Maren Hoff

About

Hi, I am an Assistant Professor of Business Administration in the Marketing Unit at Harvard Business School.

Research

Substantively, I’m interested in fashion and lifestyle branding. Conceptually, I study identity expression in the marketplace, particularly how societal change shapes consumer tastes and trends. I combine large-scale data with experiments to trace long-term changes in how consumers express identity through the products they use.

Check out my CV here.

I hold a B.Sc. in Business Administration from the University of Muenster, an M.Litt. in Marketing from the University of St Andrews, and a Ph.D. in Marketing from Columbia University.

Project (01 / 03)

The Asymmetry of Gender-fluid Trends

with Silvia Bellezza

Journal of Consumer Research

Marketers and consumers are rapidly embracing gender-fluid products that fundamentally challenge the conventional associations of masculinity and femininity. In theory, manifestations of gender fluidity in the marketplace respond to shifting gender norms toward more inclusivity. Accordingly, consumers believe that the representation of traditionally male and female styles in these trends should be even. In contrast with these balanced views, this research demonstrates that gender-fluid trends to date skew toward traditionally male styles and that the corresponding adoption of gender-fluid products is driven relatively more by female and nonbinary consumers. Using a multimethod approach (including trend analyses of over 100,000 baby names, deep learning on a dataset of 200,000 products, and a series of experiments), this research defines gender fluidity in marketing; distinguishes it from related constructs such as gender-bending, unisex, and androgyny; and reveals a skewness in gender-fluid trends to date. It further demonstrates that women’s and nonbinary individuals’ heightened awareness of male advantages in society and lower fear of negative evaluation drive their greater adoption of gender-fluid styles.

Project (02 / 03)

The Vicious Cycle of Status Insecurity

with Derek Rucker and Adam Galinsky

Journal of Personality and Social Psychology

The current research presents and tests a new model: The Vicious Cycle of Status Insecurity. We define status insecurity as doubting whether one is respected and admired by others. Status insecurity leads people to view status as a limited and zero-sum resource, where a boost in the status of one individual inherently decreases that of other individuals. As a result, the insecure become reluctant to share status in the form of highlighting the contributions of others. However, we suggest this reluctance to give others credit is often counterproductive. In contrast to the zero-sum beliefs of the insecure, we propose that giving credit to others boosts the status of both the sharer and the recipient, expanding the overall status pie. Because the insecure miss opportunities to gain status by not elevating others, they reinforce their initial insecurity. We provide evidence for this vicious cycle across 17 studies, including a content analysis of people’s personal experiences with status insecurity, an archival analysis of the final speeches held on the reality TV show Survivor* (using ChatGPT), and more than a dozen experimental studies. To enhance generalizability and external validity, our experimental contexts include consulting pitches, venture capital competitions, and idea generation contests. To demonstrate discriminant validity, we differentiate status insecurity from self-esteem insecurity. Across the studies, status insecurity consistently decreased status sharing while status sharing reliably increased one’s status. Ultimately, status insecurity paradoxically lowers one’s status because it reduces the propensity to elevate and celebrate others.

*This paper involved binge-watching countless seasons of Survivor

Defining and Understanding Vintage

with Silvia Bellezza

Journal of Consumer Research

Trendsetters and cutting-edge brands constantly seek new styles and fresh designs that set them apart from previous trends. However, in recent decades, these early adopters and innovators have also increasingly turned to selected pieces from the past, a market phenomenon often referred to as “vintage.” But what are vintage products exactly? This research develops a unified framework for understanding vintage consumption using a multimethod approach that combines interviews, surveys, online product scraping, structural equation modeling, experiments, and data on over 2,000 vintage products across 16 categories collected at vintage fairs, stores, and online retailers. Vintage is a composite formative construct determined by three dimensions: moderate age, iconicity, and scarcity. By mapping its nomological network, the authors clarify the dimensions vintage shares with related constructs (i.e., antique, secondhand, retro), examine its downstream consequences for consumers, and identify its managerial implications. Vintage products deliver personal (e.g., heritage connection and authenticity), social (e.g., coolness), and sustainability benefits (e.g., environmental responsibility) for consumers. Moreover, highlighting a product’s age, iconicity, and scarcity can enhance consumer responses to vintage more than to new products. This research provides a theoretical foundation for understanding vintage consumption and offers guidance for identifying and positioning vintage products in the marketplace.