Seminars topic: Although out-of-home (OOH) advertising is widely used and highly visible, it remains understudied in academic research. This project takes advantage of a unique empirical setting in which a leading on-demand freight delivery platform in China required its drivers to apply branded vehicle wraps. This policy serves as a natural experiment to evaluate the impact of OOH advertising in a platform-based service market and to uncover the mechanisms through which these effects occur. The results show that the vehicle wrap campaign substantially boosted transaction volume, with the effect emerging quickly and reaching its peak within the first three months. Further analysis suggests that the wraps mainly act as visibility enhancers—expanding brand awareness among non-users while also increasing engagement among existing platform participants. However, the study also identifies an unintended downside: driver turnover rose, likely due to heightened competition among drivers. Overall, the findings deepen our understanding of how OOH advertising functions—particularly in two-sided markets—and offer practical insights for firms considering similar advertising strategies.

Scholars Background: Sha Yang is the Ernest Hahn Professor of Marketing at the Marshall School of Business, University of Southern California. Her research centers on understanding interdependencies and spillovers in preferences, behaviors, and decision-making. She studies the social influences of family members, neighbors, friends, and other consumers, and explores competition in contexts such as advertising, pricing, and platform growth. Her recent research interests include causal inference and media and entertainment industry topics. Professor Yang has published widely in top-tier journals, served as Associate Editor for the Journal of Marketing Science during 2017–2024, and held roles including Vice Dean and Senior Vice Dean for Faculty and Academic Affairs at the Marshall School of Business during 2020–2023. She is currently a VP for the INFORMS Society for Marketing Science.

Time and Location: 10:00, November 13, 2025 (Thursday), Room A523, School of Management

Language: EN

Moderator: Prof. Chen Xi