AM2027 Conference
AM2027
A Call For Innovation
6th-9th July, 2027
Craiglockhart Campus, Edinburgh
Conference contact email: am27conf@napier.ac.uk
Host Institution and Venue
Edinburgh Napier University is delighted to host the 2027 Academy of Marketing Conference at the beautiful Craiglockhart campus.
Edinburgh Napier University is a modern university with an established profile in applied, interdisciplinary research and strong links to industry and the public sector. The Business School achieved AACSB accreditation in 2023, reflecting sustained development in research, teaching, and internationalisation. Research at Napier is characterised by an emphasis on impact, with recognised strengths in areas such as digital marketing, innovation, and sustainability. The Business School is based at Craiglockhart Campus, a site of historical significance as a former First World War military hospital, later associated with figures such as Wilfred Owen and Siegfried Sassoon.
The 2027 Academy of Marketing conference will be set in the historic and globally renowned city of Edinburgh. From exploring iconic landmarks such as Royal Mile and Calton Hill to enjoying the city’s thriving food and arts scene, AM members are invited to immerse themselves in everything Edinburgh has to offer. Our social events will invite delegates to renowned and unforgettable venues overlooking the picturesque sights of Edinburgh Castle and Arthur’s Seat.
Conference Dates
The Doctoral Colloquium will take place on Tuesday 6th July, and the Main Conference will run from Wednesday 7th July to Friday 9th July 2027.
Conference Theme: A Call for Innovation
The Academy of Marketing conference has visited Scotland’s capital only once before, in 1980. That year’s theme, “Marketing into the ’80s”, set the scene for a decade of innovation and transformation in the field. It was a fitting choice for Edinburgh – a city long associated with enterprise and invention.
Building on that legacy, we are proud to announce our 2027 theme: “A Call for Innovation”. With a nod to Edinburgh’s history as the birthplace of pioneering figures such as Alexander Graham Bell, the theme both evokes a ‘call’ to action and looks ahead to the next era of marketing thought and practice. The conference will celebrate the Academy of Marketing’s longstanding tradition of advancing innovative methods, theories, contexts, and approaches, at a time when the pace and scope of innovation continue to expand.
Conference Team
Conference Chair
Dr Jamie Thompson
Jamie Thompson is Associate Professor in Marketing at Edinburgh Napier University. He is the Research Lead for the Marketing Group. His research focuses on innovative research methods and the impact of emerging technology on consumer behaviour. He has successfully led on a number of funded projects from funders such as The Marketing Trust and the BA Leverhulme and has published in Tourism Management, Annals of Tourism Research, Journal of Business Research, and Psychology & Marketing among others. Jamie is a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy and Programme Leader for Marketing with Digital Media. Jamie has been an active member of the Academy of Marketing since 2020 and is a serving member of the Academy of Marketing Research Committee.
Conference Co-Chair
Professor Anna Watson
Anna Watson is Professor of Marketing and Head of the Marketing Subject Group at Edinburgh Napier University. She is also an Associate Research Fellow at the Centre for Research in Economics and Management (CREM) and Visiting Professor at University of Rennes. Her research explores various facets of franchise management, entrepreneurship, sustainability and innovation. Professor Watson is a member of the Editorial Board of International Small Business Journal, and is President of the International Society of Franchising. She has collaborated with academics worldwide and published widely in leading peer-reviewed journals.
Doctoral Colloquium Co-Chairs
Dr Kat Rezai
Kat Rezai is a Lecturer in Marketing at Edinburgh Napier University. Kat’s research interests are within consumer research, social media, marketing ethics and feminist marketing. Her recent work involves co-creating social media literacy workshops for teenage girls, which aims to educate, empower and enhance their wellbeing when using social media apps. Kat has experience working with a range of Community Interest Groups and charities to help empower vulnerable consumers. Kat is a huge fan of stand-up comedy, so much so, that she involves it as part of her research, teaching & public engagement work. Kat has performed her research at Cabaret of Dangerous Ideas at Fringe festivals (Edinburgh, Belfast and Glasgow) since 2018 and has MC’d local and national events, which has led to a range of public engagement & research impact projects.
Dr Fan Lu
Fan Lu is a Lecturer in Marketing at The Business School, Edinburgh Napier University. Her research focuses on omnichannel operations and marketing, exploring how physical and digital retail channels can be integrated to create seamless customer experiences in the era of Retail 4.0. With industry experience in the retail sector, she has led a project funded by Innovation UK-funded Knowledge Transfer Partnerships (KTPs), fostering collaboration between academia and industry
Conference Committee Members
Dr Paul Naughton
Dr Hamideh Shahidi
Professor Nathalia Tjandra
Dr Ashleigh Logan-McFarlane