Public defence: Mari Haugerud Sjøgren

Mari Haugerud Sjøgren will defend her PhD degree in Marketing Management. The thesis explores how weather—from everyday conditions and extreme events, to perceptions of warmth and cold—shapes how consumers think, feel, and make decisions.

15 Oct

Practical information

  • Date: 15 October 2026
  • Time: 10.00 - 15.00
  • Location: Hønefoss, Auditorium E-123
  • Download calendar file
  • Organizer: USN School of Business

    • Link to digital participation (will be published later)


    Program 

    Kl 10.00. Trial lecture: (Topic will be published later)

    Kl 12.00. Public defence: «Understanding Weather in Consumer Research – A Multi-Level Framework»

    Assessment committee

    • First opponent: Professor Magne Supphellen, NHH Norwegian School of Economics
    • Second opponent: Førsteamanuensis Mats Urde, Lund University, Sweden
    • Administrator: Professor Nina Katrine Prebensen, University of South-Eastern Norway

    Supervisors

    • Principal supervisor: Professor Leif Egil Hem, NHH Norwegian School of Economics
    • Co-supervisor: Associate Professor Sinem Acar-Burkay, University of South-Eastern Norway

    Chair of defence 

Any questions?

Mari Haugerud Sjøgren is defending her thesis for the degree philosophiae doctor (PhD) at the University of South-Eastern Norway.

The doctoral work has been carried out at the USN School of Business in the program Marketing Management.

  • Read the thesis here (link will be published later)

You are invited to follow the trial lecture and the public defence.

Summary

Weather affects consumers in far more ways than simply influencing what we choose to buy. The research shows that weather can shape how we feel, where and how we shop, how we evaluate products and services, and even how willing we are to behave in more environmentally friendly ways.

The thesis examines how weather influences consumer behavior from several perspectives.

A review of 236 previous studies identifies clear patterns in how factors such as temperature, sunshine, and precipitation affect mood, activity, shopping behavior, and consumption.

  • The findings show that weather is not just a random background factor, but something organizations should take into account when planning marketing, sales, and communication.
  • The thesis also shows that extreme weather can influence Portrettbilde/selfie av Mari Haugerud Sjøgrenpeople’s willingness to act in more environmentally friendly ways. What matters is not only being exposed to extreme weather, but how harmful the situation is perceived to be.

    The effect was particularly clear among people with lower levels of environmental commitment.
     
  • This suggests that communication about climate and sustainability may be more effective when it is linked to concrete and current weather events and combined with clear actions people can take.
  • In addition, the research shows that associations with warmth and coldness can influence how we perceive products and services. Cold visual cues can strengthen perceptions of luxury and exclusivity, while warm cues are more likely to create feelings of closeness, belonging, and social connection.

Overall, the thesis shows that weather does not only affect our surroundings, but also how consumers think, feel, and make decisions. These insights can be used to better understand consumers and to develop more relevant marketing, communication, and customer experiences.