Title: Professor Emeritus
Company: Northwestern University
Location: Highland Park, Illinois, United States
Martin P. Block, PhD, Professor Emeritus at Northwestern University, has been recognized by Marquis Who’s Who Top Educators for dedication, achievements and leadership in Marketing and Communications Education.
Dr. Block has established a distinguished career in marketing, communications and analytics, marked by decades of academic leadership, research innovation and industry engagement. Since 2022, he has held the title of professor emeritus in integrated marketing communications at the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University, where he continues to contribute to the advancement of analytical technologies and the training of future leaders in the field.
Having taught on campus from 1985 to 2022, Dr. Block’s tenure included his ability to shape the curriculum and mentor numerous alums who have gone on to achieve success across the U.S. and internationally. His commitment to applying analytics to marketing problems and enhancing retailer technologies stands among his most notable professional achievements.
In addition to his academic appointments, Dr. Block remains active as the founder of Block Research Inc., a position he has held since 1985, where he has successfully leveraged decades of experience.
Before joining Northwestern University, Dr. Block was a faculty member at Michigan State University, where he rose from instructor to full professor between 1975 and 1986. He held several key positions during his tenure, including chairperson of the department of advertising. Moreover, Dr. Block directed significant projects, such as the Michigan Agricultural Product Study for the Michigan department of agriculture, and served as the principal investigator for both the Area Vocational Education Campaign Strategies and Techniques Project for the Michigan department of education.
Among other roles, Dr. Block contributed as a co-principal investigator with C. Atkin on research into alcohol advertising for federal agencies between 1978 and 1979, was a faculty associate for the Rockford Cable Project funded by the National Science Foundation from 1973 to 1978 and, in 1977, succeeded as a consultant for a workshop in television program evaluation with National Iranian Radio and Television.
Dr. Block began his professional journey as a senior market analyst at The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company from 1969 to 1973, where he developed foundational expertise in market analysis that would inform his later academic pursuits.
Dr. Block’s educational background is rooted entirely at Michigan State University, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts in advertising in 1968, a Master of Arts in advertising in 1969, and a Doctor of Philosophy in mass media in 1975. Besides his education, he has maintained memberships with leading professional organizations, including the American Academy of Advertising and the American Marketing Association, which underscores his commitment to ongoing professional development and industry engagement. Civically, Dr. Block is an active member of his local Presbyterian church.
Throughout his career, Dr. Block has been an active participant in interdisciplinary research groups, notably engaging with a neuroscience group focused on computational cognition. His work within this medically oriented group has included projects and paper submissions addressing topics such as depression, utilizing data analytics. Dr. Block has also gained recognition for his appearance on NOVA’s “We Know Where You Live” on PBS, further enhancing his visibility in both academic and public spheres.
As a leading scholar in his field, Dr. Block has authored and co-authored numerous articles in journals such as the Journal of Advertising and IEEE Transactions on Cable Television. More recently, he published “Rethinking Retail: A Marketer’s Guide to Decoding Consumer Preference through Data Analytics,” via Palgrave Macmillan in 2025.
Dr. Block’s excellence has been recognized with several awards, including the Teacher-Scholar Award from Michigan State University, a Best Paper Award from the Journal of Advertising Research and a Best Faculty distinction at Northwestern University. He credits creativity, curiosity, persistence and a fascination with analytical methods and computing as central attributes that have driven his success throughout his career.
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