Brand Camp 7

The Brand Camp is our bi-annual mountain conference hosted in Obergurgl, Tyrol. It is organized as a dynamic conference in which participants spontaneously compose the conference program according to the interests of the audience. The Brand Camp provides an excellent opportunity to exchange branding insights, reflect on current developments, and discuss research ideas, new approaches, and findings in the most flexible format.

Hosted by the

University of Innsbruck Faculty of Business and Management – Brand Research Laboratory

“CLIMBING THE PEAKS OF BRANDING”

CALL FOR PAPERS

Submission Deadline: October 6th, 2025

Brand Camp Chairs:

Andrea Hemetsberger, University of Innsbruck

Reinhard Grohs, Seeburg Castle University

Ramona Riehle, University of Innsbruck

Conference e-mail: brand-lab@uibk.ac.at

ABOUT THE CONFERENCE

The University of Innsbruck Brand Research Laboratory at the Department of Management and Marketing invites brand researchers to participate in the 7th Brand Camp in the Austrian ski resort of Obergurgl.

The Brand Camp is a 2-day-conference where participants bring a research project or an inspiring idea for intensive discussion and joint development. The workshop-like character including presentations, discussions, fireside talks, social events, and the location in the picturesque Austrian Alps make the Brand Camp an extraordinary conference experience emphasizing reflection, discussion, and personal exchange.

The Brand Camp offers the opportunity to share branding insights, learn about current developments, work with like‐minded colleagues, and develop ideas and projects that shape future branding and consumer research. Topics of interest include, for example:

• New (not yet fully developed) branding concepts
• Thought-provoking branding questions
• Reflections on puzzling branding and consumer behavior phenomena
• Future directions for branding research
• Critical reflections on sustainable and ethical branding
• Novel approaches and research methods
• Quantitative, qualitative, and mixed methods research

The Brand Camp is conceptualized as a workshop, rather than a conference. Besides competitive paper and spotlight sessions, we reserve time to socialize and discuss research interests with fellow researchers. We welcome researchers at any career stage, from PhD students to senior researchers. Based on submitted and invited contributions, participants will compose the conference program directly at the Brand Camp.

SUBMISSION GUIDELINES

BRAND CAMP TALK (competitive paper discussion format)

Brand Camp Talks invite submissions of advanced or well-developed research in the fields of branding and consumer research. Submissions should address substantive, methodological, or theoretical topics that contribute to the advancement of knowledge in these areas. Authors are required to submit an extended abstract, adhering to the following guidelines:

Length and Formatting: max. 2 pages (excluding references, figures, and tables), 12-point Times New Roman, 1-inch margins.

Abstract: submit an extended abstract outlining the relevance, method(s), key findings, and contribution(s) to theory and/or practice and up to four keywords.

Accepted papers will be presented in 40-minute slots, with 20 minutes allocated for the presentation and 20 minutes for discussion. This format is designed to foster in-depth engagement and constructive feedback on the research.

BRAND CAMP SPOTLIGHTS (roundtable discussion format)

Brand Camp Spotlights provide researchers with the opportunity to "pitch" their research ideas and collaboratively address specific challenges and questions relevant to their current stage of research. These sessions are developmental in nature, encouraging the presentation of initial ideas, case studies, conceptual frameworks, or emerging topic areas in an interactive roundtable format.

Length and Formatting: max. 1 page (excluding references, figures, and tables), 12-point Times New Roman, 1-inch margins.

Abstract: The short abstract should include a summary of the research topic and core idea, questions, or challenges to be discussed with the Brand Camp audience, and up to four keywords.

Spotlight Sessions are planned to last 90 minutes and will feature two to three related topics, fostering in-depth discussion and developmental feedback. This format is designed to encourage collaboration, spark new ideas, and provide constructive input to advance research projects.

SUBMISSION DEADLINE

The submission deadline is October 6th, 2025. Authors submit their abstracts to brand-lab@uibk.ac.at. Please submit your work as a Word document. Make sure to remove all author information before submission and add a title, extended abstract (talk) or project summary (spotlight). Please ensure that the names and e-mail addresses of all authors are included in the submission e-mail.

REVIEW PROCESS

Submissions will be reviewed based on their potential to spark interest and inspire discussions at the conference. Decisions will be announced by December 2nd, 2025.

VENUE, REGISTRATION, AND WORKSHOP FEE

Obergurgl offers one of the most stunning mountain sceneries in the world and is a prime destination for winter sports in Austria. The Brand Camp takes place at the Obergurgl University Center at an altitude of 1930 meters above sea level, just a few steps away from ski lifts and slopes (https://www.uibk.ac.at/uz-obergurgl/index.html.de). The facility provides a unique and inspiring atmosphere for generating fresh ideas, developing new projects, and fostering intellectual exchange with academic colleagues.

 

 

 

For further questions? Do not hesitate to contact our Brand Lab (brand-lab@uibk.ac.at).

We are looking forward to climbing the peaks of branding with

you – once again!

Andrea Hemetsberger

Reinhard Grohs

Ramona Riehle

Brand Camp Chairs

See you in Obergurgl!

Past Brand Camps

Brand Camp 6: 14th- 16th March 2024

Brand Camp 5: 31st March - 2nd April 2022

Brand Camp 4: 5th - 7th April 2018

Brand Camp 3: 20th - 22nd March 2015

Brand Camp 2: 27th - 29th January 2013

Brand Camp 1: 27th February - 2nd March 2011