Rumbidzai Gandiwa

PhD Student, Munster Technological University

Project Title: Experiential Marketing: A study of augemented and virtual reality technology’s influence on digital natives’ brand engagement.

Biography: I am an MA. in Public Relations with New Media graduate from Munster Technological University in Cork, Ireland, with a BSc. in International Marketing from Chinhoyi University of Technology in Zimbabwe. My professional experience includes three years in the energy industry, and 2 years in the education and non-profit sector where I successfully delivered effective communication and stakeholder engagement strategies as part of diverse communications teams.

My research interests include communications, strategy, and technology, with specific focus on MarTech (marketing technologies). At ADVANCE CRT, I am focusing on experiential marketing and how it can be combined with technologies like VR and AR to enhance society and the lives of individuals in their consumption activities and interactions with brands.

In my spare time I enjoy watching documentaries, travelling, and reading African literature and classic novels.

Supervisors: Dr. Rose Leahy (MTU) and Dr. Pio Fenton (MTU)