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
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.
Detailed Conference Schedule
SCP BOUTIQUE CONFERENCE, UNIVERSITY OF LEEDS, 2024
CONSUMER PSYCHOLOGY OF BRANDS
Venue: University of Leeds Campus
Wednesday, 5 June 2024
12:00: Registration desk opens
13:15 – 13:30: Welcome from the Co-Chairs: Josko Brakus, Sonia Monga, Sharon Ng, and Bernd Schmitt
13:30 – 14:30: Session 1
Brand Loyalty and Product Repair: The Role of Product Commitment
Jingshi (Joyce) Liu, Aylin Cakanlar, Gergana Nenkov
Exploring the Tensions of Influencer Authenticity: How Can Brands Work with Influencers to Create Authentic Branded Content?
Barbara Duffek, Andreas B. Eisingerich, Omar Merlo, Guan Lee
The Effect of Animal Types in Brand Logos on Consumers’ Brand Luxury
Yining Yu, Miaolei Jia, Zizhou Peng, Isabel Ding
14:30 – 14:45: Break
14:45 –16:00: Session 2
Customer Perceptions of Brand Competitiveness: Construct and Measurement
Rico Piehler, Gaki Wangmo, Chris Baumann
The Size Inclusivity Dilemma: The Use of Size-Inclusive Models Helps Brand Impressions but Hurts Shopping Ease
Jennifer D’Angelo, Gretchen Ross
Impressive Insults: How do Consumers Respond to Self-Deprecating Advertisements?
Vaishnavi Kale, Eda Sayin
Disturbing yet Striking: Exploring the Dual Effects of Grotesque Advertising in Avant-Garde Branding
Shubin Yu, Soojin Roh
16:00 – 16:15: Break
16:15 – 17:30: Session 3
Is Red Bull Better or Different? The Role of Competitive Context on Brand Perception
Kyung Hwa Kim, Nader Tavassoli
How Humor Affects Copycat Preference: The Role of Self-deprecating Humor
Seongun Jeon, Femke van Horen, Michail D. Kokkoris
Why Do Consumers Resist Lab-Grown Meat? A Life-Creation Perception Theory
Qihui Chen, Yajin Wang
How do Luxury Fashion Brands Integrate Sustainability in Their Social Media Communication? An Exploration of Tweet Data Analysis
Anqi Yu, Verolien Cauberghe, Shubin Yu
18:00 – 20:00: Keynote address by Bernd Schmitt and networking dinner
Thursday, 6 June 2024
08:30 – 09:00: Coffee & pastries; Speech by Professor Julia Bennell, Executive Dean of Leeds University Business School
09:00 – 10:15: Session 4
Price Premiums as Signals of Status versus Quality: Understanding Interpersonal Evaluations of Premium Brand Users
Jingshi (Joyce) Liu, Anirban Mukhopadhyay
Impact of Temporal and Regulatory Framing of Climate Messages on Sustainable Consumer Behaviour
Arpita Pandey, Arpit Shah, Shailendra Pratap Jain
Delegation and Separation: AI-mediated Consumption and its Impact on Consumer-brand Relationship
Erica J. H. Lee, Aric Rindfleisch, Maria A. Rodas
“It is Still Someone Else’s!” The Effect of Implicit Theories on the Consumption of Pre-Owned Goods
Sohyun Bae, Natalie Truong Faust, Sharon Ng
10:15 - 10:30: Break
10:30 – 11:45: Session 5
Identities Without Products: When the Preference for Self-linked Products Weakens
Liad Weiss, Rob Tanner
Brand Friendship
Byung Cheol Lee, Donald R. Lehmann, Lan Nguyen Chaplin
Product Customization for “Human-Affirmation”: Consumer Exposures to Autonomous Agents Increase Preference for Customization
Hye-Young Kim, Ann L. McGill
Understanding Consumer Responses to Purpose-Driven Brands
Neha Nair, Sanjay Sood
11:45 – 12:00: Break
12:00 – 13:00: Lunch buffet
13:00 – 14:00: Roundtable discussion moderated by Sonia Monga & Sharon Ng
Panelists: Rajeev Batra, Margaret (Meg) C. Campbell, Anirban Mukhopadhyay, Bernd
Schmitt, Sanjay Sood, Yajin Wang
14:00 – 15:15: Session 6
The Science Of Creating Brand Associations: A Continuous Trinity Model Linking Brand Associations To Learning Processes
Christilene du Plessis, Serena D’Hooge, Steven Sweldens
Dehumanization is Toxic to Consumer-Brand Relationships
Craig L. Anderson
It’s All About Perspective: The Self-Efficacious Effect of Perspective-Changing Brands
Maria A. Rodas, Minkyung Koo, Carlos J. Torelli
Effortlessly Green: When And Why Effort Impacts Environmentally Friendly Consumption
Dafna Goor, Yonat Zwebner
15:15 – 15:30: Break
15:30 – 16:45: Session 7
From Brand Indifference To Brand Enthusiasm: The Brand Propensity Scale
Margaret C. Campbell, Kevin Lane Keller, Nicholas Light
Global Brands in Local Crises
Kononov Natalia, Itai Linzen
A Nickname to Stay Away From: A Brand Power Perspective
Zhe Zhang, Ning Ye, Matthew Thomson
Sustainability in the Consumer Spotlight: How does Firms’ Social ESG Rating Influence Online Brand Equity
Lingling Zhang, Yajin Wang, Hongyu Shan, Ziqing He
19:00 – late: Drinks reception and gala dinner (at the Royal Armouries Museum)
Friday, 7 June 2024
09:45 – 10:30: Coffee & pastries
10:30 – 11:30: Session 8
The Effect of Perceived Social Mobility on Brand Extension
Xiaobing Song, Yi Lu, Xiuping Li
Sustainable Branding: Challenging Gender Stereotypes in Pro-Environmental Perceptions
Bianca Weber, Magdalena Bekk, Matthias Spörrle
The Power of Less: Minimalist Logo Designs for Favorable Brand Evaluations
Arnav Pati, Debasis Pradhan, Tapas Ranjan Moharana
11:30 – 11:45: Break
11:45 – 12:45: Session 9
The Impact of Social Presence on Brand Attachment
Rongyu Kuang, Dennis T. Esch, Tamira King
The Role Of Retail Territorial Defence Effect On Luxury Brand Purchase Decision
Ye Zhao, Sarah Hong Xiao
“I Would Love to See AI-usage in Manufacturing, But Others Won’t”: Self-Other Bias in Brand Evaluation
Arani Roy, Nirajana Mishra
12:45: Closing remarks by the Co-Chairs
13:00: Lunch
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.
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:
- Escape the Everyday: Leeds (Welcome to Yorkshire)
- #ExploreLeeds - 2 Hours in Leeds (Conference Leeds)
- #ExploreLeeds - Top 7 Places To See Before You Leave
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.