AI-driven branding for sustainable development: Shaping responsible consumer behaviour through digital Innovation and ethical practices

We are offering a self-funded PhD position in marketing with the Brunel Business School. The project focuses on AI-driven branding for sustainable development.

Applications are accepted on a rolling basis.

If you have any questions about the project or would like to arrange an informal discussion, please reach out to Dr Pantea Foroudi at pantea.foroudi@brunel.ac.uk.

The project

With the rapid advancement of artificial intelligence, brands now have powerful tools to personalise and optimise consumer engagement, creating opportunities to foster responsible, sustainable consumer behaviour.

This project aims to explore the role of AI-driven branding in promoting sustainable practices and aligning brand strategies with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

It will examine how AI can be leveraged to support responsible consumption, transparency, and ethical decision-making within branding and marketing.

The research will cover several critical areas:

1. Personalised AI-driven marketing for sustainability: Investigate how brands can use AI to tailor messages that encourage sustainable choices, such as eco-friendly product alternatives or brands with ethical supply chains. The student will analyse data on consumer interactions with AI-enhanced content to determine what drives sustainable purchasing decisions.
2. Transparency and trust through AI-enhanced supply chains: Examine how AI technologies like blockchain and IoT can help brands increase supply chain transparency, allowing consumers to trace product origins and understand their environmental impact. This area focuses on building consumer trust through a visible, data-driven commitment to sustainability.
3. Ethical AI and consumer privacy: As brands increasingly rely on AI for consumer insights, ethical considerations around data privacy and transparency are important. This topic will explore best practices for ethically collecting and using consumer data to foster trust and loyalty without compromising privacy.
4. Cultural sensitivity in AI-driven branding: Consider how AI can help brands navigate cultural diversity and sensitivity in global markets by personalising messages that resonate with regional values related to sustainability. This subtopic will examine ways to avoid cultural bias and promote inclusivity in branding through AI.
5. Brand activism and social responsibility: Evaluate how AI can support brand activism by aligning with the UN Sustainable Development Goals that target social issues such as equality, education, and health. The student will investigate brands that effectively use AI to support social causes and encourage consumers to engage in socially responsible behaviour.
6. AI and the circular economy: Explore how AI technologies can support brands transitioning to circular economy models by creating marketing strategies that encourage recycling, reuse, and waste reduction. The project will examine how AI-powered branding can promote and normalise circular consumption patterns.
7. Consumer education and AI-driven content creation: Assess the role of AI in producing educational content that raises awareness of sustainable practices among consumers. This topic will consider how AI can personalise educational materials to promote responsible behaviour, potentially in collaboration with non-profits or environmental organisations.

As a postgraduate researcher, you will:

• Undertake both qualitative and quantitative research methods, including data analysis of consumer behaviour with AI-driven content, interviews with industry professionals, and case studies of brands that exemplify sustainable AI strategies
• Collaborate with external stakeholders, including branding agencies, AI companies, and sustainability-focused NGOs
• Collaborate with leading experts in the field
• Publish your findings in top-tier journals

Eligibility

Ideal candidates should have a background in branding, marketing, or business studies, with additional knowledge in AI applications, digital marketing strategies, or sustainability.

Familiarity with consumer behaviour analysis, data ethics, and supply chain management is beneficial.

How to apply

If you are interested in applying for the above PhD topic please follow the steps below:

1. Contact the supervisor by email or phone to discuss your interest and find out if you would be suitable. Supervisor details can be found on this topic page. The supervisor will guide you in developing the topic-specific research proposal, which will form part of your application.
2. Click on the 'Apply here' button on this page and you will be taken to the relevant PhD course page, where you can apply using an online application.
3. Complete the online application indicating your selected supervisor and include the research proposal for the topic you have selected.

Good luck!

This is a self funded topic

Brunel offers a number of funding options to research students that help cover the cost of their tuition fees, contribute to living expenses or both. See more information here: https://www.brunel.ac.uk/research/Research-degrees/Research-degree-funding. The UK Government is also offering Doctoral Student Loans for eligible students, and there is some funding available through the Research Councils. Many of our international students benefit from funding provided by their governments or employers. Brunel alumni enjoy tuition fee discounts of 15%.

Meet the Supervisor(s)

Pantea Foroudi - Pantea Foroudi (PhD, SFHEA, MSc (Honours), MA, BA (Honours)) is the business manager and solution architect at Foroudi Consultancy and is a member of the Marketing and Branding Department, Brunel Business School, London. Pantea has been working in the field of design, branding, and marketing since 1996, and she has experience as a creative innovator and practical problem-solver in visual identity, graphic design, and branding in different sectors. Her primary research interest has focused on consumer behaviour from a multidisciplinary approach based on two research streams: (i) Artificial Intelligence (AI), (ii) corporate brand design/visual and identity, and (iii) sustainable development goals (SDGs). Pantea has been published widely in international academic journals, such as the British Journal of Management, Journal of Business Research, European Journal of Marketing, International Journal of Hospitality Management, and others. She is the associate/senior editor of the International Journal of Hospitality Management, Journal of Business Research, International Journal of Hospitality Management, International Journal of Management Reviews, International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management, and European Journal of International Management (EJIM), among others.

Related Research Group(s)

Marketing and Corporate Brand Management - Our research-active faculty are engaged in cutting-edge applied scholarship across a broad spectrum of marketing areas.

Marketing and Corporate Brand Management - copy - Our research-active faculty are engaged in cutting-edge applied scholarship across a broad spectrum of marketing areas.