Michael Hanley
Michael Hanley
Associate Professor Emeritus

Educational Background:

MA - Journalism and Photojournalism, Ball State University, 1978

BA - Visual Design, Purdue University, 1975

Professional Experiences: 

He has 42 years professional experience as a corporate advertising and marketing executive, freelance branding consultant, and magazine and newspaper photojournalist. His background includes positions at international financial services and accounting corporations, US-based energy corporations, national and statewide magazines, and educational establishments. His fields of professional specialization are advertising, branding, marketing, photojournalism and the teaching of advertising, branding and media.

A faculty member in the Department of Journalism at Ball State University from 2002-2018, Associate Professor Hanley was the advertising sequence coordinator for 12 years. He was faculty advisor to the national and regional award-winning Ball State University American Advertising Federation student chapter for 13 years.

Research/Creative/Publication Interests:

Associate Professor Hanley's research focused on mobile advertising and marketing and the development of mobile devices for consumers. He was recognized internationally as a leading researcher in college student use of mobile devices. A qualitative researcher, Associate Professor Hanley specialized in longevity research of the usage of mobile devices.

Research/Creative/Publication Career Highlights:

Associate Professor Hanley has written and co-authored 13 peer-reviewed articles in publications including, International Journal of Integrated Marketing Communications, The Journal of the International Digital Media and Arts Association, Journal of Interactive Advertising, International Journal of Mobile Marketing, and Journal of Advertising Education. He presented 21 research papers at numerous national and international conferences on a range of mobile and design topics.

He is co-author of three books: the digital textbook Mobile Marketing Essentials (2016), Latest Thinking in Mobile Marketing: How to Leverage the Mobile Channel for Marketing (2009), and Building Permission-Based Relationships: New Methods for Gaining Opt-In (2009), and seven book chapters. He served as Editor-in-Chief of the International Journal of Mobile Marketing from 2006-2014.

He created two mobile media organizations: The Institute for Mobile Media Research at Ball State University, and Mobile Indiana, a statewide organization of mobile industry executives, developers, academics, marketers, researchers and influencers with the joint goal of enhancing and developing the mobile industry in Indiana, (2011).

Associate Professor Hanley has received numerous awards for his media research and work in the mobile industry, including: 2009 Academic Institution of the Year, awarded to Ball State University by the Mobile Marketing Association; 2008 TechPoint MIRA Award, Nominee, Ball State University: Interactive Television News & Advertising Design Project; and the 2007 Mobile Marketing Association's Award for Overall Excellence.

He has been a member of and held offices in the following professional organizations: The American Academy of Advertising, Mobile Marketing Association, the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication, Direct Marketing Association, and International Academy of Business Disciplines.

Thesis/Creative Project Experience and Philosophy. 

Associate Professor Hanley has been a dissertation /thesis/research papers/ creative project committee chair, adviser or member for 61 graduate and undergraduate students since 2004. His philosophy for student's interested in advertising media and mobile research was simple: Don't let minor setbacks derail your goals. Fail fast.