Introduction
Alexander LaBrecque took what he calls a nontraditional route to academia. Michigan-born and raised, he had never really planned on leaving the state. During his undergraduate studies at Michigan State University, he focused on finance and envisioned a career as a financial advisor. The numbers aspect of the field appealed to him, but he also found joy in teaching as a tutor throughout his undergraduate experience. Now, Alex LaBrecque is an Assistant Professor, Marketing at Paul College, UNH. He teaches Digital Marketing and Marketing Analytics courses, and have joined the cohort of the Center for Business Analytics Faculty Associates for the new academic year.
LaBrecque’s numbers-oriented attitude ultimately led him to consider a business analytics master's program as his academic advisor suggested. He says it was an exciting time for the young program, with new industry partners and a learning curve for all involved.
Starting in Business Analytics and path to academia
There was a significant gap in the market for data-driven decision making, something Alex noticed during his internships. He saw how real-time data could be used to create dashboards for clients, how machine learning models are developing, and was sure that was where he was headed - towards consulting opportunities.
It was during the capstone project for his master's degree that his career plans took a sharp turn. After presenting to their client, the faculty advisor who saw potential in Alex, invited him to consider a unique opportunity in the Ph.D. program that opened at that time. Alex knew it would be a chance for him to leverage his consulting experiences and teaching skills as well as educate and conduct research.
“I was always attracted towards teaching because it was something I was used to from tutoring to being a research assistant,” Alex says. So, when the opportunity arose, he took the open door to the next natural path, which was a career as an academic researcher. It was different from what he envisioned growing up since he had never planned on becoming a professor, but he fell in love with the opportunity to research what interests him with a meaningful impact.
His newfound career in academia was complemented by his background in business analytics. The field could often become opaque, so Alex used his research approach to contextualize the data, creating a better understanding of managerial insight, consumer behavior, psychology, management principles, and social psychology. The fusion of these two disciplines proved to be a benefit, providing a rigorous approach to creating impactful research.
Inspiration outside of academics and sports analytics interest
As an academic professional with a background in analytics, Alex notes that the key to finding inspiration lies in exposing oneself to a wide array of experiences. This includes being open to exploring new fields and topics, even if they may not initially pique one's interest. He shares that his own journey into analytics started by exploring passion for sports and hockey. By taking advantage of opportunities to use his analytical skills with the Michigan State University men's hockey team, he was able to hone skills and passion into a career path.
Alex LaBrecque believes that analytics is a vital component of nearly every industry. From small businesses to sports and insurance, analytics holds the key to unlocking greater insights that can inform better decision-making across the board. He also notes that there is a wealth of data available online, meaning that opportunities for analysis are plentiful.
Alex notes that engaging in activities such as sports or reading served as a stress relief and allowed them to hone skills in various subject matters. As an example - his attendance at the MIT Sloan Sports conference opened doors to academic writing in sports analytics which propelled his desire to explore further the analytics path. He delved into understanding how certain events create goals in sports and sales online, establishing connections between seemingly diverse fields.
As a consultant, he worked on optimizing concession stands by leveraging data to determine the most profitable concessions areas in a stadium. He illustrates that analytics is ubiquitous and applicable in numerous aspects of life beyond the confines of the traditional classroom learning environment. Alex adds that education in analytics holds immense value, as it is an invaluable tool with unlimited potential for application in all business sectors.
The gap between businesses and business analytics
During our conversation, Alex LaBrecque highlighted the issue of small businesses failing to fully utilize social media data and turning it into actionable insights. He emphasized that while business owners may initially jump on the social media bandwagon, they often do not take the time to analyze customer browsing data and conduct additional research. This data can be used to segment customers and develop new product offerings, as well as optimize social media placements.
He says: “Every business has more than one segment of customers that they're selling to. And they could be optimizing their social placements by paying attention to that. Yet, there is still a translation gap between those who understand the analytics and those who can turn it into actionable insights.”
Alex also stressed the value of an education in this field, as it gives students the skills to not just analyze data, but also to translate it into actionable measures. He noted that anyone can learn analytical tools, but it takes a combination of analytical skills and business acumen to turn the data into something meaningful for a business. Alex’s experience working with small businesses and sports teams highlights the importance of understanding how to use data to drive decision-making and create actionable insights.
That is why at the Paul College and the Center for Business Analytics it's important for us to give students real life projects where they can to apply this and see how it actually works.
Current research and projects
Alex LaBrecque has dedicated his dissertation to exploring the impact of native advertising on user experience and advertiser ROI.
Partnering with one of the biggest native advertising platforms in the United States, the researcher sought to answer a key question: Are native ads as effective as they are purported to be? While traditional banner ads have long been a staple of website monetization, the rise of social media has seen native ads integrated directly into user feeds.
As he delved into the impact of native ads, he noted a common problem: misleading ads that lead users to click and then promptly exit once they realize they have been tricked. In order to understand whether native ads truly benefit both publishers and advertisers, Alex analyzed a large dataset of over 250,000 observations and 60 million impressions
The results were striking. He confirmed that native ads do indeed generate more initial clicks than traditional banner ads. However, the effectiveness of these ads was short-lived, as users who were misled by the ad quickly exited once they arrived at the landing page. This suggests that while native ads may be more engaging in the short-term, there remains a need to ensure that users aren't being misled or deceived by these ads.
Despite the challenges of navigating the complex world of digital advertising, Alex remains committed to answering key questions about the field. Through his work, he hopes to provide valuable insights into how advertisers and publishers can create more effective and engaging campaigns that truly benefit all parties involved.
Alex’s dissertation explores the impact of native advertising on publishers and advertisers. While publishers benefit from the pay-per-click model, advertisers do not see the same benefits as users often quickly leave the landing page after clicking. Additionally, the research focused on the types of images used in native advertising and how they influence click-through rates.
Originally, Alex attempted to train a machine learning model to extract features from images. However, the process was time-consuming and not very effective. He also considered hiring a research assistant, but this would push back the project timeline and cost money. Eventually, he spoke to Nagaraj Bukkapatnam, Director at the Center for Business Analytics, who suggested using a tool to extract data from a dataset of over 65,000 images. This not only saved time but also helped to keep the research current and relevant.
As an academic, Alex understands the importance of pushing the boundaries of research and finding novel findings. He notes that in academia, it is not about replicating existing research but rather promoting new ideas and advancing the field. Alex’s use of innovative techniques and collaboration with others demonstrates his commitment to producing high-quality research.
Interesting fact is that dissertation research has lead Alex and Nagaraj to present a paper together to American Marketing Association (2022 AMA Summer Academic Conference), that has since evolved into a playbook for universities and college departments. It encourages the establishment of centers for business analytics, citing the numerous benefits that can be reaped from it.
According to presentation, the establishment of such centers benefits not only businesses but also students and universities. For businesses, they can seek answers to questions that their teams may not have the bandwidth to address. For students, they are exposed to new analytical technologies and techniques, as well as the business world practice. For universities, it creates a new source of revenue while enhancing research opportunities for faculty.
Alex stressed the importance of having a centralized base for analytical tools and umbrella for all related activities. This allows departments and parties with different specialties and interests to benefit from the available resources. This conversation around analytics programs is becoming increasingly relevant across major universities, with many institutions already creating or planning to create their own programs.
Interests and expectations from working with industry partners
Alex LaBrecque says he has always been passionate about solving real-world problems, particularly those that have a significant impact on management. His research and projects in class focus on finding practical solutions that are applicable to the industry, but one of the most significant challenges is finding industry partners to collaborate with.
Partnering with these companies is an opportunity for Alex to enhance his research and classroom experience by leveraging technologies. This collaboration is immensely beneficial for him, as well as his students. He admits that he appreciates it when his students find their niche and get excited about their newfound knowledge and skills.
Alex’s interest in analytics was sparked as if it was a lightbulb moment. He had found his niche and have been passionate about analytics ever since. He wants to be able to pass this passion on to students, and to see them find their own niche in this field.
Advice to students
For students looking to pursue a career in analytics, Alex LaBrecque recommends being proactive and deliberate in matching one's passions with their current skillset. This means actively seeking out opportunities to get involved with projects or industries they are passionate about and demonstrating the value of their analytical skills. Ultimately, the key to success in analytics lies in having a curious and open mindset, coupled with a willingness to take risks and pursue opportunities as they arise.
