Picking the right dissertation topic in marketing and advertising can feel like a big deal. After all, it’s not just about ticking a box — it’s your chance to dive into real-world problems, show off your research skills, and maybe even spark ideas for your future career. Whether you’re interested in branding, digital marketing, consumer behaviour, or ad strategy, this list is designed to make your decision a whole lot easier.

Each topic is fresh, relevant, and practical for students who want to stand out.

Best Marketing & Advertising Dissertation Topics

  • How augmented reality (AR) influences consumer purchase behaviour in e-commerce
  • The role of nostalgia marketing in rebranding legacy products
  • Assessing the psychological triggers behind influencer-endorsed product choices
  • Measuring the long-term brand value impact of viral TikTok campaigns
  • How user-generated content affects trust in online brand communities
  • Do interactive video ads boost conversion rates more than static content?
  • The role of consumer privacy concerns in limiting personalised advertising
  • Analysing the emotional vs. rational appeal in political advertising campaigns
  • Can meme marketing deliver sustained brand recall among Gen Z audiences?
  • Evaluating sustainability claims in FMCG marketing: Impact on consumer trust
  • Do regional dialects in TV advertising improve audience relatability and trust?
  • Measuring the ROI of podcast sponsorships in B2B marketing strategies
  • The psychology of colour in mobile app advertising: What drives action?
  • How programmatic advertising is reshaping marketing budgets in 2024
  • What role does neuromarketing play in optimising retail store layouts?
  • Assessing the effectiveness of cause marketing during global crises
  • The impact of political correctness in brand tone and advertising messaging
  • Are chatbot-driven upselling techniques effective in SaaS models?
  • Exploring short-form vs. long-form video content in YouTube brand channels
  • Analysing the rise of micro-influencers in niche product marketing
  • How virtual influencers are shaping beauty and fashion brand endorsements
  • Examining the backlash: When purpose-driven ads damage brand perception
  • Is LinkedIn advertising more effective for B2B startups or enterprises?
  • How real-time marketing during live events influences user engagement
  • Do loyalty programs still work? A study on consumer engagement in a saturated digital market

Consumer Behaviour and Buying Patterns

  • How impulse buying differs between online and offline environments
  • The role of psychological pricing in influencing buying behaviour
  • Impact of brand loyalty on repeat purchase decisions
  • How Gen Z differs from millennials in digital purchasing behaviour
  • Influence of scarcity marketing on urgency-driven purchases
  • Can eco-friendly labels change consumer purchasing decisions?
  • The impact of online reviews on luxury product purchases
  • How emotional marketing affects consumer trust
  • Are reward programs influencing customer retention in e-commerce?
  • The effectiveness of influencer testimonials on buyer psychology

Social Media and Digital Marketing

  • How TikTok has reshaped modern advertising strategies
  • Are Instagram stories more engaging than feed posts for brands?
  • Does UGC (user-generated content) increase conversion rates?
  • How social listening drives brand improvement
  • Can social media campaigns substitute traditional ads in B2C?
  • The ROI of influencer marketing vs. paid advertising
  • How meme marketing builds brand engagement
  • Exploring short-form video content for eCommerce growth
  • The impact of brand presence on Reddit marketing
  • Are hashtags still relevant for marketing on X (formerly Twitter)?

Branding and Brand Strategy

  • The rebranding challenges of legacy brands in modern markets
  • How visual identity consistency builds trust online
  • Can brands survive negative press through transparency campaigns?
  • The effect of celebrity brand ambassadors on brand image
  • How co-branding affects market perception
  • Do brand mascots still work in digital ads?
  • How colour psychology impacts brand perception
  • Relevance of storytelling in modern brand communication
  • How personal branding impacts CEO-led companies
  • The influence of nostalgic branding on older demographics

Advertising Channels and Campaign Strategies

  • What makes guerrilla marketing campaigns go viral?
  • The declining power of TV ads in the Netflix era
  • Comparing programmatic vs. manual media buying strategies
  • How billboard advertising still works in urban locations
  • Can podcasts serve as high-conversion ad platforms?
  • The effect of ad placement timing in YouTube ads
  • Do jingles still increase brand recall in audio ads?
  • Native ads vs. banner ads: Which drives better engagement?
  • Role of retargeting ads in increasing abandoned cart recovery
  • How interactive ads improve ad recall rates

Content Marketing and SEO

  • The long-term benefits of blogging for small business marketing
  • How pillar pages impact SEO rankings in competitive industries
  • The role of keyword clustering in improving search visibility
  • Can video SEO drive better traffic than traditional blogs?
  • How AI-generated content affects content marketing performance
  • The impact of content freshness on Google rankings
  • Comparing SEO strategies for product vs. service pages
  • The rise of voice search and its impact on content marketing
  • How featured snippets affect organic click-through rates
  • Exploring Google’s E-E-A-T principles in branded content

Email and Mobile Marketing

  • How personalisation increases open rates in email campaigns
  • Does SMS marketing still deliver higher ROI than emails?
  • How drip campaigns affect lead nurturing
  • The effect of push notifications on in-app purchase behaviour
  • How abandoned cart emails drive customer re-engagement
  • The impact of email frequency on subscriber retention
  • Comparing click-through rates in text vs. HTML emails
  • Mobile-optimised emails vs. desktop-first design
  • The effectiveness of countdown timers in promotional emails
  • How GDPR impacted email marketing strategies in Europe

E-Commerce and Online Sales

  • Do flash sales boost long-term revenue in online stores?
  • The effect of customer testimonials on product page conversion
  • How product recommendations influence upselling in online stores
  • The power of urgency messaging in limited-time deals
  • The impact of free shipping thresholds on order value
  • Exploring friction points in e-commerce checkout processes
  • How mobile-first design affects eCommerce bounce rates
  • The influence of payment options on customer trust
  • Importance of product video demos in increasing conversion
  • Cross-selling vs. upselling strategies in online stores

Marketing Analytics and Metrics

  • The role of predictive analytics in campaign success
  • How brands use A/B testing to refine messaging
  • Can sentiment analysis predict product success?
  • The impact of multichannel attribution on ad budget allocation
  • ROI calculation methods for influencer campaigns
  • How heatmap tools improve UX and conversion rates
  • Do vanity metrics mislead marketing decisions?
  • How data visualisation affects CMO decision-making
  • The impact of zero-party data on future marketing strategies
  • How AI-driven dashboards are changing campaign monitoring

Customer Retention and Loyalty

  • How referral programs influence brand advocacy
  • The impact of loyalty apps on repeat business
  • Subscription models vs. one-time purchases in long-term engagement
  • How personalised experiences drive brand stickiness
  • Exploring churn reduction strategies in SaaS marketing
  • How brand communities improve retention in lifestyle brands
  • Does surprise gifting increase customer lifetime value?
  • Effect of consistent communication on B2B client loyalty
  • Can cause-based loyalty programs outperform discounts?
  • The value of gamified experiences in retaining younger audiences

Niche Marketing Approaches

  • How luxury brands maintain exclusivity through limited campaigns
  • The power of micro-niche targeting in Facebook ads
  • Can experiential marketing work for B2B industries?
  • How nostalgia marketing appeals to Gen X buyers
  • The rise of green marketing in eco-conscious industries
  • How inclusive advertising resonates with diverse audiences
  • Effectiveness of location-based marketing for local businesses
  • Marketing challenges in highly regulated industries
  • How humour in advertising connects with younger audiences
  • How cause marketing builds emotional brand connections

Conclusion

Your dissertation should reflect both your curiosity and your goals. With these 125+ topic ideas, you can choose something that’s not only interesting to you but also valuable in today’s fast-paced marketing world. Pick the one that sparks your interest and start exploring — your standout paper starts with a solid topic.