Nicole Cunningham is an advertising Ph.D. student at The University of Texas at Austin. Her research focus is on the theoretical and practical dimensions of marketing peculiar to sports. She seeks to understand how marketers and advertisers utilize athletes and celebrities to influence consumption and consumer behavior. Currently, her research focuses on issues related to athlete and sport culture and its application in new media platforms. Her research also focuses on media behavior, examining information processing, and the social and psychological factors associated with the use and effects of newer technology.
Prior to joining the PhD program, Nicole worked as a news producer for KENS-TV in San Antonio and KDAF (CW33) in Dallas, where she helped cover the San Antonio Spurs, Dallas Cowboys training camp, and TCU’s Rose Bowl appearance. Nicole is an avid sports fan and worked for the San Antonio Spurs briefly before joining the news industry. Nicole holds a BA in Communication and a BS in Accounting from Trinity University. She also has a MS in Journalism from Texas Christian University.