DrRichie Barker

Advertising is both a commercial and cultural phenomenon. My research considers the sociocultural and technological dimensions of creative advertising and the people who make it – work that, at its best, connects with audiences through resonance and storytelling. 

This perspective also frames my approach to teaching.

My units at undergraduate and postgraduate levels focus on advertising that tells stories, building not just interest but loyal brand communities. This conviction, and my commitment to embedding industry experiences in student learning, have been recognised with an HEA Fellowship, a Vice-Chancellor's Award for Teaching Excellence (2016) and an AAUT Citation for Outstanding Contributions to Student Learning (2017).

I have studied the creative practice of advertising practitioners for over 15 years. My doctoral dissertation examined how emerging technologies reshape creative practice, a line of inquiry I have since extended into Q1 journal publications on the impact of generative AI. I also work in interdisciplinary teams to explore marginalisation in the advertising industry, including the experiences of older practitioners and those who identify as neurodivergent.

Brand storytelling is another strand of my research. My co-authored book Transmedia Brand Storytelling: Immersive Experiences from Theory to Practice traces the campaign work of global experts. Because brand storytelling demands an authenticity that emerges from lived experience, the approach has particular relevance at the generative AI turn, where brand content can be quickly produced yet tends toward sameness. 

My research on health communication also reflects my experience as both a practitioner and academic. My industry perspective informs my research on the branding of Medicare, which frames Australia's enduring national health scheme as a cultural object. I am a chief investigator on the ARC Linkage project Cancer Culture: Understanding Anti-Cancer Campaigns in Australia with Cancer Council Victoria, where I trace the creative strategies and processes of the practitioners behind Australia's globally influential tobacco control advertising.

Across all of this work, my focus remains on the people who make advertising and the cultures their work draws upon and helps shape.

Please reach out if you are interested in studying advertising in either an undergraduate or postgraduate degree. I am available to supervise higher degree by research projects – let's talk if you are interested in exploring the past, present or future of advertising practice.