Staff profile

Gretchen is an interpretive and critical consumer researcher, with expertise in the relationship between consumption, marketplace cultures, and arts and culture. Much of her research focuses on identity and its relationship to consumption, and more recently it addresses affective and embodied interactions with sonic phenomena in the marketplace. An increasingly important motivation for her work is to examine those that are under-represented or even excluded in consumer society and in consumer research.

Gretchen has published in leading journals both within and outside of marketing, including the European Journal of Marketing, Marketing Theory, the International Journal of Management Reviews, Organization, and Social & Cultural Geography. She has also co-authored a book “Music, Marketing and Consumption” and has authored various book chapters. Gretchen has been instrumental in developing the field of arts marketing and consumption. For example, she was one of the founding co-editors of Arts Marketing: An International Journal and has guest-edited special issues on arts marketing topics in various academic journals.

Following a research-led approach to education, Gretchen specialises in teaching consumption and consumer culture, arts marketing, and marketing theory, although she has developed and delivered a broad range of marketing modules across all levels. She has so far supervised twelve PhD students to completion. Potential PhD students need to be interested in interpretive and critical approaches to marketing and consumer research.

Gretchen has made a significant service contribution throughout her career, via a series of leadership roles such as Directorships of the MSc International Marketing (King’s College London) and the MSc Marketing and MSc Advanced Marketing (University of Bradford), and head of the former Marketing, Markets and Consumption Research Cluster at Durham University. Gretchen played an instrumental role in integrating equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI) into the fabric and culture of Durham University Business School and the University as a whole. These contributions have been made primarily through her previous roles as Faculty Lead for EDI (2018-2021), as Athena SWAN Champion (2015-2018) where she led the Faculty of Business’ successful initial application for a Bronze Award in 2018, and as a member of Durham University Commission on Respect, Values and Behaviour (2019). In recognition of her EDI work at the institutional level, she was appointed as a member of the Chartered Association of Business Schools Diversity Committee (2019-2022). Since 2022, Gretchen has been the Co-Director (Business) for Durham University's Institute of Advanced Study, and has subsequently been championing interdisciplinary research across the institution and academy.

Prior to joining Durham, Gretchen worked at King's College London, where she was the Director of the MSc International Marketing. She has also worked at the University of Bradford and the University of Otago (New Zealand) and held visiting posts at EADA (Spain) and LKEAM (Poland).

Mini Biography

Professor Gretchen Larsen is an interpretive and critical consumer researcher, with expertise in the relationship between consumption, marketplace cultures, and arts and culture. She has published in a range of leading journals and has co-authored a book, ‘Music, Markets and Consumption” as well as a number of book chapters. Gretchen’s teaching is in the area of marketing theory and consumption. She has also held a series of major administrative responsibilities, including Faculty Lead for Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (2018-2021) and since 2022, Co-Director (Business) of the Institute of Advanced Study.

• Consumption and Consumer Research
• Arts Marketing and Consumption
• Sound
• The Consumer Interest and Consumerism
• Critical Marketing

Authored book

• Music, Markets and Consumption.
  
  O’Reilly, D., Larsen, G., & Kubacki, K. (2013). Music, Markets and Consumption. Goodfellows Publishers Ltd.

Chapter in book

• Consumption of Music
  
  Larsen, G. (2019). Consumption of Music. In The Blackwell encyclopedia of sociology. John Wiley and Sons. https://doi.org/10.1002/9781405165518.wbeosc117.pub2
• Critical Arts Marketing
  
  Larsen, G., & Kerrigan, F. (2018). Critical Arts Marketing. In M. Tadajewski, M. Higgins, J. Denegri-Knott, & R. Varman (Eds.), The Routledge companion to critical marketing. (pp. 135-152). Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315630526-8
• Johnny Lynch: Organising and Playing a Boutique Festival.
  
  Larsen, G. (2015). Johnny Lynch: Organising and Playing a Boutique Festival. In N. Beech & C. Gilmore (Eds.), Organising Music: Theory, Practice, Performance. Cambridge University Press.
• Marketing Live Music.
  
  O’Reilly, D., Larsen, G., & Kubacki, K. (2014). Marketing Live Music. In K. Burland & S. Pitts (Eds.), Coughing and Clapping: Investigating Audience Experience. Ashgate/SEMPRE.
• Arts Consumption.
  
  Larsen, G. (2014). Arts Consumption. In D. O’Reilly, R. Rentschler, & T. Kirchner (Eds.), The Routledge Companion to Arts Marketing. (pp. 183-193). Routledge.
• Consumer Rights: An Assessment of Justice.
  
  Larsen, G., & Lawson, R. (2013). Consumer Rights: An Assessment of Justice. In M. Tadajewski & R. Cluley (Eds.), New Directions in Critical Marketing Studies. SAGE Publications.
• The Symbolic Consumption of Music.
  
  Larsen, G., Lawson, R., & Todd, S. (2012). The Symbolic Consumption of Music. In R. Bennett, F. Kerrigan, & D. O’Reilly (Eds.), New Horizons in Arts, Heritage, Nonprofit and Social Marketing. Routledge.
• The Significance of Commercial Music Festivals.
  
  Larsen, G., & Hussels, S. (2011). The Significance of Commercial Music Festivals. In S. Cameron (Ed.), Handbook on the Economics of Leisure. (pp. 250-270). Edward Elgar Publishing.
• Evolving Perspectives on Music Consumption.
  
  Larsen, G., & Lawson, R. (2010). Evolving Perspectives on Music Consumption. In D. O’Reilly & F. Kerrigan (Eds.), Marketing the Arts: A Fresh Approach. (pp. 190-204). Routledge.
• The Social Construction of Destination Image – A New Zealand Film Example.
  
  Larsen, G., & George, V. (2006). The Social Construction of Destination Image – A New Zealand Film Example. In L. Kahle & C. Kim (Eds.), Creating Images and the Psychology of Marketing Communications. (pp. 117-139). New Jersey: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.
• Consumer Affairs in New Zealand.
  
  Lawson, R., & Larsen, G. (1999). Consumer Affairs in New Zealand. In W. Fischer & R. Lawson (Eds.), Consumer Affairs in Remote Areas [Queensland (Australia) and New Zealand] (pp. 87-104). Department of Marketing, University of Otago, New Zealand.
• Consumer Affairs Survey and Results.
  
  Lawson, R., & Larsen, G. (1999). Consumer Affairs Survey and Results. In W. Fischer & R. Lawson (Eds.), Consumer Affairs in Remote Areas [Queensland (Australia) and New Zealand] (pp. 105-127). Department of Marketing, University of Otago, New Zealand.
• Consumer Identity Projects
  
  Larsen, G., & Patterson, M. (n.d.). Consumer Identity Projects. In SAGE Handbook of Consumer Culture [Contracted by publisher] (pp. 194-213). SAGE.

Journal Article

• Algorithmic personalization and brand loyalty: An experiential perspective
  
  Obiegbu, J., & Larsen, G. (2025). Algorithmic personalization and brand loyalty: An experiential perspective. Marketing Theory, 25(2), 199-219. https://doi.org/10.1177/14705931241230041
• Consonant and Dissonant Sonic Ecologies: Navigating Affective Atmospheres on Bourbon Street, New Orleans
  
  Larsen, G., & Patterson, M. (2025). Consonant and Dissonant Sonic Ecologies: Navigating Affective Atmospheres on Bourbon Street, New Orleans. Social and Cultural Geography. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1080/14649365.2025.2472799
• Pessimistic Luxury: An Alternative Discourse to Conceptualise Luxury
  
  Feng, S., Larsen, G., & Ellis, N. (2025). Pessimistic Luxury: An Alternative Discourse to Conceptualise Luxury. Luxury Studies, 4(1), 51-56. https://doi.org/10.1386/ipol_00040_1
• Constructing Consumer-Masstige Brand Relationships in a Volatile Social Reality
  
  Moorlock, E., Dekel-Dachs, O., Stokes, P., & Larsen, G. (2023). Constructing Consumer-Masstige Brand Relationships in a Volatile Social Reality. Journal of Business Research, 155(Part A), Article 113381. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusres.2022.113381
• Experiential Brand Loyalty: Towards an Extended Conceptualization of Consumer Allegiance to Brands
  
  Obiegbu, J., Larsen, G., & Ellis, N. (2020). Experiential Brand Loyalty: Towards an Extended Conceptualization of Consumer Allegiance to Brands. Marketing Theory, 20(3), 251-271. https://doi.org/10.1177/1470593119885167
• Listening to Consumption: Towards a Sonic Turn in Consumer Research
  
  Patterson, M., & Larsen, G. (2019). Listening to Consumption: Towards a Sonic Turn in Consumer Research. Marketing Theory, 19(2), 105-127. https://doi.org/10.1177/1470593118787583
• Female Entrepreneurship and the Metanarrative of Economic Growth: A Critical Review of Underlying Assumptions
  
  Dean, H., Larsen, G., Ford, J., & Akram, M. (2019). Female Entrepreneurship and the Metanarrative of Economic Growth: A Critical Review of Underlying Assumptions. International Journal of Management Reviews, 21(1), 24-49. https://doi.org/10.1111/ijmr.12173
• Co-constructing Loyalty in an Era of Digital Music Fandom: An Experiential- Discursive Perspective
  
  Obiegbu, J., Larsen, G., Ellis, N., & O’Reilly, D. (2019). Co-constructing Loyalty in an Era of Digital Music Fandom: An Experiential- Discursive Perspective. European Journal of Marketing, 53(3), 463-482. https://doi.org/10.1108/ejm-10-2017-0754
• The Critical Music Fan: The Role of Criticality in Collective Constructions of Brand Loyalty
  
  Obiegbu, J., Larsen, G., & Ellis, N. (2019). The Critical Music Fan: The Role of Criticality in Collective Constructions of Brand Loyalty. Arts and the Market, 9(1), 65-80. https://doi.org/10.1108/aam-01-2019-0006
• Cultural memory and the heritagisation of a music consumption community
  
  O’Reilly, D., Doherty, K., Carnegie, E., & Larsen, G. (2017). Cultural memory and the heritagisation of a music consumption community. Arts and the Market, 7(2), 174-190. https://doi.org/10.1108/aam-08-2016-0014
• ‘It’s a man’s man’s man’s world’: Music groupies and the othering of women in the world of rock
  
  Larsen, G. (2017). ‘It’s a man’s man’s man’s world’: Music groupies and the othering of women in the world of rock. Organization, 24(3), 397-417. https://doi.org/10.1177/1350508416689095
• Farewell to Consumerism: Countervailing Logics of Growth in Consumption
  
  Chatzidakis, A., Larsen, G., & Bishop, S. (2014). Farewell to Consumerism: Countervailing Logics of Growth in Consumption. Ephemera, 14(4), 753-764.
• A Deviant Art: Tattoo-Related Stigma in an Era of Commodification
  
  Larsen, G., Patterson, M., & Markham, L. (2014). A Deviant Art: Tattoo-Related Stigma in an Era of Commodification. Psychology and Marketing, 31(8), 670-681. https://doi.org/10.1002/mar.20727
• “Gimme Shelter”: Experiencing Pleasurable Escape Through the Musicalisation of Running
  
  Kerrigan, F., Larsen, G., Hanratty, S., & Korta, K. (2014). “Gimme Shelter”: Experiencing Pleasurable Escape Through the Musicalisation of Running. Marketing Theory, 14(2), 147-166. https://doi.org/10.1177/1470593114521451
• Consumer Rights: An Assessment of Justice.
  
  Larsen, G., & Lawson, R. (2013). Consumer Rights: An Assessment of Justice. Journal of Business Ethics, 112(3), 515-528. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10551-012-1275-9
• Fame and Fortune: A Conceptual Model of CEO Brands.
  
  Bendisch, F., Larsen, G., & Trueman, M. (2013). Fame and Fortune: A Conceptual Model of CEO Brands. European Journal of Marketing, 47(3/4), 596-614. https://doi.org/10.1108/03090561311297472
• Consumer Rights: A Co-optation of the Contemporary Consumer Movement.
  
  Larsen, G., & Lawson, R. (2013). Consumer Rights: A Co-optation of the Contemporary Consumer Movement. Journal of Historical Research in Marketing, 5(1), 97-114. https://doi.org/10.1108/17557501311293370
• Terraforming Arts Marketing.
  
  Dennis, N., Larsen, G., & Macaulay, M. (2011). Terraforming Arts Marketing. Arts Marketing: An International Journal, 1(1), 5-10. https://doi.org/10.1108/20442081111129833
• The Symbolic Consumption of Music.
  
  Larsen, G., Lawson, R., & Todd, S. (2010). The Symbolic Consumption of Music. Journal of Marketing Management, 26(7-8), 671-685. https://doi.org/10.1080/0267257x.2010.481865
• Brands and Consumption in Virtual Worlds.
  
  Nikolaou, I., Bettany, S., & Larsen, G. (2009). Brands and Consumption in Virtual Worlds. Journal of Virtual Worlds Research, 2(5). https://doi.org/10.4101/jvwr.v2i5.845
• The Consumption of Music as Self Representation in Social Interaction.
  
  Larsen, G., Lawson, R., & Todd, S. (2009). The Consumption of Music as Self Representation in Social Interaction. Australasian Marketing Journal, 17(3), 16-26. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ausmj.2009.01.006
• Examining the Effect of Market Orientation on Innovativeness.
  
  Tajeddini, K., Trueman, M., & Larsen, G. (2006). Examining the Effect of Market Orientation on Innovativeness. Journal of Marketing Management, 22(5-6), 529-551. https://doi.org/10.1362/026725706777978640
• Consumer Affairs in Rural New Zealand.
  
  Larsen, G., Lawson, R., & Fischer, W. (2002). Consumer Affairs in Rural New Zealand. Journal of Consumer Policy, 25(2), 233-256. https://doi.org/10.1023/a%3A1016074209498
• Taming the Dragon: Key Success Factors for Trade with China.
  
  Martin, B., & Larsen, G. (1999). Taming the Dragon: Key Success Factors for Trade with China. Marketing Intelligence and Planning, 17(4), 202-208. https://doi.org/10.1108/02634509910275944