Dr Hayley Cocker
Senior LecturerResearch Overview
Hayley's research focuses on the social and cultural aspects of consumption. She is particularly interested in influencer marketing and celebrity/ influencer culture as well as risky or deviant consumption contexts. Her research has looked at young people's alcohol consumption, the production and consumption of celebrities and celebrity brands, the popularity and appeal of YouTube celebrities, consumer responses to influencers' advertising content, consumers' parasocial relationships with social media influencers, and the fan communities that surround social media stars.
Hayley is the deputy director for the Centre for Consumption Insights. Her research has appeared in international peer-reviewed journals such as the Journal of Consumer Research, European Journal of Marketing, Journal of Business Research, Marketing Theory and Journal of Marketing Management.
Hayley's research and expertise on influencers has featured in media outlets such as The Guardian, The Observer, Business Insider, and The Daily Express.
Current Teaching
Winner of Lancaster University's 'Pilkington Teaching Award 2023' and winner of the 'Early Career Teacher of the Year Award 2017' at the Lancaster University Management School's Dean Awards.
Current teaching includes:
Undergraduate Teaching
MKTG232 Advertising (Module Leader)
MKTG331 Research & Consultancy - Advertising Projects
Postgraduate Teaching
MKTG556 Influencer Marketing (Module Leader)
MKTG505 Marketing Communications (Module Leader)
Professional Role
I was the Programme Director for the MSc Marketing for 3 years from September 2018 to August 2021.
PhD Supervisions Completed
Charlotte John (2025) "Esports and the spatial legitimation of a market"
Anuja Pradhan (2020) "‘Strategies from below’: Middle-class British Indian consumers’ navigations of ethnic identification and intergenerational cultural transmission."
Virginia Mwangi (2018) "Social representations of marketplace immorality: The case of the Kenyan illicit alcohol market."
PhD Supervision Interests
I am interested in supervising PhD students in the broad area of Consumer Culture Theory (CCT), and in particular topics related to Celebrity Culture and Influencer Marketing.
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Grace-Net: The Gambling Resilience and Community Engagement Network for Prevention, Protection and Recovery
27/04/2026 → 26/04/2027
Research
LUMS Research Conference 2026
Participation in conference -Mixed Audience
Publishing in a Top Marketing Journal: Insights from the JCR Publication Process
Invited talk
Key findings from 10 years of studying the dynamics of influencer-follower relationships
Invited talk
Trust, Influence and the Future of Social Media Marketing
Public Lecture/ Debate/Seminar
Internal PhD Examiner for Ziyi Yang
Examination
Departmental Research Seminar with Dr Carlos Diaz Ruiz
Participation in workshop, seminar, course
Internal PhD Examiner for Apisara Khli-In
Examination
Collective Neutralization: How Consumption Communities Survive Vilification
Invited talk
Social divisions and Social Responsibility in Branding, Advertising and Marketing.
Public Lecture/ Debate/Seminar
CCI Roundtable Session on Jingle Bells & Shopping Spells: Unpacking the Christmas Consumption Frenzy
Public Lecture/ Debate/Seminar
How Social Media Influencers Impact Consumer Collectives: An Embeddedness Perspective
Invited talk
External PhD Examiner for Zhaozhang Sun
Examination
How Perfectly Imperfect broadcasts cultural cool
Expert Opinion
Under the Influence: Are Social Media 'Gurus' Preying on our Insecurities?
Public Lecture/ Debate/Seminar
Internal PhD Examiner for Jiahui Zhao
Examination
CCI Roundtable Session on The Cost of Living Crisis
Participation in workshop, seminar, course
CCI Roundtable Session on Social Media’s Otherworldly Subcultures
Public Lecture/ Debate/Seminar
CCI Roundtable Session on the Cost of Living Crisis
Public Lecture/ Debate/Seminar
- Centre for Consumption Insights
- Gambling Resilience and Community Engagement Network
- Networks, Knowledge and Strategy