Bryce Whitwam, PhD

Program Director, Digital Advertising

Bryce Whitwam is both a communication scholar and an advertising industry veteran, recently earning his PhD in Mass Communications from the Newhouse School at Syracuse University. Whitwam's research focuses on the impact of persuasive knowledge on global social commerce and livestream shopping. He has published articles in peer-reviewed journals and industry publications on these subjects. 

Whitwam spent over 25 years in the advertising and marketing research business in Asia, with 17 years in China. He served in senior roles at Nielsen, Ogilvy, MullenLowe, and McCann. Fluent in Mandarin, he served as Greater China CEO for Wunderman (WPP) for over 10 years, managing a team of around 500 across four offices.

Whitwam is also co-host of ShanghaiZhan, the world's most popular English-language podcast dedicated to China marketing and advertising. His extensive industry experience informs both his research and his approach to teaching the next generation of communication professionals.

Education

PhD in Mass Communications, S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications, Syracuse University; Syracuse, NY.

MBA, Thunderbird School of Global Management, Arizona State University, Phoenix, AZ

BA, Russian Area Studies & Political Science, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN

Publications/Research Listings

Whitwam, B. (2025). Global Cultural Convergence in Social Commerce: How Platforms Transform Trust-Building among Gen Z Consumers. Journal of Internet Commerce, 1-23.

Whitwam, B. (2023). Marketing and Social Media: Staying Ahead of the Most Dynamic Market on Earth. In Selling to China: Stories of Success, Failure, and Constant Change (pp. 77-98). Singapore: Springer Nature Singapore.