Bridging at the Frontiers: Marketing for a World in Transition
As the AMA’s first conference outside the U.S., Bridging at the Frontiers highlights marketing’s unique role in connecting diverse ideas, geographies and priorities while exploring the boundaries of innovation and practice. In today’s world of transition—marked by geopolitical tensions, within-country polarization and ideological contests, environmental challenges and the transformative impact of AI—marketers must navigate complex trade-offs and seize opportunities to create meaningful value.
The 2026 theme emphasizes the dual challenge of bridging divides—local and global, technological and human, ideological and practical—while advancing the frontiers of what marketing can achieve. How can marketing leaders respond to shifting societal norms and skepticism toward policies of sustainability and inclusion while fostering trust across diverse audiences? What role can AI play in transforming customer journeys while driving ethical innovation and equitable growth, such as balancing personalization with privacy and fairness? How can firms manage the dynamic tension between global ambitions and local relevance, ensuring their strategies resonate across distinct cultural and economic contexts?
Join us to explore these pressing questions and opportunities, from rethinking how marketing helps to balance resilience and efficiency in rapidly evolving markets to leveraging emerging technologies to address societal challenges. Together, we’ll bridge the gap between academia and practice, connect global trends with local realities, and chart new frontiers for marketing in a dynamic and interconnected world in transition.
Registration
Why Attend?
Hear new perspectives from colleagues across the discipline at this premier marketing research event, where top-tier scholars will present their compelling research.
Engage in conversations about the latest research topics with researchers, reviewers and editors using our inclusive community and contribute to a more comprehensive approach to marketing.
Connect with like-minded scholars through various learning and networking opportunities.
Celebrate milestones within the community as AMA honors the 2026 AMA Fellows cohort, the 2026 AMA-Irwin-McGraw-Hill Distinguished Marketing Educator Award recipient, and other distinguished winners.
Maximize Your Time Onsite
February 12, 2026 | Madrid
Submit your research for the opportunity to join the inaugural AMA-Sheth Foundation Early Career Consortium—a unique opportunity to learn from experienced researchers and engage in hands-on, collaborative sessions designed to refine your research for top-tier journal submissions. marketing journals.
This event is by invitation only, through the acceptance of your abstract. The submission deadline is November 3, 2025.
February 11-12, 2026 | Madrid
Join the 11-year anniversary of the OFR Symposium and explore the latest scholarly research and industry trends related to organizational frontlines.
February 12, 2026 | Madrid
This pre-conference will convene scholars and change-makers to explore how marketing can contribute to a more sustainable, healthy, and just world.
Request An Invitation
Receive your invitation letter to this year’s conference by generating your certificate quickly and easily using the form below.
Conference Co-Chairs
Michael Haenlein
ESCP Business School
K. Sudhir
Yale University
Ela Veresiu
York University
Meet the 2026 Conference Track Chairs
AMA Event Policies
- Breakfast and lunch are included with your registration each day, Friday through Sunday.
- On Friday and Sunday, lunch runs concurrently with sessions and is staggered to allow presenters time to eat.
- February 9 virtual conference: Central Standard Time (CST)
- February 13-15 in-person conference: Central European Summer Time (CEST)
Thursday, February 12
Pre-Conferences
Friday, February 13
Sessions & Receptions
Saturday, February 14
Sessions & Receptions
Sunday, February 15
Sessions
Madrid Marriott Auditorium Hotel & Conference Center
Avenida de Aragón, 400 – 28022 Madrid, Spain
Phone: +34 91-400-4400
Room Rate:
We’ve secured an AMA room block at a special rate of $200.00 EUR for single occupancy and $230.00 EUR for double occupancy per night. 10% VAT is not included in the room rate. VAT rate to be applied according to legislation at the time of check out.
To make reservations, Reserve online. If you need assistance with reservations, please contact booking@marriottauditorium.com.
Please reserve your overnight accommodations early as a limited number of AMA special rates are available. The reservation cut-off date has been extended to December 10, 2025.
At the time of booking, a credit card is required to guarantee your reservation, but no advance deposits will be charged to the credit card. Upon check-in, you can present the credit card used as a guarantee, or you may use a different card for payment.
Please know that any hotel room booked outside the AMA negotiated block may not be eligible for the discounted rate. Those reservations may also have a different cancellation policy and will not be eligible for reimbursement in the event of cancellation.
Transportation
The Hotel provides a complimentary airport shuttle service based on availability (the shuttle has 19 seats).
The Hotel also provides a complimentary shuttle service to Plenilunio Mall. Please contact the Hotel for details.
Area Attractions, Events and Tourism
Visit Madrid Marriott Experiences for hotel and local attractions.
ADA
The AMA is committed to providing equal access to our meetings for all attendees. If you are an attendee with a disability and require program accommodations, please contact the AMA Support Center at (800) AMA-1150. A member of our staff will ensure that appropriate access arrangements are made. If you have specific disability-related needs for your hotel sleeping room, please be sure to communicate those directly to the hotel when you make your reservation. In an effort to provide the highest quality of service to all attendees, we require that details of all access requests be communicated to our office at least 14 days in advance of the beginning of the meeting.
