Hamby accepted for publication in the Journal of Marketing

Hamby and her coauthors paper, "The brand backstory and the strategic performance of transparency," explores backstories, or experiences like factory tours and visitor centers that companies use to share their history and operations with consumers.

The research is based on over a decade of qualitative data from sites including the Girl Scouts USA headquarters, Herr's snack factory, and Le Roy Rene (a French sweets manufacturer), and investigates how these carefully staged performances make visitors feel like insiders while the brand maintains strict control over what is actually revealed.

The researchers found that successful tours function much like a theater production. Brands must balance the tension between appearing transparent and keeping trade secrets. The study identifies three main tools companies use to strike this balance: setting the physical stage, managing the employees (who act as characters), and tailoring the script. The findings suggest that for a "backstage" experience to feel authentic, it must be skillfully delivered, stimulating and safe, providing visitors with just the right amount of information to feel special without overwhelming them or exposing sensitive data.

Ultimately, this study redefines transparency not as a fixed trait that a company possesses, but as a narrative experience that is actively performed and curated to build consumer trust.

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