Biography
ACADEMIC AND PROFESSIONAL ENGAGEMENT ACTIVITIES
Dr. Faa Taheran is an Assistant Professor of Marketing at the Lubin School of Business. Before entering academia, she worked as a brand researcher and advertising strategist, helping brands craft and share compelling stories. At Lubin, she teaches courses in advertising strategy and creativity, blending her professional expertise with her lifelong passion for advertising and consumer behavior.
Dr. Taheran’s research focuses on two main areas. The first is the role of social influence in consumer behavior, including how consumers respond to social media influencers, virtual influencers, and human-like (anthropomorphized) products and brands. The second is consumer-brand relationships, examining how consumers connect with and relate to brands. Her work has appeared in leading journals such as the European Journal of Marketing, Psychology & Marketing, and the Journal of Advertising Research.
Outside of academia, Dr. Taheran is a marathon runner who loves exploring New York City on foot. She can often be found running through the city’s neighborhoods, searching for the perfect pair of running shoes, or trying a new coffee spot.
Education
Marketing
MBA, University of Tehran, Tehran
Master of Business Administration
BS, Amirkabir University of Technology, Tehran
Materials Engineering
Publications and Presentations
SELECTED CONTRIBUTIONS & PUBLICATIONS
Thomas, V.L., Fowler, K., Taheran, F., Mortazavi, A. (2025). Explication of the Virtual Influencer Ecosystem. Journal of Advertising Research. 66(1), 1-23.
Thomas, V., Fowler, K., Taheran, F. (2024). How Social Media Influencer Collaborations Are Perceived by Consumers. Psychology & Marketing. 41(1), 168-183.
Taheran, F., Thomas, V., Fowler, K., Mortazavi, A. (2024). Understanding the Application of Evolutionary Psychology in Consumer Behavior: A Review and Future Research Agenda. Psychology & Marketing. 41(10), 2431-2447.