Dr. Maria Voutsa | Social Sciences | Best Researcher Award
Cyprus University of Technology | Cyprus
Academic Background
Dr. Maria Voutsa holds a Ph.D. in Advertising and Consumer Behavior, a Master of Science in Management and Information Technology, and a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics, all from Aristotle University of Thessaloniki. Her doctoral research focused on disparaging humorous advertising and the moderating effects of individual differences in humor perception. During her studies, she combined quantitative and computational methods, including neural networks and least squares approximation, to examine consumer responses to advertising content. Her strong foundation in both mathematics and management has enabled her to conduct rigorous, data-driven research in marketing communication. According to Google Scholar, her work has been cited 142 times with an h-index of 5, and her publications are referenced by 56 documents in Scopus, reflecting a growing international academic impact.
Research Focus
Dr. Voutsa’s research centers on marketing communication and consumer behavior, with particular attention to the use of humor, persuasion strategies, and AI-mediated digital contexts. She explores how consumers respond to different advertising approaches, including emotional storytelling, digital narratives, and sustainability messaging. Her work also examines generational differences, focusing on how young consumers engage with technology-driven advertising and influencer content.
Work Experience
Dr. Voutsa currently serves as Special Teaching Staff in the Department of Communication and Marketing at Cyprus University of Technology and as a research assistant at ESCP Business School. She has previously held positions as a research scholar at the University of Macedonia, participating in EU-funded projects examining gender responses to advertising. Her teaching experience spans undergraduate and postgraduate courses in digital marketing, consumer behavior, data analytics, and AI in marketing. She integrates empirical projects, applied case studies, and industry collaboration into her teaching, fostering student engagement and research-led learning.
Key Contributions
Dr. Voutsa has contributed significantly to the understanding of humor in advertising and the role of AI in marketing communication. She has published multiple journal articles, book chapters, and conference proceedings and has delivered over twenty presentations at international conferences. Her work provides insights into how emotional and humorous advertising influences consumer attitudes, brand engagement, and purchase intention, bridging theory and practice in marketing research.
Awards & Recognition
Dr. Voutsa has received prestigious scholarships for her academic performance and research excellence, including competitive EU co-financed funding for her doctoral studies. Her master’s thesis was recognized with an award in a European competition, highlighting the impact and quality of her research contributions.
Professional Roles & Memberships
She is actively engaged in the academic community as a reviewer for leading marketing and psychology journals, a program committee member for international conferences, and an associate editor for Springer. She also serves on steering and advisory committees, contributing to the development of marketing research standards and practices.
Profile
scopus | orcid | Google Scholar
Featured Publications
Daskalaki, V. V., Voutsa, M. C., Boutsouki, C., & Hatzithomas, L. (2020). Service quality, visitor satisfaction and future behavior in the museum sector. Journal of Tourism, Heritage & Services Marketing (JTHSM), 6(1), 3–8.
Hatzithomas, L., Voutsa, M. C., Boutsouki, C., & Zotos, Y. (2021). A superiority–inferiority hypothesis on disparagement humor: The role of disposition toward ridicule. Journal of Consumer Behaviour, 20(4), 923–941.
Tsichla, E., Voutsa, M. C., Margariti, K., & Hatzithomas, L. (2021). Gender responses to emotional appeals in advertising: Comparing self-reports and facial expressions. In Advances in Advertising Research (Vol. XI): Designing and Communicating (pp. –).
Voutsa, M. C., Tsichla, E., Hatzithomas, L., & Margariti, K. (2021). Examining consumer responses to YouTube ads through facial expressions and self-reports: The role of gender identity and emotional appeals. International Journal of Internet Marketing and Advertising, 15(4), 368–393.
Voutsa, M. C. (2024). Disparaging humorous advertising: A bibliometric review. Journal of Marketing Communications, 1–25
Impact Statement / Vision
Dr. Voutsa’s work bridges marketing theory and practice by providing actionable insights into consumer engagement with humor, AI, and digital advertising. Her vision is to advance the understanding of ethical, persuasive, and sustainable communication in contemporary marketing landscapes.