BRAND EXPERIENCE 403POP communications research
POP communications should be pre- and post-tested. In a pre-test, the attention-grabbing
character of diff erent displays, fl oor ads, wobblers, shelf tags, etc., can be assessed. If inform-
ing consumers is an objective of the POP communications, also the extent to which the
information is easy to understand, believable, useful, etc., should be pre-tested. To get an idea
of what the POP communications mean in terms of brand image, consumers’ opinions may
be solicited. Th is type of research is very similar to advertising research. However, since
the objective of most POP campaigns is to stimulate immediate sales, most POP commu-
nications research will focus on behavioural response measures. Th erefore, as is the case for
sales promotions research, eff ectiveness measures will concentrate on the evolution of sales
compared with (comparable) previous periods, or on the comparison of diff erent types of
POP communications as to their ability to generate extra sales.Brand experience
Th e most powerful instrument to activate consumers is a positive brand experience. A brand
experience can be defi ned as ‘sensations, feelings, cognitions, and behavioral responses
evoked by brand-related stimuli that are part of a brand’s design and identity, packaging,
communications, and environments’.^89 Just the product itself or any single communications
tool can deliver a brand experience. However, as most of the following examples will show,
strong results are more likely when an integrated approach is used and the brand experience
is related to the brand promise. Brand activation by means of creating brand experiences
should bring the spirit of the brand to life. By doing so, the brand’s promise becomes more
credible and acceptable. In addition, stimulating brand interactions (both between the con-
sumer and the company and among consumers) enhances consumers’ engagement, making
brand purchase and repurchase more likely. Recent academic research indeed shows that
brand experiences have a direct eff ect on consumer satisfaction and loyalty, as well as an
indirect eff ect via a change in brand personality associations.^90 Consumers also appear to
use their experienced emotions (sometimes even more than product characteristics) to
evaluate brands. Consequently, next to brand awareness and cognitive associations, brand
experiences should also be considered as key drivers of brand equity.^91Objectives and dimensions of experiential marketing
Brand experiences serve diverse objectives and functions ( Figure 12.13 ). A fi rst objective
of experiential marketing is to attract attention to the brand. As experiences form stronger
traces in consumers’ memory and a brand experience makes sure the experience is closely
linked to the brand, a strong brand experience normally results in increased brand awareness
and brand recall. By making a brand’s promise more tangible and making a brand alive, brand
experiences can also aim to increase brand comprehension. By relating useful and/or pleasur-
ing experiences to the brand, a third objective – a more positive brand image – can be
reached. Clever activation campaigns can make the brand stand out and/or make the brand
contemporary again. As experiential marketing can be used in a very targeted way, it can also
be used to enhance the brand image in specifi c target groups. If carried out in a proper way,
experiential marketing is more involving than traditional campaigns, increasing customers’
engagement. As a consequence, customer loyalty and strong brand relationships may be
formed. Finally, as is the case for all activation campaigns, the main goal of creating brand
experiences remains to increase sales in the short term.
In order to reach these objectives, marketers should tap into one or more experiential
dimensions. Schmitt distinguishes the following experiential modules or dimensions: sense,M12_PELS3221_05_SE_C12.indd 403M12_PELS3221_05_SE_C12.indd 403 5/6/13 2:58 PM5/6/13 2:58 PM