News

The International Conference on Advertising Research 2026 (ICAR2026) successfully concluded on 30 April, hosted by the School of Communication at Hong Kong Baptist University (HKBU). The 3-day conference served as a prestigious platform for rigorous intellectual exchange, bringing together over 60 delegates, including distinguished keynote speakers, established scholars, emerging researchers, and industry leaders, representing 10 nations and regions.

The ICAR2026 commenced with an address from Professor Martin Wong, Provost of HKBU, who reflected on the evolving nature of brand-consumer relationships. “Consumers didn’t just buy — they have emotional interaction with the brand and the brand become their friend,” Professor Wong remarked. " Advertising transforms ordinary products into lasting emotional touchstones." 

The conference was anchored by two distinguished keynote sessions that address the structural and ethical shifts in the industry.

• Professor Fuyuan Shen (Donald P. Bellisario Professor and Head of the Department of Advertising and Public Relations at Pennsylvania State University) delivered a compelling address titled “From Effects to Strategy: Ad Research in the Age of Disruptions”, providing a roadmap for navigating shifts of academic advertising research.
• Professor Michael Prieler (Deputy Head and Research Director of the Department of Media and Communication at Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University) presented “Who Gets Seen in the Age of AI? Representation and Bias in Advertising”, offering a critical examination of algorithmic fairness and the necessity of diversity.

Bridging the gap between academia and the practitioners, Shirley Chan, Managing Director of JCDecaux Transport (Hong Kong and Macau), presented the industry keynote titled “Beyond the Frame – The New Era of OOH Advertising in Hong Kong.” Her session provided participants with invaluable first-hand insights into the Out-of-Home media sector in the Hong Kong market.

A highlight of the conference was the ‘Meet the Editors’ sessions, featuring Professor Hiram Ting (President of Responsible Borneo and Professor at Asia Pacific University of Technology and Innovation) and Professor Jörg Matthes (Professor of Communication Science at the University of Vienna). These sessions allowed scholars to engage directly with the gatekeepers of academic publishing.

The conference showcased an extraordinary breadth of themes across 12 presentation sessions, ranging from virtual influencers and advertising representation to the role of Generative AI in creative strategy. Researchers hailed from across the globe, including the Mainland Chinese, Hong Kong, Macau, as well as Australia, Austria, Canada, Japan, Malaysia, Singapore, and the US.

In recognition of outstanding scholarship, the following awards were presented to honour innovative contributions to the field.

• Best Paper: “Who Is Expected? The Impact of Virtual Influencers’ Personas on Consumer Responses” – Authored by Fei Qiao (Guangdong University of Foreign Studies), Huan Chen (University of Florida), and Fuyuan Shen (The Pennsylvania State University).
• Best Student Paper: “Customer Experience Matters: How Customer Tenure, Age, and Gender Condition a Sustainability Nudge in Digital Advertising” – Authored by Markus Kapferer, Ralf Terlutter, and Sandra Diehl (Alpen-Adria-Universität Klagenfurt).

The School of Communication extends its sincere gratitude to all participants for contributing to the resounding success of ICAR2026. It has reaffirmed the School’s commitment to fostering the intellectual dialogues that will advance the future of advertising research on a global scale.