Teaching
A behavioral marketing educator committed to helping students think critically about the systems shaping modern markets — from consumer psychology and digital strategy to analytics, AI ethics, and marketing technology.
Teaching Philosophy
Dr. Pugh approaches the classroom as a space where theory and practice are in constant, productive conversation. Marketing is not a static set of concepts to be memorized; it is a dynamic discipline shaped by consumer behavior, cultural context, technology, and strategic judgment.
His teaching philosophy is anchored in three beliefs: students learn best when material is connected to real-world application, diverse perspectives sharpen strategic thinking, and academic rigor should develop the capacity to analyze markets, consumers, and the systems — including algorithmic ones — that mediate their interaction.
Across courses, consumer psychology and behavioral science provide a foundational lens, while applied projects, ethical reflection, and contemporary marketing technologies help students translate concepts into professional judgment.
Applied Learning
Every concept is connected to how it functions in real business environments and consumer markets.
Behavioral Foundations
Marketing begins with understanding the consumer — their needs, motivations, perceptions, and decisions.
Critical Technology Lens
Students examine martech and AI systems not only as tools, but as sites of trust, fairness, and ethical responsibility.
Inclusive Excellence
Dr. Pugh is committed to learning environments where all students — regardless of background — can develop professionally and academically.
Inclusive Teaching & Global Perspectives
Dr. Pugh's approach to inclusive teaching is grounded in the belief that students should not have to share the same cultural background, educational preparation, communication style, or learning preferences in order to have a meaningful opportunity to succeed.
His training in international psychology informs the way he teaches marketing and consumer behavior. Students are encouraged to question whether findings derived primarily from Western, Educated, Industrialized, Rich, and Democratic populations can be assumed to apply universally, and to examine how culture, history, institutions, socioeconomic conditions, and social context shape consumer decision-making.
Inclusive teaching also means designing participation and course structures intentionally. Structured discussion, individual reflection, collaborative work, transparent expectations, and clearly defined team roles help ensure that participation is not limited to the students who are most comfortable speaking first or speaking most often.
Contemporary marketing also requires ethical judgment. Dr. Pugh integrates questions of consumer vulnerability, algorithmic bias, representation, privacy, and culturally responsible marketing so students learn to ask not only whether a strategy is effective, but also whom it affects and how.
Global & Non-WEIRD Perspectives
Behavioral research and marketing cases are examined across cultural contexts rather than treated as universally Western.
Structured Participation
Reflection, discussion, and defined group roles create multiple pathways for students to contribute meaningfully.
Transparent Expectations
Clear criteria, rubrics, and course structures reduce unnecessary ambiguity while preserving academic rigor.
Ethical Marketing
Students examine bias, privacy, consumer vulnerability, fairness, and responsible use of algorithmic systems.
Supporting Student Success
Student success means more than completing a course. It means leaving with greater knowledge, confidence, judgment, and the ability to apply what was learned in the next academic or professional setting.
Clarity
Learning objectives, organized modules, detailed instructions, and transparent rubrics make the path to strong performance visible.
Scaffolding
Larger projects are broken into manageable stages when appropriate so students can receive feedback and improve before final submission.
Applied Learning
Cases, research, presentations, analytics, and strategic recommendations help students move from knowing concepts to using them.
Actionable Feedback
Feedback is treated as instruction — helping students understand what worked, what needs improvement, and what to do differently next time.
Professional Relevance
Course concepts are connected to contemporary organizations, consumer behavior, entrepreneurship, and real business decisions.
Confidence & Readiness
Students are supported in developing the academic and professional confidence needed to communicate, analyze, and make evidence-based recommendations.
Courses Taught
Consumer Behavior
Undergraduate / GraduateThe psychological, social, and cultural foundations of consumer decision-making — including perception, motivation, trust, and the behavioral dynamics of market participation.
Behavioral Marketing
GraduateApplying behavioral science to marketing strategy — choice architecture, nudging, cognitive bias, and the design of behaviorally informed marketing interventions.
Digital Marketing Strategy
Undergraduate / GraduateStrategy and execution across digital channels — SEO, social, content, and programmatic media — with attention to the algorithmic systems that govern digital reach.
Marketing Analytics
GraduateData-driven marketing measurement and decision-making — customer analytics, attribution, experimentation, and the interpretation of marketing performance metrics.
Marketing Technology (Martech)
GraduateThe marketing technology stack — CRM, personalization engines, ad platforms, and automation — examined as both strategic infrastructure and a site of consumer trust and fairness.
AI Ethics in Marketing
GraduateEthical and societal implications of AI and algorithmic marketing — fairness, transparency, bias, consumer welfare, and the responsible design of martech systems.
Sales Strategy
UndergraduateStrategic and applied dimensions of professional selling — relationship development, needs analysis, pipeline management, and ethical persuasion in modern sales organizations.
Entrepreneurship & Market Entry
Undergraduate / GraduateHow founders identify markets, position offerings, and leverage marketing technology for growth — with attention to the experiences of minority and first-generation entrepreneurs.
Principles of Marketing
UndergraduateA foundational exploration of marketing concepts, the marketing mix, consumer markets, and the strategic role of marketing in organizations.
Strategic Marketing Management
GraduateAdvanced strategic thinking in marketing — competitive positioning, brand management, market analysis, and the development of marketing strategy under uncertainty.
Pedagogical Approach
Dr. Pugh draws on case-based learning, applied analytics projects, and behavioral science frameworks to bring marketing education to life in the age of algorithms.
Case-Based Learning
Grounding strategy in real decisions made by actual organizations and platforms.
Behavioral Science Integration
Using consumer psychology and behavioral research to enrich strategic analysis.
Analytics & Martech Fluency
Hands-on work with marketing analytics and the technologies shaping modern practice.
Ethical & Critical Reflection
Encouraging students to interrogate the fairness, trust, and welfare implications of marketing systems.
Featured Course Design
Three courses illustrate complementary dimensions of Dr. Pugh's teaching: applied communication and campaign development, evidence-based research and analysis, and senior-level strategic integration.
Marketing Communications
An applied integrated brand promotion course connecting consumer behavior, audience insight, positioning, creative strategy, media planning, digital and social promotion, public relations, and campaign evaluation.
Students build an evidence-based Integrated Brand Promotion Campaign through progressive collaborative assignments, with explicit attention to inclusive communication, ethical practice, teamwork, and information-based decision making.
Portfolio syllabus available on request
Marketing Research
An end-to-end marketing research course emphasizing problem definition, research design, qualitative and quantitative data, sampling, measurement, analysis, and decision-oriented reporting.
Students use SPSS and Qualtrics, apply behavioral decision theory, heuristics, biases, and choice architecture, and complete an applied research project designed to support evidence-based managerial decisions.
Portfolio syllabus available on request
Strategic Marketing Management
A senior capstone course focused on integrating marketing knowledge into strategic analysis, professional judgment, and decision making at the point of graduation.
The course emphasizes synthesis, applied strategy, professional communication, and readiness to use accumulated marketing knowledge in complex organizational and market contexts.
Portfolio syllabus available on request
Sample Course Materials
Curated portfolio versions of selected syllabi, formal teaching statements, case materials, and evidence of student outcomes are available upon request for academic colleagues and search committees.
Request MaterialsSelected Portfolio Syllabi — MKT 320, MKT 430 & MKT 490
Teaching Philosophy
Diversity & Inclusive Teaching Statement
Student Success Statement
Sample Assignments & Case Studies
Evidence of Student Outcomes
Course Evaluations (Available on Request)