College Park, Md. April 17, 2006 For anyone who uses just half the buttons on their cell phone, or has spent hours poring over a new users manual only to give up in frustration, recent research from the University of Marylands Robert H. Smith School of Business explains why too many product features result in a phenomenon called feature fatigue.

Roland Rust, Holder of the David Bruce Smith Chair of Marketing, was interviewed by National Public Radio′s Weekend Edition (March 11) about his research -- co-authored by Rebecca Hamilton, assistant professor, and Debora Viana Thompson, doctoral student -- on feature fatigue. Rust gives examples of products suffering from feature fatigue and explains to listeners what they can do to avoid getting caught in the feature fatigue trap. Listen Now!

On March 8, 2006, WUSA-TV, Channel 9 in Washington, D.C., showcased research by Roland Rust, Holder of the David Bruce Smith Chair of Marketing; Rebecca Hamilton, assistant professor; and Debora Viana Thompson, doctoral student; on feature fatigue, or the phenomena of too many product features turning consumers off. Television news anchor Bruce Leshan interviewed Rust at his office in Van Munching Hall where Rust showed examples of products suffering from feature overload as well as those that offer a better experience for users because of their simplicity.

College Park - February 14, 2005 - The University of Maryland's Robert H. Smith School of Business marketing department continues to be distinguished for its role in setting leading marketing theory and practices with the announcement of two awards from the American Marketing Association. Roland T. Rust, holder of the David Bruce Smith Chair in Marketing, and Stephen L. Vargo, visiting professor of marketing, were both honored with awards at the American Marketing Association 2005 Winter Marketing Educators Conference, on February 1114, in San Antonio, Tex.

Roland T. Rust, chair of the marketing department at the Robert H. Smith School of Business, was recently named editor of the prestigious Journal of Marketing. This journal has been ranked number one in two of the last three surveys of major marketing journals. It is the oldest and most frequently cited journal in the marketing field and enjoys unique impact and visibility with the international marketing community. The journals broad audience ranges from academic members to the business community in the marketing field.

The Twelfth Annual Frontiers in Services Conference attracted 163 marketing professionals and academics from 24 countries to the Washington, D.C., area October 23-26, 2003. The conference was held at the Robert H. Smith School of Business at the University of Maryland, and the Hyatt Regency in Bethesda.

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