About Us

The Association for Netnographic Research is a registered non-profit corporation dedicated to advancing netnographic research globally. Netnography is an evolving research approach designed to provide cultural understanding through the systematic, immersive, and multimodal use of digital traces, elicitations, and observations. It is a unique adaptation of ethnography that provides rigorous procedures to immerse researchers in digital environments like social media, online communities, and virtual reality in order to gain structured insights.

Netnography is both structured and evolving, both systematic and adaptable. Its flexibility-within-a-frame nature reflects the way it is being shaped by the global academic community. As new cultural and technological realities proliferate, the Association for Netnographic Research brings together the knowledge of professional researchers of all types, professors, and students interested in qualitative digital research. It aims to offer all its members a set of comprehensive resources about netnographic research. The Association’s sole goal is to foster a vibrant community of netnographic researcher and to facilitate developments, collaboration, and new opportunities that will enrich this innovative field.

Mission Statement

According to its founding articles, the specific purpose of the Association for Netnographic Research “is to further knowledge about, connection through, and usage of netnographic research methods”. The Association for Netnographic Research is committed to serving the diverse needs of academics, students, scholars, and professional researchers across disciplines like communication, PR, marketing, advertising, influencer relations, and beyond. Our mission is to be a hub for cutting-edge thought, practice, and opportunities, and to advance the practice of netnographic research worldwide. Our organization advocates for methodological rigor, builds knowledge of appropriate ethical standards, and encourages transformative scholarship in netnography.

Our Vision

Our vision is to unite and empower the global netnographic research community. By bringing people and knowledge together, we will further the diffusion of netnographic approaches, building a vibrant global network of inspired researchers. Our Association is rooted in innovation, empathy, and a desire to trace the most human path through technoculture. We encourage novel research adaptations, nurture interdisciplinary collaboration, and provide a forum for you to help shape the future of digital qualitative research. Together, we seek to provide a deep cultural understanding of the contemporary world’s complexities, contributing to a richer understanding of contemporary lifeways, culture, technology, and society.

Founder’s Statement

According to its founding articles, the specific purpose of the Association for Netnographic Research “is to further knowledge about, connection through, and usage of netnographic research methods”. The Association for Netnographic Research is committed to serving the diverse needs of academics, students, scholars, and professional researchers across disciplines like communication, PR, marketing, advertising, influencer relations, and beyond. Our mission is to be a hub for cutting-edge thought, practice, and opportunities, and to advance the practice of netnographic research worldwide. Our organization advocates for methodological rigor, builds knowledge of appropriate ethical standards, and encourages transformative scholarship in netnography.

Robert V. Kozinets, Ph.D.
Founder and President

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Meet other Directors

The ANR Board of Directors is comprised of volunteers, valuable visionaries in the field of netnographic research.

Ulrike Gretzel

Treasurer

Bio

Ulrike Gretzel, Ph.D., is Treasurer of the Association for Netnographic Research. She is Director of Research at Netnografica and a Senior Research Fellow at the Center for Public Relations, University of Southern California. She received her PhD in Communications from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Her research spans the design, use and implications of emerging technologies, ranging from mobile applications and social media to smart cities, robots, and the metaverse. She has over 20 years of experience conducting academic and practice-focused research. National science foundations and businesses all over the world have funded her research. She is frequently acknowledged as one of the most cited authors in the fields of tourism and persuasion and is a fellow of the International Academy for the Study of Tourism. Her work has been quoted in major news outlets such as the New York Times and The Australian.

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Rossella Gambetti

Secretary

Bio

Rossella Gambetti, PhD, is the Secretary of the Association for Netnographic Research. She is Professor of Branding and Consumer Culture at the Universita Cattolica del Sacro Cuore in Milan, where she is Director of LABCOM (Research Lab on BusinessCommunication). She is also a research fellow of the Jayne and Hans Hufschmid Chairof Strategic Public Relations and Business Communication at the Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism, University of Southern California (LA). Rossella is an interpretive scholar whose research is focused on the interplay between consumer culture, branding and technology and how these are shaping consumption, communication and society. Rossella has been a visiting scholar at universities in the United States and in Japan and has published her works in journals such as Marketing Theory, Journal of Business Research, California Management Review, Business Ethics Quarterly and Management Decision.

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Meet our Team Members

Marie Kerekes
Director, Events

Bio

Marie is a Postdoctoral Researcher, Lab Manager, and Teacher at ESSEC Business School in Cergy, France. She is also an award-winning netnographic researcher who recently won the Best Doctoral Thesis Award at the 2024 Academy of Marketing conference. She is also the Director of Events for the association, playing a key role in organizing various digital and physical association events.

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Sapnaba Sodha
Manager, Social media

Bio

Sapnaba is a Doctoral Researcher at Brunel University in London, UK. She is also the Social Media Manager for the association and manages our numerous websites and their information, promotion, and humorous content.

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Jagannath Sanyal
Webmaster

Bio

Jag is a Ph.D. candidate at KEDGE Business School, France, investigating the impact of visibility on social media influencers and celebrities through netnographic research. He is also the webmaster for the association and manages the ANR website. With an MBA and around two decades of digital marketing and DX consulting experience at global firms, Jag brings a unique perspective to the association and his academic exploration.

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Quick Bytes

ANR Community

The Association for Netnographic Research (ANR) is a rapidly growing global community dedicated to advancing the practice of netnography. We bring together researchers, academics, and industry professionals to share knowledge, insights, and best practices. ANR fosters a collaborative environment to explore the complexities of digital ethnography through conferences, publications, and online resources. Join us in shaping the future of netnographic research by pressing the button below and becoming a part of this dynamic community.

A glimpse of the recent Netnocon’24 Conference held at Milan.
The conference took place at Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Milan. It was chaired by Professor Robert V. Kozinets and co-chaired by Professors Ulrike Gretzel, Rossella Gambetti, Aleksej Heinze, Silvia Biraghi, and Angela A. Beccanulli.
This forward-thinking conference paid homage to past, present, and future futurists while maintaining a sustainable and ethical footprint. Recognizing the rising stars of the field, Netnocon 2024 fostered dialogue amidst the rapid evolution of technology and research.

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