Dr Marco Scalvini

Biography

Marco Scalvini is a Senior Lecturer in the Communications and Media Programme at London College of Communication. His work focuses on the ethical and moral dimensions of visibility in advertising and strategic communication, particularly how brands respond to global social injustices and conflicts. Additionally, Marco explores the "economy of suffering" in public health communication, analyzing how marginalized communities contest and reshape narratives of suffering, especially during crises such as the 2022 Mpox outbreak.


Over five years, Marco developed a project that culminated in his book, Brand Activism: Advertising and the Ethics of Visibility. In this work, he critically analyzes how brands navigate social injustices, such as the war in Ukraine and the Gaza conflict, revealing how they selectively amplify certain causes while obscuring others. His framework sheds light on the ethical implications of visibility and invisibility in advertising, showing how commercial objectives often lead to the exclusion of more politicized or challenging narratives.

Drawing on interviews with post-Millennial consumers across North America, Europe, and Asia, Marco explores how individuals negotiate moral responsibility in their consumer choices. His research also tracks the rise of consumer activists who challenge brands to be accountable for their roles in global justice. Marco critiques the reluctance of brands to engage with politically sensitive issues, particularly those concerning the Global South, and demonstrates how this avoidance distorts the portrayal of moral responsibility in advertising.


In addition to his work on brand activism, Marco was awarded an Early Start Grant from the Wellcome Trust to investigate the ethical implications of communication during the 2022 Mpox outbreak. His research examines how social media and public health officials shaped the response to the outbreak, particularly how marginalized communities were affected. Introducing the concept of the "economy of suffering," Marco argues that marginalized groups not only experience systemic inequities but also actively challenge and reshape the narratives surrounding their suffering, offering a deeper insight into the intersection of power dynamics and public health communication.