Expertise

Marketing communication, consumer behavior, social cognition

Technique

Experimental studies, surveys

Users

Researchers, practitioners, policy-makers

Keywords

Consumer psychology, Social psychology, Consumer behaviour, Marketing, Advertising effectiveness, Social cognition

Barbara Briers is Professor of Marketing at the University of Antwerp, and affiliated Professor at Ghent University. She holds a PhD in Marketing from the Faculty of Economics and Business Administration at the University of Leuven and was previously on the faculty at HEC Paris (2006-2009), Tilburg University (2009-2015 tenured), and Vlerick Business School (2015-2021). She teaches Market Research, Consumer Behavior, and Behavioral Economics. Barbara’ s research focuses on social marketing, persuasion and influence, food consumption, and wealth inequality. Her work has been published, among others, in the Journal of Marketing Research, the Journal of Consumer Research, the International Journal of Research in Marketing, and Psychological Science. She serves as a member of the Editorial Review Board of the Journal of Consumer Psychology and International Journal of Research in Marketing.

Technique

Experimental design Survey design

Users

Market and Consumer Researchers Marketing managers Policymakers

Keywords

Experimental study

My main research lines relate to social media marketing and brand communication in social media. I investigate individuals’ motivations to use social media and their impact on consumers’ brand-related activities across different types of social media platforms. Also, my current interests include the study of cross-cultural differences and multi-country commonalities impacting the effectiveness of social media marketing activities.

Technique

PLS-based structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) Univariate, Biviariate and Multivariate data analysis Experimental research Correlational research Qualitative research

Users

For-profit organizations Non-profit organizations Public sector

Keywords

Marketing management, Influencer marketing, Digital media, Marketing research, Marketing, Social media

I research consumer behavior and retail marketing, focusing on how marketing decisions—especially packaging—affect consumer decision-making and product sales. I analyze large secondary datasets using econometric models. My work covers pricing strategies like shrinkflation, visual packaging design and retail interventions. I have also conducted meta-analyses to synthesize findings on marketing effectiveness.

Technique

I use econometric modeling, causal inference techniques (e.g., difference-in-differences), and meta-analysis to analyze large-scale secondary datasets. My expertise includes data cleaning, preparation, and advanced statistical analysis to measure the impact of marketing decisions on consumer behavior and sales. Additionally, I work with retail and experimental data to study pricing strategies, packaging effects, and marketing interventions.

Users

Companies and organizations in retail, consumer goods, and packaging industries looking to optimize marketing strategies and understand consumer behavior. Academic researchers and policymakers interested in marketing analytics, pricing strategies, and the impact of packaging on decision-making. Market research firms and consultancy agencies seeking data-driven insights on consumer responses to marketing interventions.

Keywords

Packaging, Marketing, Marketing research, Retail

Applied psychology, social psychology, health psychology, persuasive communication, behaviour economics

Technique

Experimental studies, surveys, qualitative studies, applied longitudinal studies

Users

Fellow researchers, students, policy-makers, organisations, organisations

Keywords

Marketing, Psychology

- Research on co-creation within innovations in greenhouse horticulture in the context of the GLITCH-project (Greenhouse horticulture innovates by means of co-creative techniques towards low CO2 high-tech) funded by Interreg which subsidises research projects between Flanders and The Netherlands. - Advertising research and marketing communication research.

Technique

Qualitative research methods: workshops, in-depth interviews Quantitative research methods: surveys, experiments, beschrijvende analyses

Users

researchers, students, policy makers, companies, consumers

Keywords

Marketing, Co-creation, Advertising

Market research Consumer behavior Marketing communications Persuasive communication

Technique

Survey research Experimental design

Users

Companies, public government, consumers

Keywords

Marketing, Marketing research

Market research Consumer behavior Marketing communications Persuasive communications

Technique

Survey research Experimental research Focus group research In-depth interviews Content analysis Conjoint analysis Descriptive analyses Multi-variate research methods

Users

Fellow researchers Students Industrial organisations Non-commercial organisations Press

Keywords

Marketing, Advertisement

Marketing research, marketingcommunication consumer behavior.

Technique

- Marketing research - Statistical analysis - Decision support systems

Users

- Firms - Associations of firms - Public authorities - Consumers

Keywords

Sales promotions, Online reviews, Product placement, Marketing, Advertising, Marketing research, Consumer behaviour

Meal delivery service platforms Consumer food purchasing practices Food marketing Home cooking Digital food environments Public Health Public Health Geography

Technique

Multi-methods

Users

Local government

Keywords

Focus group, Interview, Behavioural observations, Experimental study

Multistakeholder innovation and value creation within services and sustainability contexts

Technique

- Marketing research - Statistical analysis - Decision support systems

Users

- Firms - Associations of firms - Public authorities - Consumers

Keywords

Services marketing, Marketing research, E-commerce, Consumer behaviour, Sales promotions, Innovation through customer co-creation

Keywords : consumerbehaviour- sustainability- innovation- co-creation- multi method research My work consists of 80% collaboration at the Faculty of Business Economics (FBE) and 20% at the Faculty of Design Sciences. The research in which I specialized focuses on the adoption of sustainable innovations. On the one hand, this research is about motivational drivers in various market segments. Research was conducted for various product types, products with a high involvement (electric transport), low involvement (food) and services (travel). On the other hand, I engage in investigating how co-creation with different stakeholders can contribute to more sustainable solutions. These studies are part of VLAO and INTERREG projects (the adoption of co-creation and GLITCH). I further refine and specify my research together with five l PhD students. A user perspective looks at how innovations can contribute to the circular economy. Integrating the user experience and perception of materials with a technological view on materials to achieve more sustainable design solutions from the early start of the design process onwards is one example. Achieving more connection in society through urban agriculture and ensuring a more fair access to sustainable food through urban agriculture is a study that started in collaboration with the province and is now being continued in a doctoral project. Examples of other studies are: forms of cooperation that lead to sustainable innovation among SMEs, insights into the co-creative design process for hybrid products, more adapted forms of communication to children, which are increasingly being addressed by advertising in an integrated and interactive way, development of research methods that fit with today's fast-changing world in which we communicate in a more 'mobile' way. Journals in which I published an article are amongst others: Journal of cleaner production, IBR, Sustainability, Journal of Marketing Management, International Marketing Review, Ecological Economics , Journal of Marketing Communications, Young Consumers, Food Quality and Preference, Journal of Environmental Psychology, Journal of Marketing Trends Journal of Brand Management.

Technique

The use of different methods is specific to the way I approach research. This goes beyond combining desk research with qualitative and quantitative research. In my research I combine research techniques from different disciplines, such as for example: a systemic approach, design research, (co-) creative tools, in-depth research with projective techniques, as well as large-scale research (surveys) which include model building (eg. with SEM).

Users

students other universities companies and organizations start-ups specific: companies in an innovation process companies that want to co-create with other stakeholders companies aiming for innovative marketresearch market research agencies looking for innovative research technologies

Keywords

Sustainable growth, Marketing research, Marketing, Innovation through customer co-creation, Marketing strategy

The environments in which we live our daily lives can have a profound influence over our short- and long-term health. I have over 20 years’ experience investigating the links between environments, society and health. Much of this work centers on food behaviors however I also investigate determinants of other health behaviors such as physical activity. My work targets inequalities in recognition that many determinants of health disproportionately impact vulnerable populations.

Technique

quantitative study designs and analysis; geospatial data collection and analysis

Users

Anyone with an interest in creating health-promoting environments

Keywords

Health behaviour, Food, Healthy cities, Neighborhoods