Dr Suzanne Tan Ser Zian

Dr Suzanne Tan Ser Zian

  • Senior Lecturer
  • Programme Leader - Master of Marketing
Department of Marketing Strategy & Innovation
  • ºìÐÓÊÓƵ Business School
SDGs Focus

Biography

With over 15 years of combined experience in the advertising industry and higher education, Suzanne brings a unique blend of industry insight and academic expertise to the field of marketing and advertising education. She has held leadership roles such as Head of Department and Programme Director, where she led curriculum development, programme reviews, and supported research-driven academic initiatives. 

Recognised for her innovative teaching, Suzanne received a Bronze medal at the national AKRI competition and a Gold SPARK Award for transformative, student-centred assessment methods. She believes that meaningful learning is built on trust and authentic connections between students and educators, a philosophy that guides her teaching approach. 

Her research focuses on consumer emotions, advertising effectiveness, and green marketing, with a particular emphasis on advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) (SDG 10), promoting responsible consumption (SDG 12), and fostering partnerships for sustainable development (SDG 17). These themes also inform her innovative teaching practices, where she integrates sustainability and social impact into the learning experience. Her research has been published in leading journals, including Psychology & Marketing, Asia Pacific Journal of Marketing and Logistics (APJML), Journal of Product & Brand Management, and Young Consumers. She has also presented her work at prominent international conferences such as AMA, ANZMAC, and others.  

Academic & Professional Qualifications

  • PhD in Business (Marketing), Monash University, 2020
  • MA International Communication, University of Nottingham, 2009
  • Bachelor in Mass Communication (Hons) Advertising, Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman, 2007
  • Diploma in Mass Communication (Hons) Graphic Design, Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman, 2005

Research Interests

  • Consumer emotions
  • Advertising effectiveness 
  • Green marketing
  • Marketing

Teaching Areas

  • Marketing

Courses Taught

  • Consumer Behaviour
  • Integrated Marketing Communication
  • Research Methods
  • Publicity & Media Writing

Notable Publications

Journal articles:  

  1. Paramitha, V., Tan, S.Z. and Lim, W.M. (2025). Undoing greenwashing: the roles of greenwashing severity, consumer forgiveness, growth beliefs and apology sincerity, Journal of Product & Brand Management, Forthcoming. https://doi.org/10.1108/JPBM-11-2023-4846  
  2. Koay, K. Y., Tan, S. Z., Idris, I., Leong, M. K., & Cheah, C. W. (2025). The bubble tea phenomenon: understanding the role of servicescape in consumers' responses. Asia-Pacific Journal of Business Administration, 17(2), 469-490.  https://doi.org/10.1108/APJBA-01-2024-0015
  3. Tan, P.L., Tjiptono, F. and Tan, S.Z. (2024). Fear more or fear no more: examining the emotional and behavioral consequences of FOMO and JOMO, Asia Pacific Journal of Marketing and Logistics, Forthcoming. https://doi.org/10.1108/APJML-06-2024-0748  
  4. Tan, S.Z., Tjiptono, F., Yang, L., Bandyopadhyay, A. and Thaichon, P. (2024). Access mode of consumption and psychological ownership: exploring the role of self-product connection, Asia Pacific Journal of Marketing and Logistics, 37(4), 1089-1109.  https://doi.org/10.1108/APJML-04-2024-0515
  5. Tan, S.Z., Chan, K. and Tan, P.L. (2023). Segmenting the Malaysian female young adolescent market based on gender roles and identities, Young Consumers, 24(6), 704-720.  https://doi.org/10.1108/YC-01-2023-1675
  6. Tan, S. Z., Bandyopadhyay, A., & Septianto, F. (2023). Relationship (breakup) reminders drive online advertising effectiveness. Psychology & Marketing, 40(6), 1152-1161.  https://doi.org/10.1002/mar.21796
  7. Hassim, N., Tan, S. Z., and Jayasainan, S. Y. (2020). The influence of peer engagement on voting among Malaysian youths through social networking sites, SEARCH Journal of Media and Communication Research, 12(3), p.125-144. Online ISSN: 2672-7080.  
  8. Lee, M.N., Gan, P. L., and Tan, S. Z. (2015). Globalization through community-based projects: Enhancing civic attitudes and competence skills through community-based projects, International Journal of Social Science and Humanity, 5(12), pp. 1003-1008. ISSN:2010-3646.  

 

Conference proceedings:  

  1. Kara, C., and Tan, S. Z. (2022). Segmentation of Malaysian girls by gender roles and its influence on shopping orientations. AIB Asia Pacific Regional Conference, Hong Kong 9 December 2022.  
  2. Tan, S. Z , Tjiptono, F, Lin, Y., Watabe, M. (2022). A balance theory perspective of brand familiarity effects. ANZMAC 2022, Perth 5-7 December 2022.  
  3. Tan, S. Z., Hassim, N., Jayasainan, S. Y., and Gan, C. K. (2018). Effects of Task-technology Fit and Learning Styles on continuance intention to use e-learning app. 17th European Conference of E-learning (ECEL) 2018, Athens 1-2 November 2018, p. 539-546.  
  4. Tan, S. Z., Low, K. H., Watabe, M., Tjitono, F., and Lin, Y. (2018). Cutting through the advertising clutter: The influence of ad-context familiarity on attention and external search behavior. AMA Winter Marketing Educators’ Conference Proceedings 2018, New Orleans, 23-25 February 2018, p. E23-E29.  
  5. Tan, S. Z., Inderjit, K., and Priscilla, M., and Kok, M. (2015). An exploratory study of Community of Inquiry (Col) constructs towards collaborative and reflective learning in the Edublogs, INTED 2015 Proceedings, Madrid, 2-4 MARCH 2015. ISBN:978-84-606-5763-7.  
  6. Lee, M.N., Tan, S. Z., and Woo, S. (2015). Happiness and meaningful engagement through teaching and learning english workshop: A UNHCR community-based project. Proceedings of USM International Conference on Social Science 2015, Universiti Sains Malaysia, 27-28 August 2015, p. 58-65.  
  7. Lee, M., Gan, P. L., and Tan, S. Z. (2014). Globalization through community-based projects: Enhancing civic attitudes and competence skills through community-based projects, 4th International Conference on Humanities, Society and Culture, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. ISBN:2010-3646  
  8. Lee, M., Tan, S. Z., and Gan, P. L. (2014). The relationship between youth’s civic attitudes and competence skills, 2014 International Conference on Social Science and Management, Kyoto, Japan, 7-9 May 2014. ISBN:978-986-89536-9-7.  
  9. Inderjit, K., Lee, M.N., and Tan, S.Z. (2012). Acceptance of blog: The engagement of students towards positive learning in higher learning institution, The Proceedings of the 11th European Conference on e-Learning, University of Groningen, Netherlands, 26-27 OCT 2012, p. 634-637.  

 

Achievements & Accolades

2023 -

Student Appreciation of Teaching Award, ºìÐÓÊÓƵ University, 2023 

2018 -
Awarded Best Poster Presentation at ECEL Conference at University of Groningen, 2018
2018 -
Awarded Bronze Award for the transformative teaching alternative assessment award at AKRI competition,
2018 -
Awarded Gold Award for Taylor’s University SPARK award for Excellence in Teaching,
2018 -
Awarded Bronze Medal for International University Carnival on E-learning (IUCEL) Poster Presentation, 2018
2017 -
Awarded Bronze Award for Taylor’s University SPARK award for Excellence in Teaching,
2015 -
Awarded Best Paper (Early Stage) at Monash University 9th Doctoral Colloquium,
2011 -
UTAR Outstanding Teaching Performance, -2012
2008 -
Awarded UTAR-Nottingham Scholarship for Postgraduate study,

Professional Associations

  1. Member of American Marketing Association (AMA), since December 2017
Pitch Perfect: Authentic Learning with Dutch Lady & PHD Media