Tuesday, April 19, 2016

Thank you for making the 2016 ACRA Conference at Secaucus NJ a success! We are grateful for your contributions and support as volunteers, research authors, presenters, session presiders, panelists, research area chairs, workshop organizers, and ACRA Board members.

Thanks for sharing your photographs on our Twitter account @acraconf.
The winners of the 2016 ACRA Conference Digital awards are:
Bethan Alexander, University of the Arts, London
Michelle Childs, University of Tennessee, Knoxville
Debra Zahay-Blatz, St. Edwards University

We would also like to remind you that you can still submit your full unpublished research papers to two special issues by May 31, 2016:
      Special issue of Journal of Research in Interactive Marketing*
      Special issue of Journal of Advancement in Marketing Education*
http://www.mmaglobal.org/publications/JAME/Call-For-Papers/JAME-Special-Issue-Teaching-Innovations-Retail-Education-Due-May-31-2016.pdf
http://www.mmaglobal.org/publications/jame/jame-submission-guidelines/
Please note that submitted papers will follow the journal's standard review process to be accepted for publication.

We are looking forward to meeting you at the 2017 ACRA Conference at Twin Cities, Minnesota!


Tuesday, April 12, 2016

Connect with other attendees and a chance to win a prize !


Kicking off the ACRA 2016 Conference
Welcome to the ACRA 2016 Conference ! It’s going to be sunny starting tomorrow and we are looking forward to the balmy 60 degree weather !

To help conference attendees interact and connect with each other, we have opened the ACRA 2016 blog http://acraconference2016.blogspot.com/ so all  ACRA members and conference attendees can share* your thoughts, comments, and reflections while the conference is underway.

This is an optional activity! We have sent you an invitation - if you want to contribute please accept the invite.

Please feel free to take pictures taken during the conference and upload. If you have a question for a particular presenter, but didn’t get a chance to ask, or suggest an extension of the research  this is a good platform to connect. If you want to volunteer to lead a group of attendees into exploring NYC or go to dinner - you can start here!

We will give three prizes in the following categories:
1)      Picture or a blog post that best captures the spirit of ACRA
2)      Picture or a blog post that best captures the Past Presidents’ Panel
3)      Picture or a blog post that best captures the Fashion Entrepreneurship panel

Winners will be announced on Saturday before the end of the conference. Looking forward to meeting everyone !

* Please keep the conversations pertinent to topics that would be of interest to ACRA members

Bio of Fashion Entrepreneurship Panelists



FASHION ENTREPRENEURSHIP PANEL 




We are excited about the Fashion Entrepreneurship Panel to be held on April 14 2016 5:00pm – 6:30pm at the Glasgow Caledonian University. Please see the conference program on the details about the bus that will take you to there. 

Please click here to find more information about the panelists. We hope to see you there and looking forward to a stimulating discussion about fashion, digital marketing, and entrepreneurship. 

Saturday, April 9, 2016

4 days to ACRA 2016!


Final Conference Program  is here!

The weather isn't our friend this weekend but weather.com predicts it will warm up next week here.
We recommend you get a light waterproof jacket and be prepared to go from sunny to rainy.

We will provide further updates as we get closer.

See you next week!


Wednesday, March 30, 2016

Suggestions for your NYC adventure by Dr. Barry Berman

New York City Suggestions

General Information:

Taxis are plentiful now that Uber is popular. They are metered and can take up to 4 people.

Subways and Buses are $2.75 each way. Busses accept cash--only quarters, you can also purchase MetroCards (smartcards) at any subway booth.

New York is easy to navigate as most midtown streets and avenues are numbered. 5th Avenue demarks East and West street addresses-- i.e, 10 East 53rd Street and 20 West 53rd Street are across the street (5th Avenue) from each other. Avenue of the Americas is 6th Avenue. The only unnumbered avenues are east of Fifth Avenue (Madison, Park and Lexington). 3rd Avenue is east of Lexington. Broadway is west of 7th Avenue at 46th Street.

Here are some things to do on our evening in NYC:

BroadwayBox.com --lists discounted Broadway and Off-Broadway show tickets. You can highlight your desired seat. If you require extra leg room I strongly suggest you get aisle seats.


Restaurants Near Times Square:

·       Limani., 45 Rockefeller Plaza, Greek, great atmosphere (there is a pool in the middle of the restaurant). Located at East 53rd Street west of Fifth Avenue. $39.50 price fixed dinner-- must be ordered before 6:30.Otherwise very costly.

·       Moluvos, 871 7th Avenue (between West 55th and 56th Streets). Greek. Also excellent food.

Restaurants Near Herald Square

(Herald Square is the central business district of NYC--containing Macy's newly renovated flagship store). Also near is the Empire State Building --that has an excellent observation deck-- about $25 per person). This is about a 1 mile walk from Times Square. Most of these are Michelin rated.

·       Cafe China, 13 East 37th Street (between 5th and Madison Avenues). Very reasonably priced Michelin rated authentic Chinese restaurant. Crowded.

·       Keens, 72 West 36th Street  (between 6th and 5th Avenues). A great steakhouse. Contains a notable collection of smoking pipes. Order the mutton chop or a porterhouse steak. You should ask for the tavern menu for smaller portions. Ask for a quiet table. Great combination of food and ambiance.

·       Francia, 12 Park Avenue between East 34 and East 35th Streets. Vegetarian Korean food. Very reasonably priced. A Japanese teahouse atmosphere.

·       Hangawi, 12 East 32nd Street. Korean food served by waitresses in traditional Korean garments. Great combination of food and ambiance. Michelin rated.

·       Gaonnuri, 1250 Broadway. 39th Floor. Korean barbecue with a knock-out view of New York City. Great combination of food and ambiance. Michelin rated

·       El Parador Cafe, 325 East 34th Street (between 1st and 2nd Avenues). Excellent Mexican food, Michelin rated. Very reasonable.

·       2nd Avenue Deli, 162 East 33rd Street (between Lexington and Third Avenues). Probably NYC's best deli. A lot of food. Try the half a sandwich and cup of soup combo. Also try a knish. Michelin rated.

I strongly suggest making reservations if you are considering Limani. Molyvos, Keens, Hangawi or Gaonnuri.

You can make reservations and see current menus and pricing on www.opentable.com.




Barry Berman

Wednesday, March 16, 2016

Transportation to conference hotel, Embassy Suites- Secaucus.

Conference Hotel: Embassy Suites Hotel Secaucus-Meadowlands, 455 Plaza Drive, Secaucus NJ 07094

Closest airport - EWR - Newark Liberty Airport
Taxi to Embassy suites costs USD 65

Other airports: Taxi to Embassy suites costs USD 145+ depending on traffic.
La Guardia  Airport (LGA) mostly domestic flights
JFK International Airport (JFK)

Driving:  remember parking is free for guests staying at the hotel.
Hotel shuttle: complimentary for hotel guests, 2 mile radius. Call +1-201-864-7300 with reservation/suite number


Public transport options:

320 Bus stops at/very close to Embassy Suites - Secaucus. Schedule : https://www.njtransit.com/pdf/bus/T0320.pdf 

Greater Meadowlands Transit Guide: http://www.njtransit.com/pdf/MeadowlandsGuide.pdf

Train: Closest station - Secaucus Junction  2-3 miles from hotel (hotel shuttle for guests).
7 minutes $2 from Newark Penn station on NJ Transit, 10 minutes from newark Airport for $5 one-way
Uber available but not welcome at most airports in the area.

New York City Transit subway riders can transfer to Hoboken-bound PATH trains at 33rd Street and then board the Meadowlands Service at NJ Transit's Hoboken Terminal. Or, simply connect with NJ Transit trains at Penn Station NY.


We hope this helps!

Have you discovered an alternate mode? 

Want to found out others with similar arrival times at EWR so you can share a taxi?

Please use the comments to share your information with others.

Saturday, March 12, 2016

Only 5 days left to book your ACRA Conference Hotel accommodations by March 17!!

Please note that the ACRA conference hotel rate of $189/night + taxes will be available till Thursday March 17, 2016 ET if you use this customized URL http://tinyurl.com/acra2016-hotel

After March 17 the rates will increase and availability of accommodations at the conference hotel is not guaranteed.

Why stay at the conference hotel: Embassy Suites?
1.)  Free breakfast and evening reception. This is NJ/NY! You will need tickets to enter the breakfast and reception area. If you do not stay at the hotel, you will have to purchase tickets. The conference fee will cover the venue costs, coffee breaks, bus transportation and Fashion Entrepreneurship Panel at NYC, venue/conference room and equipment costs, two sit-down and boxed lunches.

2.)  Free shuttle to Secaucus train station and 2 mile radius to the outlet malls.

3.)  Free wifi throughout the hotel
Please note that all guests at Embassy Suites should check their tickets for made-to-order breakfast and reception (snacks and one alcoholic drink) for each day at the time of checkin. Please make sure you indicate how many guests will stay with you (spouse, children, co-authors, students, etc. up to 4/6 people in some suites) when you make the reservation. If you don’t, you will get tickets for only one person.
If you have already registered and did not report all guests that will stay with your room OR you are having trouble with your reservation please contact Ange Rosario at Ange.Rosario@hilton.com, Direct: 201-809-4147 with the correct number of guests for your reservation.