Dr Zoe Lee
(she/her)

: Available for postgraduate supervision

Teams and roles for Zoe Lee

Reader (Associate Professor) in Marketing
Cardiff Business School

I am a Reader in Marketing at Cardiff Business School, where my research focuses on responsible branding practices, artificial intelligence (AI), inclusion and societal wellbeing. I am particularly interested in understanding how brands work, how they influence behaviours and society, and contribute to positive social and organisational transformation. My research explores the effectiveness of brand activism, disability inclusion, sustainabiltiy communications and responsible AI. I also work collaboratively with businesses, policymakers and communities to address real world challenges.

I lead a range of global research collaborations with scholars across the United States, Australia, New Zealand, Finland and Italy, advancing throught leadership in marketing and social impact. I was a key contributor to the British Academy-funded project examining the evolution of brand equity management. I also contributed to wider public conversations on responsible branding and AI-generated advertising, include media engagement with the BBC.

Recently, I led an interdisciplinary and international research collaboration that connect academic scholarship with societal impact via the British Council-funded project called SAHABAT-ID (meaning allies) focused on empowering inclusivity in Higher Education in Indonesia (2025-2026). I brought together UK and Indonesian partners to advance disability inclsuion, co-create toolkits, influence institutional policies and leadership development.

I am an Associate Editor of the Journal of Strategic Marketing and serce on several editorial boards including the Journal of Business Research, Journal of Interactive Marketing and International Journal of Consumer Studies. I have also led international special issues exploring brand activism, societal wellbeing and human-AI branding. My wider academic contribution include as a Scientific Member of the Special Interest Group on Brand, Identity, and Corporate Reputation of the Academy of Marketing (AM), the ESRC Peer Review College, the Academy of Marketing Conference Organising Comittee (2024), international doctoral examination and external examing appointments.

As Programme Director of the MSc Strategic and Digital Marketing (2022-2026), I led the programme revalidation, strengthening is strategic direction and employability. My contribution to postgraduate education was recognised through the Cardiff Business School Postgraduate Taught Recognition Award (2026).

I am also a senior management board of EMPOWER, supporting leadership development and an inclusive academic culture for women across Cardiff University. I particularly enjoy working with Welsh SMEs, translating marketing into practice insights through student consultancy projects. I am equally passionate about community engagement and supporting young enterpreneures, including serving as an invited judge for the Young Enterprise Awards.

Date
Type

2020

Lee, Z. , Glozer, A. and Snelson-Powell, Z. 2020. Organizing corporate identity change and multi-level tensions: a paradox perspective. Presented at: Studying Paradox and Grand Challenges : Paper Development Session Virtual 6 April 2020.

2019

Ghaffari, M. , Hackley, C. and Lee, Z. 2019. Control, knowledge and persuasive power in advertising creativity- An ethnographic practice theory approach. Journal of Advertising 48 (2), pp.242-249. (10.1080/00913367.2019.1598310)

2018

Lee, Z. and Davies, I. 2018. Towards a deeper understanding of changing meaning of heritage identity: The case of a nonprofit rebrand. Presented at: 29th Annual Meeting of the International Association of Business and Society 6 June - 10 June 2018.

2017

Lee, Z. and Bourne, H. 2017. Managing dual identities in nonprofit rebranding: An exploratory study. Nonprofit and Voluntary Sector Quarterly 46 (4), pp.794-816. (10.1177/0899764017703705)
Lee, Z. , Hang, H. and Beverland, M. 2017. Evolution of brand equity: knowledge co-creation between Unilever, advertising agencies and academics, 1950-2000. Presented at: Association of Business Historians Conference: The human factor in business history 29 June - 1 July 2017. , pp.-.

2016

Lee, Z. 2016. Managing authentic rebranding in UK charities: the challenge of hybrid identity. Presented at: uropean Marketing Association Conference 2016 24 May - 27 may 2016. , pp.-.

2015

Ghaffari, M. , Beverland, M. and Lee, Z. 2015. Unravelling the process of creativity in advertising: a praxiological approach. Presented at: ICORIA 3 July - 4 July 2015. , pp.-.
Lee, Z. and Bourne, H. 2015. The dynamics of hybridity in corporate rebranding: the case of British charities. Presented at: 10th Global Brand Conference, Academy of Marketing 27 April - 29 April 2015. , pp.-.
McCloskey, J. , Beverland, M. and Lee, Z. 2015. “It’s a bit of a mask, it’s not pure…it’s not what I thought”: How doppelganger brand images attack brand authenticity. Presented at: Association for Consumer Research Asia-Pacific Conference 2015 19 June - 21 June 2015. Published in: Wan, E. and Zhang, M. eds. Asia-Pacific Advances in Consumer Research. Vol. 11.Duluth, MN: Association for Consumer Research. , pp.173-174.

2014

Lee, Z. and Melewar, T. 2014. Corporate rebranding with a purpose: an exploratory study. Presented at: 47th Academy of Marketing Conference 7 July - 10 July 2014. , pp.-.

2013

Lee, Z. 2013. Rebranding in brand-oriented organisations: Exploring tensions in the nonprofit sector. Journal of Marketing Management 29 (9-10), pp.1124-1142. (10.1080/0267257X.2013.812978)

2012

Davies, I. , Lee, Z. and Ahonkhai, I. 2012. Do consumers care about ethical-luxury?. Journal of Business Ethics 106 (1), pp.37-51. (10.1007/s10551-011-1071-y)

2011

Lee, Z. and Sargeant, A. 2011. Dealing with social desirability bias: An application to charitable giving. European Journal of Marketing 45 (5), pp.703-719. (10.1108/03090561111119994)

2010

Lee, Z. and Woodliffe, L. 2010. Donor misreporting: conceptualizing social desirability bias in giving surveys. Voluntas: International Journal of Voluntary and Nonprofit Organizations 21 (4), pp.569-587. (10.1007/s11266-010-9153-5)

Research interests

Responsible branding and corporate activism: Examining how brands engage with societal issues, negotiate ethical responsibiliites and create value beyond commercial outcomes. This includes brand activism conscientious brands, nonprofit branding and sustainabiltiy communications
Inclusive marketing and societal wellbeing: Investigate disability representation, diversity and nclusive advertising, consumer wellbeing, and the ways marketing can challenge exclusion and create meaningful societal impact.
Responsible AI and human-centred marketing: Exploring responsible AI practices and the tensions between technological innovation and human values

Grants

British Council-Going Global Partnership: "Transforming Higher Education: Empowering disabled students and staff through inclusive intersectionality policies and collaborative innovation" (£25,000, lead applicant), May 2025
Academy of Marketing Research Funding: "Not Just Banter: How Brand-to-Brand Engagement is Reshaping Public Discourse on Societal Issues in a Polarised Digital Age" (£5,000, co-principal investigator)
Velindre NHS Trust: "Development of a flexible brand website and resources relating to Endometriosis" (£238,682, co-principal investigator), 2020
Hodge Foundation Public Value Programme Student Internships: “Brand-to-brand (B2B) praise on social media” (£2,000, co-principal investigator), 2022
Xiamen-Cardiff Joint Fund: " Heritage brands rejuvenation: Help or Hindrance" (£2,450, principal investigator), 2020
ESRC Festival of Social Sciences: “Brand activism in nonprofit organisations”, 2020
British Academy/Leverhulme Small Research Grant, “Uncovering the history of the customer-based brand equity model: Lessons for industry-academic knowledge co-creation" (£10,000; principal investigator), 2016
British Academy Small Grant: "Challenges in charity merger" with Dr Humphrey Bourne (University of Bristol), 2010
ESRC Seminar Series: "Innovation in public services: current trends and future prospects" with Prof Stephen Osbourne (University of Edinburgh)

Public Value and Impact

Co-editor, Special issue on 'Delivering Impact for Social Good,' in European Journal of Marketing, with Mitchell, S., Rundle-Thiele, S. and Hyde, F. (2023)
Co-editor, Special issue on 'Conscientious brands: Making sustainability and responsibility work,' in Journal of Brand Management, with Iglesias, O., Ind, N., Tjandra, N.C., Feri, A. and Guzman, F. (2024)

Conference Organisation and Track Chairs

Conference Committee of the Academy of Marketing, Cardiff, 2024
Conference Co-chair of the "Online Global Brand Meeting of the AM's Brand, Identity and Corporate Reputation SIG", 27th May 2021 with Machado, J. C.,Roper, S., Iglesias, O., Guzman, F. and Andreani, D.
Track Chair "Branding in the Metaverse", 16th Global Brand Conference, 3rd-5th May, 2023

BSc - Buyer Behaviour
MSc - Integrated Marketing Communication
MSc - Brand Management
MBA - Business Project Supervision
Exec MBA dissertation supervisor

Qualifications:

PhD (Marketing) - University of the West of England, Bristol
MSc (Marketing) - University of Birmingham
BEng (Chemical Engineering) - University of Birmingham

Honours and awards

2025 - Nominated for Most Outstanding Learning Experience; Most Impactful and Outstanding Use of Assessment as Learning and Most Outstanding Use of the Learning Environment in the ESLA Awards.
2024 - Nominated for Most Impactful and Outstanding Use of Assessment as Learning in the Enriching Student Life Awards (ESLA)
2023 - Nominated for Most Engaging Staff Member in the Enriching Student Life Awards (ESLA)
2021 - Cardiff Business School SMT recognition from the Pro-Dean Education and Students for excellent contribution to teaching
2018 - Outstanding article in Nonprofit & Voluntary Sector Quarterly (NVSQ)
2017 - Dean's Award for Citizenships

Professional memberships

Fellow at Higher Education Academy
Member of Academy of Marketing Science
Member of Academy of Marketing
Member of International Association for Business and Society
Member of CharityComms

Academic positions

Academic
- Lecturer in Marketing, University of Bath
- Teaching Associate, University of Bristol
External examiners:
- External examiner for taught UG Marketing, Leeds University (2020- 2025)
- External examiner for taught UG Marketing, the University of Warwick (2023 - present)
- External examiner for taught PT Strategic Marketing, Cranfield University (2024-present)
PhD examiners:
- PhD external examiner at the University of Adelaide (2024) & University of York (2024)
- PhD external examiner at the University of Glasgow (2023) & Edinburgh Napier University (2023)
- PhD external examiner at Cranfield University (2019)

Speaking engagements

Invited talk at the University of Pretoria, South Africa, April 2025 on inclusive luxury branding
Invited talk at KU Leuven, Belgium, Jan 2025 on communications about sustainability
Invited talk at the University of Porto, May 2025, on brand activism and inclusivity
Invited talk at the University of Exeter, May 2024 on brand sustainability

Committees and reviewing

Associate Editor
- Journal of Strategic Marketing
Editorial Board
- Journal of Business Research
- Journal of Product & Brand Management
- Journal of Philanthropy & Marketing

EMPOWER Management Team (2025-present)

Member of the Scientific Committee of the Academy of Marketing's Brand, Identity and Corporate Reputation (2020 to present)

Member of People Committee (2019-2022)

Member of Shadow Management Board (2020-2022)

Member of Regrow Borneo

I am interested in hearing from other PhD students who wish to research in the following areas:
- Corporate brand purpose and communication
- Sustainability communications in fashion
- Brand activism strategy
- Technology and brand (e.g social media, metaverse etc)
- Nonprofit branding