Chen Lou

Associate Professor Chen Lou is a faculty member at the Wee Kim Wee School of Communication and Information, Nanyang Technological University (NTU), Singapore. Her research focuses on consumer psychology and advertising effects, exploring how marketing communications influence behavior through information processing mechanisms. She investigates topics like influencer marketing, content strategies, and the psychological impacts of brand communications. A mixed-methods researcher, she employs techniques such as eye-tracking, psychophysiological measures, and big data analytics (e.g., sentiment analysis).

Dr. Lou holds editorial roles at journals including the International Journal of Advertising and Journal of Interactive Advertising, and serves on committees for organizations like the American Academy of Advertising (AAA) and the International Communication Association (ICA). She earned her Ph.D. from Michigan State University, an M.S. from Ohio University, and a B.A. from Wuhan University.

Her research has been recognized with awards such as the 2021 Mary Alice Shaver Promising Professor Award (AAA) and multiple best article awards. She actively supervises student projects, including top-winning FYPs at NTU.

Key research areas include:

• Influencer marketing dynamics and virtual influencers
• Social media platform affordances and advertising effectiveness
• Brand activism and message framing
• Psychological ownership in content marketing
• Consumer responses to ethical and cultural messaging