SCP Boutique Conference 2024 in Leeds: ‘Consumer Psychology of Brands’

Date: Wednesday 5 June 2024
Location: University of Leeds
Interval: Every day
Until: Friday 7 June 2024
Cost: *See registration and fees information
Download: Outlook, iCal

Leeds University Business School is pleased to host the Society for Consumer Psychology (SCP) Boutique Conference 2024, centred around the theme 'Consumer Psychology of Brands in Leeds'.

Leeds is a vibrant city in Northern England surrounded by the beautiful Yorkshire countryside. More information about the conference and its venue can be found below.

Considering attending EMAC 2024 or the AMA-Sheth Foundation Doctoral Consortium 2024? Our conference is strategically scheduled between both events, offering convenient and direct connections to both. (Refer to the 'How to get to Leeds?' section below).

Reach the conference team: leeds2024@myscp.org

Important dates and deadlines

For the Call for Papers, please visit the SCP website.

Submission Deadline: January 26, 2024
Notification Date: February 26, 2024
Registration opening for accepted authors: February 26, 2024
Registration opening for all other attendees: March 26, 2024 – To register your attendance, please click on the 'Registration and Fees' box, below.

*A preliminary conference programme will be published, soon.

Conference theme and objective

Simply put – this conference aims to address the question: “Where are brands now?” by featuring contemporary research on the psychology of brands.

The evolution of branding is tightly intertwined with technological advancements such as data analytics, the metaverse, artificial intelligence, NFTs and others. Moreover, societal, economic, and political changes are fundamentally reshaping interactions between brands and consumers (Schmitt, 2012; Campbell & Price, 2021). Brands are supposed to be culturally sensitive; take stances on socio-political issues and be ecologically friendly and sustainable. These technological and socio-cultural forces shape marketing and brand communications and have implications for brand theory and measurement.

As a result, the conference aims to explore research questions along five themes:

Technology of Brands
Sustainable Brands
Brands and Socio-political Causes
Brand Marketing and Communications
Brand Theory and Measurement

The conference will address these themes from a consumer psychology perspective. How do consumers perceive contemporary brands? How can the use of technology build brand loyalty? How do associations with socio-political causes affect brand perceptions?

By addressing and debating these contemporary questions, this conference and its participants will make an important contribution to current and future brand research.

Conference chairs

Joško Brakus, University of Leeds, UK
Sonia Monga, Georgia State University, USA
Sharon Ng, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore
Bernd Schmitt, Columbia University, USA

The SCP Boutique conference’s organisation will be supported by our Conference Committee: Dr Shankha Basu, Dr Maximilian Gerrath, Hayley Smith, and Laura Davis.

Registration and fees

The conference fees for faculty and PhD students:
Faculty Registration Fee: £315
Doctoral Student Registration Fee: £200

Registration opened for all attendees on: 26th March 2024.

Register your attendance here via the University’s online store.

An SCP membership is not required for registration.

Please note that registration is based on a first-come, first-served basis.

If you encounter any difficulties registering for the conference, please email us at: leeds2024@myscp.org.

How to get to Leeds?

Leeds is an extremely accessible location, no matter where you are coming from, below details a variety of options for travel:

By air:

Leeds Bradford Airport

Leeds Bradford Airport (LBA) serves as the international gateway to Leeds, providing direct flights to numerous European, Asian, and African destinations. Convenient connections through hubs like Amsterdam or Dublin are available. Notably, Dublin Airport offers a US Preclearance facility, facilitating a smooth entry process for US-bound passengers.
For delegates attending EMAC 2024, direct flights from Bucharest (Romania) to Leeds are also available. Explore all airlines and destinations.
The airport is approximately 18 minutes from Leeds City Centre by Taxi/Uber or 35 minutes by bus.

Manchester Airport

Manchester Airport (MAN), the region's largest airport, offers direct flights to various international destinations, including Europe, North America, Asia, and Africa. Major hub airlines like Air Canada, British Airways, Emirates, Etihad, Lufthansa, Qatar Airways, Swiss, Turkish Airlines, and Virgin Atlantic provide extensive connectivity. Direct flights to Asia and North America include destinations such as Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Hong Kong, Singapore, Atlanta, New York, Houston, Orlando, and Toronto. Check airlines and destinations.
Leeds City Centre is approximately 1 hour away from Manchester Airport by Taxi/Uber or 1.5 hours by train or bus.

London Airports

If arriving in London, convenient onward travel to Leeds is possible by car or train. Refer to the corresponding sections below.

By train:

Trains from London (and Europe)

Around 50 direct high-speed rail connections daily link London and Leeds, with a journey time of approximately 2 hours. Refer to the train operator's website (LNER).
LNER trains depart from London Kings Cross Station, just a 2-minute walk from St. Pancras International Station, offering direct Eurostar trains to Paris, Brussels, and Amsterdam.

Trains from Manchester Airport / and to Manchester

Approximately 35 direct rail connections daily connect Manchester Airport with Leeds, with a journey time of around 1.5 hours. Visit the train operator's website (TransPennine Express).
For delegates attending the AMA-Sheth Foundation Doctoral Consortium 2024 in Manchester (UK), direct trains from Leeds to Manchester are also available (e.g., a short 50-minutes journey to Manchester Victoria Station).

Trains from other UK Destinations

Leeds railway station, the third busiest outside London, provides direct connections to numerous UK destinations. Check the National Rail website for your specific connections.

By car:

Leeds is easily accessible by car, connected to major motorways in the UK (M1, A1(M), M62). Driving times include approximately 50 minutes from Manchester City Centre, 1.5 hours from Liverpool, and around 4 hours from both London and Edinburgh.
Additionally, there are charming Yorkshire towns and national parks a short trip away from Leeds. Explore the "Things to do and see in Leeds & Yorkshire" section on this website for more information.
If planning to drive to Leeds, on-campus parking permits are available upon request.

Accommodation

The conference is set against the backdrop of the picturesque and over 100-year-old University of Leeds campus. The vibrant Leeds city centre is conveniently located within a 20-minute walk or a short taxi/Uber ride away.

Leeds City Centre offers a variety of accommodation options spanning all price ranges and categories. Among them are well-known establishments such as Hilton, Marriott, Park Plaza, Radisson Blu, Novotel, and Crowne Plaza.

Preferential conference rates are available

Doctoral students can request on-campus accommodation (https://conferencesandevents.leeds.ac.uk/storm-jameson-court/). The cost for an adult single ensuite bed and breakfast is £57 and includes 24-hour concierge, towels and toiletries.

To make a request, please email us: leeds2024@myscp.org.

Things to do and see in Leeds and Yorkshire

Welcome to Leeds, the unofficial capital of Yorkshire, England – a city bursting with life and cultural energy at the heart of the action. The Leeds City Region, with over 3 million residents, stands as the second most populated metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, surpassed only by Greater London. Conference delegates will have the opportunity to immerse themselves in local life, explore heritage, sports, and culture, and forge valuable connections and partnerships.

Easily accessible by road, rail, and air, Leeds boasts a skyline adorned with breathtaking architecture. The city thrives in key industries such as healthcare innovation, advanced manufacturing, digital technology, and financial professional services. Surrounded by magnificent countryside, including three national parks just a short ride from the city, Leeds offers a vibrant cultural scene encompassing excellent restaurants, cafes, bars, sporting venues, and the performing arts.

Nestled amidst the stunning North English countryside, featuring destinations like the Yorkshire Dales, Lake District, Peak District, and historic towns such as Harrogate and York, Leeds provides a compact, walkable, and accessible city centre. Delegates can unwind, network with colleagues, partake in stimulating cultural activities, and savour a plethora of independent food and drink options.

Watch the videos below to explore what you can do in Leeds:

A fan of football or rugby? Go watch a match of Leeds United or Leeds Rhinos – our local teams.

Watch the videos below to learn more about Leeds’ beautiful surroundings, Yorkshire and day trip ideas:

The Leeds University Business School Marketing Department

Headed by Professor Bulent Menguc, Leeds University Business School’s Marketing Department is one of the best marketing research groups in the UK, regularly publishing in the field’s top journals (including Journal of Consumer Research, Journal of Consumer Psychology, Journal of Marketing, Journal of Marketing Research). It is one of the largest marketing departments in Europe with over 30 faculty members and involves an active research community of academics at different levels of seniority, PhD students, and international visiting fellows—many of whom are active members of the Society for Consumer Psychology (SCP) and frequent contributors at SCP conferences.

The LUBS Marketing Department possesses a lot of experience in organising and hosting major scholarly events in Leeds as well as abroad. The Department hosted the 2018 AMA Sheth Foundation Doctoral Consortium in Leeds. We also organised the AMA Global Marketing SIG Conferences in the years 2018-2022 in Argentina, Greece, and Italy. Moreover, the Marketing Department also hosts an annual research camp which regularly invites high-profile academics from across the world.

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