is an Associate Professor of Marketing at the University of North Carolina Wilmington and President of the Society for Marketing Advances (SMA). He received a BSBA with a concentration in Marketing from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, an MBA with a dual concentration in Marketing and Management from the University of Wisconsin–Whitewater, and a Ph.D. in Marketing from Mississippi State University.

Mark’s research focuses on customer service encounters, social media, and experiential marketing. His work has been published in the Journal of Business Research, Journal of Service Research, Journal of Services Marketing, European Journal of Marketing, Public Relations Review, and other outlets. He also maintains a social media research stream on digital well-being (JOMO) and online review manipulation (“reviews in the dark”), exploring how platform design and content shape consumer experience and behavior.

At UNCW, Mark teaches across the sales and marketing curriculum and is deeply involved in experiential learning, connecting students with community partners and industry professionals. He also mentors students through internships, study abroad programs, and independent projects that bridge theory and practice. His teaching and service reflect a consistent focus on helping students and colleagues build meaningful, sustainable marketing careers, both inside and outside the classroom over time.

Within SMA, Mark has been an active volunteer for many years, serving in multiple leadership roles before stepping into the presidency. In this role, he works with scholars, teachers, and practitioners to support rigorous research, innovative teaching, and a collaborative, welcoming community for marketing academics worldwide.

Education

BSBA in Marketing, University of Nevada, Las Vegas
MBA in Marketing and Management, University of Wisconsin–Whitewater
Ph.D. in Marketing, Mississippi State University

Specialization in Teaching

Mark Pelletier specializes in teaching professional selling and advanced sales, with a focus on helping students translate theory into practical, repeatable skills. In his sales courses, students learn core frameworks for prospecting, needs discovery, presenting value, handling objections, and closing, while also developing the listening, questioning, and relationship-building skills that underpin long-term success in selling roles.

In Advanced Sales, he builds on those foundations through more complex, experiential work: role-plays, multi-step presentations, negotiation exercises, and projects that mirror real-world account management and B2B selling situations. Students are expected to think strategically about customer problems, co-create solutions, and reflect on their own selling style and professional identity.

Research Interests

Mark Pelletier’s research examines how consumers experience service encounters and digital environments, with a particular focus on customer emotions, expectations, and well-being. Much of his work explores how the structure and flow of service interactions—such as interruptions, timing, and frontline employee behavior—shape perceptions of fun, fairness, and value. He is especially interested in how firms can design experiences that support both customers and employees in high-contact, often ambiguous service settings.

A second stream centers on social media, digital well-being, and experiential marketing. This includes work on the “Joy of Missing Out” (JOMO), digital detox behavior, and how stepping away from always-on platforms affects consumer well-being and decision making. In related projects, he studies “reviews in the dark” and other forms of online review manipulation, investigating how hidden practices and platform design influence trust, persuasion, and marketplace transparency.

Across these areas, his research is grounded in consumer psychology but aims to generate practical insights for managers, especially those responsible for service design, customer experience, and digital strategy. He is increasingly interested in how emerging technologies and AI tools reshape frontline encounters, consumer expectations, and the boundary between authentic and manufactured experiences.

Professional Service

Mark Pelletier’s professional service centers on his roles at the University of North Carolina Wilmington and within its global programs. He serves in the UNCW Faculty Senate, contributing to governance, curriculum discussions, and strategic planning that affect students and faculty across the Cameron School of Business and the broader university. As the France Liaison for UNCW’s partnership with KEDGE Business School in Marseille, he works closely with incoming and outgoing students on course planning, transfer articulation, and academic advising, helping them navigate the dual-degree and semester-abroad pathways with clarity and support.

Mark has led multiple study abroad programs in France, including summer experiences that blend coursework with company visits and cultural immersion. In these roles, he is responsible for both academic oversight and on-the-ground mentoring, helping students translate international experiences into professional growth and long-term career value.

Beyond UNCW, Mark remains active in disciplinary service through the Society for Marketing Advances (SMA), where he currently serves as President and continues to support conference programming and community-building. Across these commitments, his service is guided by a focus on student success, faculty collaboration, and expanding meaningful international and professional opportunities for the UNCW community.

Honors & Awards

Mark Pelletier is a recipient of the UNC Wilmington Chancellor’s Teaching Excellence Award