President Zhao Hongwei delivers the opening speech
Professor Yang Zhilin, President of the Chinese Marketing Scholars Association and Professor at City University of Hong Kong, delivers a speech
Dean Ding Zhihua of SEM chairs the opening ceremony
Group photo of the conference participants
Keynote speech by invited expert
Face-to-face session with editors of leading academic journals
Parallel session in progress
From July 4 to 7, the 13th China Marketing International Conference (CMIC 2025) was successfully held at China University of Mining and Technology (CUMT). Jointly organized by CUMT and the Chinese Marketing Scholars Association (CMSA), and hosted by the School of Economics and Management, with support from the Research Center for Big Data Marketing and Green Innovation, the conference was themed “Marketing Innovation, Organizational Change, and Sustainable Development in the Era of Digital Intelligence.” It attracted over 500 experts and scholars from more than 160 institutions worldwide, including 31 overseas universities, as well as research organizations and industry leaders. Participants engaged in in-depth discussions on theoretical and practical paths for smart marketing under the new development paradigm.
President Zhao Hongwei of CUMT attended the opening ceremony and delivered a welcoming address. On behalf of the university, he extended a warm welcome to all guests and congratulated them on the successful convening of the conference. He highlighted CUMT’s unique research strengths in areas such as green consumption, sustainable development, and big data marketing, and emphasized the university’s commitment to front-line research in energy economics and management, especially under the national dual-carbon goals. President Zhao expressed hope that the conference would foster deeper university-industry collaboration and inspire innovative paradigms in management disciplines aligned with China’s “Digital China” strategy.
Professor Yang Zhilin, President of CMSA and Professor at City University of Hong Kong, also delivered a speech, recalling the twelve-year development journey of CMIC and emphasizing the contemporary significance and long-term vision of this year’s theme. The opening ceremony was chaired by Dean Ding Zhihua of the School of Economics and Management at CUMT.
Key Highlights of the Conference
The conference featured a main forum, doctoral forum, and 33 parallel sessions, offering a rich and diverse academic program.
Keynote speakers included:
Prof. Zhang Zhong, Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania – “Creating Global Brands: It Takes More Than Economic Power”
Prof. Qin Xin, Sun Yat-sen University – “Artificial Intelligence Quotient (AIQ)”
Prof. Zeng Fuo'e, Wuhan University – “Biases in Generative AI Marketing”
Prof. Liu Yunchuan, Gies College of Business, UIUC – “AI-Supported Innovation in Marketing Research”
Prof. Wang Lili, Zhejiang University – “Application and Impact of Anthropomorphic Design in the Digital Era”
Prof. Chang Yaping, Huazhong University of Science and Technology – “Generative AI: Industrial Landscape, Technical Principles, and Externalities”
Prof. Li Xiuping, National University of Singapore – “New Consumer Behavior in the Blended Reality and Virtuality World”
Prof. Gao Weihe, Shanghai University of Finance and Economics – “AIGC Marketing”
Prof. He Xinming, Durham University – “International Online Sales Channel Research”
Prof. Chen Xingyu, Shenzhen University – “Optimizing Content Strategies for Social Media Influencer Marketing”
A special “Meet the Editors” session was also held with editors and associate editors from over 10 top journals including Management World, Management Science, Journal of Business Research, and Asian Journal of Business Research.
Doctoral and Parallel Forums
The Doctoral Forum featured keynote presentations from leading scholars including:
Prof. Huang Yunhui, Nanjing University
Prof. Zhuang Mengzhou, The University of Hong Kong
Prof. Zhang Xiaoling, Shanghai University of International Business and Economics
Assoc. Prof. Jia Yanli, Xiamen University
Prof. Meng Lu, Wuhan University
Asst. Prof. Yang Zheshuai, Zhejiang University
Asst. Prof. Liu Yi, University of Wisconsin–Madison
Assoc. Prof. Li Shaobo, Southern University of Science and Technology
Assoc. Prof. Hu Yansong, University of Warwick
Asst. Prof. Cong Ziwei, Georgetown University
Assoc. Prof. Wang Dianwen, China University of Mining and Technology
Additionally, Prof. Bao Yeqing (University of Alabama in Huntsville), Prof. Li Jin (North Dakota State University), and Prof. Cui Peng (West Virginia University) conducted career workshops and recruitment talks for doctoral candidates.
The parallel sessions covered a wide range of cutting-edge topics such as:
Scholars and graduate students from around the globe presented high-quality research papers under these themes.
Formation of CMSA Council
The inaugural council of the Chinese Marketing Scholars Association was also established during the conference. Prof. Zhang Zhong (Wharton, UPenn) and Prof. Zeng Fuo’e (Wuhan University) were elected as co-chairs representing overseas and domestic scholars, respectively. The conference secretariat is housed at the School of Economics and Management, CUMT.
This year’s conference successfully created a vibrant academic platform for theoretical exploration and practical innovation in areas such as digital marketing, organizational transformation, and sustainable development, and significantly contributed to the advancement of marketing and management disciplines worldwide.
Writers: Liu Zirui, Lü Zhanyi
Photography: School of Economics and Management
Reviewed by: Chen Feiyu (1st), Liu Ning (2nd), Li Xinchun (3rd)
