Remembering Herb Rotfeld: Harbert emeritus professor, advertising scholar

Herbert J. Rotfeld, a retired Auburn University faculty member and distinguished emeritus professor of marketing, died Nov. 20, 2025, in Auburn, Alabama. He was 74.

Rotfeld, whose career spanned more than four decades, was known for his insightful research on advertising and consumer behavior, and his steadfast commitment to higher education. He joined Auburn University in 1988 as an associate professor of marketing in the Harbert College of Business, where he taught for 30 years.

In 2019, Rotfeld was appointed as an Administrative Fellow to the Graduate School where he served until his retirement in 2021.

A fierce advocate for students

Glenn Loughridge, director of Auburn’s Campus Dining and Concessions, remembers Rotfeld as a brilliant man who wanted the best for the entire Auburn campus. For about two years, Loughridge said, Rotfeld shared his marketing expertise as a consultant for campus dining, transportation and other service areas.

“He helped us with our messaging when we changed our dining plans, did presentations or communicated with students and parents,” said Loughridge, who visited dining facilities monthly with Rotfeld. “He had great insight into how to communicate better. He was a very positive influence on my career and was someone I admired for his candor.”

According to Loughridge, Rotfeld was also a fierce advocate for students.

“He was great at [identifying] students who really wanted to learn the subject matter in his classes and connecting them with opportunities to grow their knowledge base,” said Loughridge.

In fact, Rotfeld directed some of those students to work as interns in campus dining, helping Loughridge and his team enhance marketing efforts associated with projects like the Food U program that brought locally grown produce into the dining halls.

As chair of the Department of Marketing, Bradley Professor Dora Bock appreciates how Rotfeld prioritized experiential learning.

“By partnering with Campus Dining, students conducted real marketing research and, in turn, could see their findings implemented on campus, tangibly improving the student experience,” Bock said.

---

"Herb certainly wanted students to do more than simply pass exams; he really wanted them to be challenged and grow."

Dora Bock, Department of Marketing chair

---

A supportive colleague

David Hanning, a senior lecturer of marketing in Harbert College, remembers initially meeting Rotfeld nearly a dozen years ago during his first semester teaching. At the time, Hanning was wrapping up a 30-plus-year career in the durable goods industry, and he was developing and teaching a new course on product development.

“It didn’t take long for Professor Rotfeld to engage with me that first semester when I mistakenly broke protocol and gave my final exam on the last day of class,” Hanning recalled. “A stickler for rules, he quickly introduced himself and administered correct actions.”

Despite the rocky start, Hanning said he appreciated the constructive feedback Rotfeld gave him about the course.

“I genuinely appreciated his interest in my transition from business to teaching,” Hanning said. “Professor Rotfeld always pressed me to develop my own materials from multiple sources during the development of my three primary courses.”

After nearly a decade of teaching and thanks to Rotfeld’s advice on course development, Hanning was inspired write a textbook for his new product development course. 

Hanning's book, “Marketing and New Product Development–Concept-to-Commercialization,” was published in 2022.

“Naturally, Professor Rotfeld was there to congratulate me when I received recognition for the book by our graduate school.”

As for Rotfeld’s teaching philosophy, Hanning said he encouraged students to step outside their comfort zones and understand the broader world around them. 

“Yes, he was unconventional and at times provocative in the classroom, but like his unconventional book, ‘Misplaced Marketing,’ that was just Herb,” said Hanning.

A dedicated scholar and leader

Throughout his faculty career, Rotfeld authored numerous scholarly articles and books that advanced understanding of advertising’s impact on society. His work explored topics such as advertising regulation, deceptive practices, and the ethical responsibilities of marketers.

He coined the phrase ‘misplaced marketing’ and turned it into a well-received, scholarly book—"Adventures in Misplaced Marketing.“ The book is a collection of analysis and case examples from his research, dealing with the realities of marketing and its limitations, including a chapter on the real reason for bad advertising.

Committed to advancing marketing scholarship, Rotfeld served in several editorial leadership roles, including editor of the Journal of Consumer Affairs and a section editor for the Journal of Consumer Marketing.

He was also deeply involved with the American Academy of Advertising (AAA), serving in several advisory and leadership capacities, including as president of the professional organization where he mentored fellow scholars and practitioners.

Richly deserved recognition

In 2016, the AAA selected him as a faculty fellow—the organization’s highest honor—for his lifelong dedication to advancing advertising scholarship.

Earlier in his career, Rotfeld received AAA’s 2006 Kim Rotzoll Award for Advertising Ethics and Social Responsibility and the 2000 Ivan Preston Outstanding Contribution to Advertising Research award.

At Auburn University, Rotfeld was named a University Alumni Professor from 2012-2017 and awarded the 2011 Glenn Howze Academic Freedom Award from the Auburn University chapter of the American Association of University Professors (AAUP). He served two terms as president of the Auburn chapter and was widely regarded as a principled voice in academic discourse.

Rotfeld earned bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. He will be remembered for his intellect, candor, wit, and unwavering commitment to academic freedom.

###