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Research Seminars

Seminar: The Marketplace and I

Welcome to a new seminar in the Bath Retail Lab Seminar Series on Wednesday 27th April at 14:30-16:00 on Zoom.

This time we have the great pleasure of hosting Dr Leighanne Higgins from Lancaster University. Some may have come across some of Leighanne’s previous research investigating contemporary pilgrimages. In this seminar, Leighanne will introduce and present preliminary findings from an on-going art-based research project, “The Marketplace and I.” This participatory piece of research has worked with disabled persons and asked them create artworks that represent their commercial experiences. There are artworks comprising of retail, hospitality and tourism experiences and showcasing experiences of mobility, autism and sensory impairment.

If you would be interested in attending, please contact Tim Hill (trh37@bath.ac.uk)

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Research Seminars

Seminar: Designing for the Circular Economy

On Wednesday 27th April we had the great pleasure of hosting Professor Martin Charter from the University for the Creative Arts for the Bath Retail Seminar Series. Professor Charter is Director for The Centre for Sustainable Design at UCA, and presented his work on “Designing for the Circular Economy” (See also Prof Charter’s book with the same title here). Discussant for this seminar was Professor Pierre McDonagh, University of Bath, who led the interesting discussion.

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Activities Research Seminars

Seminar: The Cosmopolitan Servicescape

Welcome to a new seminar in the Bath Retail Lab Seminar Series on Wednesday 17th March at 10:00-11:30 on Zoom.

In March, we have Bernardo Figueredo from RMIT joining us to talk through his and his co-authors recently published research on the ‘Cosmopolitan Servicescape’. We hope you’re able to make it as Bernardo will be explaining how servicescapes champion a cosmopolitan ideology.

If you would be interested in attending this seminar, please contact Tim Hill (trh37@bath.ac.uk)

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Activities Media

Expert Commentary featured in The Guardian

Tamsin McLaren, member of the Bath Retail lab was recently featured in The Guardian where she provided expert commentary on the high-profile collaboration between Greggs and Primark.

Read the coverage here
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Activities Research Seminars

Research Talk on the Monetisation of Memes

On 9 December 2021, Dr Varala Maraj provided an overview of the current state of meme culture, including how and why social media users share memes and how blockchain markets are monetising memes as non-fungible tokens (NFTs).

The session also outlined the new and exciting ways that brands and companies are harnessing the power of NFTs for product line extension, promotional strategies and other evolving brand loyalty enhancing tactics. 

For more information, contact Dr Varala Maraj.
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Activities

Research and Tea #1: Field Experiments

On 18 November 2021, Prof. Jens Nordfält held a session at the Bath Retail Lab on field experiments. Drawing from his own publication experiences, Jens provided an accessible, yet detailed, overview of potential applications of field experiments in retail contexts. The session encouraged the group to reflect on how field experiments could be utilised to identify key areas for improvement in contemporary retail environments, and unlock new opportunities for extending marketing theory.

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Activities

Industry partnerships presentation with Jason Edwards

On 11 November 2021, Jason Edwards, Business Partnerships and Knowledge Exchange Manager at the University of Bath, held a session at the Bath Retail Lab on industry partnerships. The presentation focused on strategies for researchers to increase their research’s relevance, impact, and funding availability through engagement with industry partners.

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Media Research insights

How retail giants could thrive on the post-pandemic high street

Even before COVID-19, the British high street was undergoing a slow and painful decline. So has COVID-19 changed everything? Or did the pandemic just rapidly accelerate changes that were already being planned?

In this recent article in The Conversation, Bath Retailing and Contemporary Consumerism Lab member Tamsin McLaren discusses trends such as small scale and “inventory-less” stores, direct-to-consumer brands, and the the need for agility among traditional department stores to successfully meet the needs of the shopper of today and in the future. Online shopping is not the only option, but to survive post-pandemic, businesses must consider which elements of “retail theatre” they wish to provide to remain relevant.

Click here to read the article
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Activities

The Allure of Direct to Consumer Ethical Brands

Abstract

This case explores how Allbirds, a direct-to-consumer (D2C) ethical footwear brand was founded, its growth from 2016 to 2020, and how it may continue to expand in the future. In 2016 the brand gained B-corporation status, meaning it meets the highest standards of verified social and environmental performance, public transparency, and legal accountability to balance profit and purpose. As a D2C brand, it sells online without employing a more traditional wholesale model. The brand, now headquartered in San Francisco, achieved sales of more than a million pairs in the first two years. Its marketing and brand management challenge is now how should it expand, both in the US domestic market and internationally. Critical factors in the brands journey are explored; the relevance of the D2C business model in today’s brand-scape, the challenges of international expansion in Europe and China, the threat of counterfeits, product line management, and its marketing communications mix. Key marketing frameworks are outlined in the exploration of central business questions, and their application prompts critical discussion and analysis that could inform future recommendations. This study includes pre- and post-pandemic data, and readers are encouraged to consider how the brand may continue to grow post-pandemic.

Full Business Case

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Activities Research Seminars

Research seminar #3 with Prof Dhruv Grewal

Please join us for the RCC Lab’s third research seminar on Thursday, 28 October at 14:00-15:15.

This time we will get the chance to hear more from one of the world’s leading marketing and retailing experts, Prof Dhruv Grewal!

Professor Grewal (Babson College and University of Bath, School of Management) will address a number of contemporary research issues in his talk The Future of Technology in Marketing: The Age of Robots and AI.

Abstract

In recent times, new technologies are changing every aspect of marketing and the interactions of firms with their customers. Two of the most radical innovations that firms need to appropriately consider and leverage are the use of Robots and AI. The focus of the current talk will be to discuss some projects that are exploring these and related domains.

Sign up by contacting c.p.n.ahlbom@bath.ac.uk.