Consumer Behaviour and Insights

This theme examines how consumers perceive, interpret, and respond to various marketplace stimuli, including visual elements (including brand elements and advertising cues), verbal cues (written and spoken communication), packaging, and brand messaging. Our research explores how these factors influence consumer attitudes, emotions, and behaviours, shaping brand perceptions, decision-making, and engagement.

How We Can Assist

We provide insights into how marketing stimuli influence consumer decision-making. Our research can help:

• Businesses optimise advertising, branding, and messaging strategies for stronger consumer engagement.
• Organisations assess how written and visual communication affects consumer perceptions.
• Marketers enhance persuasion strategies using language and design.

Recent High-Impact Publications

• Lee, C., Wyllie, J., & Brennan, S. (2025). Eye-opening! Exploring uncertainty marketing through hedonic blind box collectibles.Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services.
• Kulczynski, A., & Hook, M. (2024). Typography Talks: Influencing Vintage Anemoia and Product Safety Perceptions with Vintage Typography. Journal of Marketing.
• Kulczynski, A., Brennan, S., & Ilicic, J. (2021). A spokesperson with any name won’t be as charming: The phonetic effect of spokesperson name and gender on personality evaluations. Journal of Brand Management.
• Kennedy, A., Baxter, S.M., & Kulczynski, A. (2021). Promoting authenticity through celebrity brands. European Journal of Marketing.

This theme explores how digital platforms, social networks, and emerging technologies shape consumer interactions with brands, businesses, and each other. Our research investigates the evolving role of digital engagement, social media dynamics, online complaints, and the influence of online communities on consumer behaviour.

How We Can Assist

• We can help organisations leverage digital engagement and social influence strategies to:
  Improve social media and influencer marketing strategies.
• Understand consumer sentiment, online complaints, and engagement in digital spaces.Analysehow emerging technologies (e.g., AI, metaverse) impact consumer behaviour.

Recent High-Impact Publications

• Rahman, S.M., Chowdhury, N.H., Bowden, J.L.-H., & Carlson, J. (2025). Metaverse platform attributes and customer experience measurement. Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services.
• Taylor, A., & Carlson, J. (2025). Comparing Who We Are to Who We Could Be: How Future Self-Images Influence Consumer Choices. Psychology and Marketing.
• Zhang, P., Hasan, N., Chiong, R., & Chao, C.W. (2024). A systematic literature review on vlog marketing: thematic analysis and future research directions. Asia Pacific Journal of Marketing and Logistics.
• Aldhamiri, A., Carlson, J., Vilches-Montero, S., Rahman, S.M., & Gudergan, S.P. (2024). What drives higher active customer engagement in luxury brands’ social media?
• Taylor, A., Hook, M., Carlyle, T., & Carlson, J. (2024). Creating a metaverse‐me: Exploring the consumer avatar creation process.
• Pandit, A., McLeay, F., Zaveri, M.M., & Al Mursalin, J. (2024). Continued engagement intention with social media influencers: the role of experience. Internet Research.
• Barari, M., Ferm, L.-E.C., Quach, S., Thaichon, P., & Ngo, L. (2024). The dark side of artificial intelligence in marketing: meta-analytics review. Marketing Intelligence & Planning.
• Barari, M. (2024). Unveiling the dark side of influencer marketing: How social media influencers (human vs virtual) diminish followers’ well-being.
• Armstrong, C., Kulczynski, A., & Hook, M. (2024). Feeding Comfort: The Role of Humor in Online Food Complaints. Journal of Consumer Behaviour.
• Armstrong, C., Kulczynski, A., & Brennan, S. (2022). For all to see: Social risk and observable complaining on Facebook.
• Armstrong, C., Kulczynski, A., & Brennan, S. (2021). Cue the complaint: The visual cues of Facebook business pages and their influence on consumer complaint behaviour. Journal of Marketing Management.
• Hook, M., & Kulczynski, A. (2021). Take the pressure down: Investigating the influence of peer pressure on participation desire in child-oriented brand communities. Journal of Strategic Marketing.

This theme investigates how consumers navigate and engage with brands across multiple channels, from in-store and online environments to omnichannel retail experiences. Our research explores factors that influence customer journeys, decision-making, and purchase behaviour in dynamic market contexts.

How We Can Assist

We offer expertise in consumer experience design to help:

• Businesses create seamless omnichannel experiences.
• Retailers optimise pricing, branding, and promotional strategies.
• Marketers understand consumer touchpoints and journey mapping.

Recent High-Impact Publications

• Rahman, S.M., Carlson, J., Gudergan, S.P., Wetzels, M., & Grewal, D. (2025). How do omnichannel customer experiences affect customer engagement? Theory and empirical validation. Journal of Business Research.
• Muthaffar, A., Vilches-Montero, S., & Bravo-Olavarria, R. (2024). From digital touchpoints to digital journeys: How shopping mindsets influence appraisal of omnichannel journeys. International Journal of Information Management.
• Thaichon, P., Quach, S., Barari, M., & Nguyen, M. (2024). Exploring the role of omnichannel retailing technologies: Future research directions. Australasian Marketing Journal.
• Quach, S., Barari, M., Thaichon, P., & Moudrý, D.V. (2023). Price promotion in omnichannel retailing: How much is too much? Asia Pacific Journal of Marketing and Logistics.
• Zhang, P., Chao, C., Chiong, R., Hasan, N., Aljaroodi, H., & Tian, F. (2023). Effects of in-store live stream on consumers’ offline purchase intention.Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services.