
Dr Fiona Spotswood
BA, MA, PhD
Expertise
I have a particular interest in marketing for social change and transformative consumer research. My research focuses on lived experiences of leisure time physical activity and how these can be, and are, shaped by, marketing.
Current positions
Associate Professor in Marketing and Consumption
University of Bristol Business School
Contact
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Biography
I am Associate Professor in Marketing and Consumption with a particular interest in social marketing and marketing for behaviour change and in theoretical approaches underpinning intervention for social change. I edited a (2016) book entitled 'Beyond Behaviour Change' which focused on interdisciplinary approaches to behaviour change, and led a seminar series (funded by the ESRC) with the same title. My work particularly explores the lived experiences of physical activity by different groups (particularly those for whom LTPA is not an everyday experience). I explore the role of marketing in shaping these expeirences, both from a critical perspective and from a social marketing 'behaviour change' perspective. I am involved in a number of research projects exploring experiences of leisure time physical activity, sport and inactivity amongst different groups, with the purpose of identifying critical insights for marketing and social marketing. Unusual amongst social marketing scholars, I tend to draw on theories of practice in my work and I am interested in exploring how a practice ontology can inform, shape and invigorate social marketing and marketing and consumption scholarship. I take a critical, theoretically informed approach to marketing and consumption research, always with a focus on impact and social change.
Research interests
I am an Associate Professor in Marketing and Consumption with a number of overlapping research interests. I have a particular interest in the consumption of sport and physical activity, and cultures of exclusion. I pay particular attention to the way sporting cultures are written and represented. I am interested in critiquing and theorising how stories are told in marketing and media, how these are consumed as part of sports consumption practices, and how the nexus of storytelling, marketing, media, writing and consumption fosters exclusion, particularly in action sports like mountain biking.
I also have a particular interested in social impact and marketing for behaviour change. I have edited a (2016) book entitled 'Beyond Behaviour Change' which focused on interdisciplinary approaches to behaviour change, and led a seminar series (funded by the ESRC) with the same title. My work in this stream explores the role of marketing in creating and solving society's wicked problems and I focus on applying 'social marketing' thinking, approaches and innovations to societal problems. Within this stream I am particularly interested in physical activity and am involved in a number of research projects exploring novel and innovative theorisations of physical activity and inactivity amongst different groups, with the purpose of identifying critical insights for interventions. Unusual amongst social marketing scholars, I tend to draw on theories of practice in my work and I am interested in exploring how a practice ontology can inform, shape and invigorate social marketing. I also contribute to Critical Social Marketing scholarship by interogating social marketing and intervention, particularly exploring the limitations, ethics and implications of individualist approaches and assumptions about social change. I am particularly interested in bringing insights from social practice theory into the public health intervention space but also explore ingrained practices known to be unsustainable, using interpretive consumer research approaches to theorise, illuminate and explore opportunities for intervention and socil change.
PhD supervision
I am intererested in receiving proposals from potential PGRs whose area of research aligns with my own expertise. Please get in touch! I am particularly interested in projects in the areas of active leisure and sports consumption, practice theoretical ideas in relation to social change and social marketing (in any area, eg. sustainability), and overcoming inequalities in physical activity participation.
Projects and supervisions
Research projects
Gearing Up! Activation
Principal Investigator
Description
To develop a campaign to boost engagement with Gearing Up! and its impactManaging organisational unit
University of Bristol Business SchoolDates
23/02/2026 to 23/12/2026
GenEIOUS (Gender Equality in European Outdoor Sport
Principal Investigator
Description
To embed the FIAS Framework in the work of ENOS (European Network of Outdoor Sport). To develop a Europe wide gender equity project based on FIAS.Managing organisational unit
University of Bristol Business SchoolDates
01/01/2026 to 15/07/2026
Gearing Up! Transformative Marketing Toolkit for Mountain Biking
Principal Investigator
Description
Funded by the AHRC IAADates
03/03/2025 to 30/09/2025
Fostering Inclusive Action Sport in Wales
Principal Investigator
Description
Policy Fellowship to embed the FIAS Framework in the strategic direction of MB WalesDates
01/07/2024 to 31/07/2025
Cycling, Gender Inclusivity and Sports Writing; Past Present and Future
Principal Investigator
Role
Co-Investigator
Description
3 year exploration of the writing about and of cycling - through the perspective of inclusion, exclusion and gender.Dates
01/06/2024 to 31/05/2025
Publications
Recent publications
12/01/2026Harnessing our knowledge of the relationship between experience in greenspace, nature connectedness and pro-environmental behaviour
Cities & Health
Navigating ‘proper food’ and ‘good mothering’ on social media
Food, Culture and Society
FIAS Cymru end of project report
FIAS Cymru end of project report
Social marketing for sustainability
The Routledge Companion to Marketing and Sustainability
Gearing Up!
Teaching
I teach sustainable marketing and social change in marketing at BSc Level (an optional unit on the BSc Marketing programme). I teach on Contemporary Issues in Marketing, focusing on sustainable and social marketing and marketing ethics. I am Head of the Marketing and Consumption Academic Group.



