Maximilian Beichert Wins Marketing Award for Influencer Research
Maximilian Beichert of Bocconi’s Department of Marketing has been honored with the 2024 AMA/Marketing Science Institute/H. Paul Root Award, alongside co-authors Andreas Bayerl (Erasmus University), Jacob Goldenberg (Reichman University), and Andreas Lanz (University of Basel). Their award-winning article, “Revenue Generation Through Influencer Marketing”, was published in the AMA’s Journal of Marketing.
This prestigious award, co-sponsored by the American Marketing Association (AMA) and the Marketing Science Institute (MSI), recognizes a Journal of Marketing article that has made the most significant contribution to the advancement of marketing practice in a given calendar year. It honors H. Paul Root, a past AMA Board Chair and former MSI President.
The selection committee praised the study for its methodological rigor and practical relevance. Utilizing a large-scale proprietary dataset on influencer-driven sales across multiple platforms, complemented by a series of field experiments, the research evaluates the revenue impact of influencer marketing. Contrary to conventional wisdom, the study finds that smaller influencers deliver significantly higher returns on investment (ROI) from direct sales campaigns than their more prominent counterparts. This insight is particularly impactful given that influencer marketing expenditures are projected to reach \$39.33 billion in 2025.
The article has already demonstrated substantial influence, with over 32,000 downloads and 61 citations on Google Scholar.
Professor Beichert and his co-authors will be formally recognized at the 2025 AMA Summer Academic Conference, scheduled for August 22–24 in Chicago.