FAMAC2026: Finnish Academy of Marketing 5th international annual conference, Helsinki-Stockholm-Helsinki Tallink Silja Line cruise ship Helsinki-Stockholm, Finland, May 27-29, 2026

FAMAC 2026: 5^th Annual Finnish Academy of Marketing Conference, 27.5.-29.5.2026

Conscious Connections: Marketing with Empathy, Intelligence, and Purpose

Recently, scholars have called for marketing to go beyond selling to develop accountable, interactive, and meaningful relationships between the brand, the market, and the customers. With marketing intelligence insights provided by AI and algorithmic tools, marketers now have access to unprecedented precision and accuracy of data. However, without ethical and empathetic boundaries in place, the use of AI and algorithms threatens to erode societal trust in marketing actions, leading to perceptions of greenwashing and false advertising. At the same time, the global emphasis on achieving sustainable development goals is prompting marketing scholars to reassess actor-value networks, products, messages, and the marketing ecosystem. FAMAC 2026 encourages scholars to reflect on how we can leverage data and AI to support consumer needs, while also respecting their need for privacy and empathy. How can marketers embed the concept of sustainability while also developing institutional and governance structures to provide long-term legitimacy and accountability? How are the role and purpose of marketing evolving in an era that underlies overconsumption and hyper-personalization, coupled with calls for reduced or deconsumption?

Following these lines of inquiry, FAMAC 2026 calls for submissions that discuss the connections between empathetic design, AI or algorithm-driven insights, and sustainability as intersecting forces shaping the frontiers of marketing. As global marketing bodies and scholars continue to emphasize marketing's impact on society while addressing global challenges and the need for ethical actions, FAMAC invites scholars to view organizational offerings (brands, products, services) as both social and economic actors. We call for contributions to highlight how marketing can purposefully provide innate and overt services for people and the planet in an era of political and technological disruptions. We also welcome submissions that do not directly discuss sustainability and AI. In 2026, FAMAC aims to provide a platform for scholars to explore how marketing can evolve from persuasion to partnership—where brands and organizations form deep connections with stakeholders, act ethically, and drive positive change.

Submission Guidelines

All papers must be original and not simultaneously submitted to another journal or conference. The following paper categories are welcome:

The following paper categories are welcome:

• Abstracts (2 pages).
• Full papers (up to 20 pages)

Note that papers and abstracts might also be accepted for poster presentation only. Authors are requested to follow the APA style of referencing. All submissions will undergo a timely and rigorous review process.

The Finnish Academy of Marketing provides a conference proceedings publication (USB-stick) to all accepted papers. The authors retain their copyright. Oral presentations are allocated 20 minutes, out of which 15 minutes are for the presentation and 5 minutes for comments and general discussion. All accepted papers will be considered for "Best paper" awards in a specific conference track based on the anonymous peer reviews.

List of Topics

The academy welcomes submissions from all sub-fields of marketing, including,

• Advertising
• Branding and strategy
• Consumer culture theory
• Consumer behavior
• Digital marketing
• Ethical marketing
• B2B/Industrial marketing
• International marketing
• Non-profit marketing
• Philosophical and theoretical aspects of marketing
• Sales & pricing
• Services marketing
• Sustainable and Purpose-driven marketing
• Technology-based marketing with digital tools and data analytics
• Sensory marketing
• Marketing education
• Tourism, destination, and cross-cultural marketing
• Macro marketing and public policy
• Emerging trends and innovation
• And all other schools of thought within marketing.

The Finnish Academy of Marketing appreciates all aspects of diversity within the marketing discipline, i.e., research can be interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary, and can leverage historical, qualitative, and/or quantitative methods. Different types of theories and conceptual analyses, as well as varied industrial contexts, are appreciated.

Committees

Program Committee

• Jari Salo, Professor of Marketing, University of Helsinki, Finland (jari.salo@helsinki.fi)
• Jaakko Aspara, Grönroos Professor in Marketing, Hanken School of Economics, Finland
• Sanna-Katriina Asikainen, Associate Professor of Marketing, Aalto University, School of Business
• Tommi Laukkanen, Professor of Marketing and Consumer Behavior, Vice Dean, University of Eastern Finland, Faculty of Social Sciences and Business Studies
• Anushree Luukela-Tandon, Senior Researcher, University of Eastern Finland, Business School, Faculty of Social Sciences and Business Studies

Organizing committee

• Jari Salo, Professor of Marketing, University of Helsinki, Finland (jari.salo@helsinki.fi)
• Jaakko Aspara, Grönroos Professor in Marketing, Hanken School of Economics, Finland
• Sanna-Katriina Asikainen, Associate Professor of Marketing, Aalto University, School of Business
• Tommi Laukkanen, Professor of Marketing and Consumer Behavior, Vice Dean, University of Eastern Finland, Faculty of Social Sciences and Business Studies
• Anushree Luukela-Tandon, Senior Researcher, University of Eastern Finland, Business School, Faculty of Social Sciences and Business Studies

Venue, schedule & fees

Conference will be held on a board of the Tallink Silja Line cruise ship sailing from Helsinki to Stockholm and back to Helsinki. Boarding time on 27.5.2026 for cruise ship is 11.45. Conference starts 12.00. Cruise ship is back in Helsinki 29.5.2026.

Submissions open: 28.9.2025

Submissions deadline: 15.3.2026.

Author notification: 1.4.2026.

Registration & payment deadline: 13.4.2026

Participation fee: €499, which covers accommodation / cruise, breakfast, dinner and coffee / tea service during the conference activities.

All questions about submissions should be emailed to jari.salo@helsinki.fi

Contact

All questions about submissions should be emailed to jari.salo@helsinki.fi