Marketing Communications

404 CHAPTER 12 BRAND ACTIVATION

feel, think, act and relate.^92 More recent research points out that the feel and relate dimensions

converge as the relate dimension usually goes together with strong emotions.^93 Ideally, mar-

keters should try to create holistic brand experiences evoking at the same time sensory, aff ec-

tive, intellectual and behavioural experiences. Table 12.4 describes the diff erent experiential

dimensions, which we will discuss in more detail below.^94

Sense

Consumers become conscious of products, brands and marketing actions by their senses.

Unlike store atmospherics, the importance of which was laid out a few decades ago,^95 s e n s o r y

Figure 12.13 Objectives of brand experiences

Table 12.4 Decomposing brand experience in different experiential dimensions

Experiential

dimension

Description of the experiential

dimension

Examples of brands scoring

high on the dimension

Sense Creating sensory experiences through

the senses of sight, sound, touch, taste

and smell. Ideally marketers follow the

principle of ‘cognitive consistency/

sensory variety’ by sticking to a clear,

consistent underlying concept

combined with fresh and new elements

Ferrari, Victoria’s Secret,

Disney, Apple, Starbucks,

Lego, Puma, Toys ‘R’ Us,

The Body Shop,

Abercrombie & Fitch,

BMW

Feel/Relate Creating affective experiences by

appealing to customers’ inner feelings

and emotions and/or by relating the

customer to a broader social system.

Affective experiences can range from

mildly positive moods to strong

emotions of joy and pride

Disney, Victoria’s

Secret, Hallmark,

Starbucks,

Harley-Davidson,

BMW

Think Appealing to the intellect by engaging

consumers in convergent/analytical

and/or divergent/imaginative thinking

experiences

Lego, Sudoku,

Apple, Fair

Trade, The Body

Shop

Act Enriching customers’ lives by

stimulating motor actions and

behavioural experiences and showing

them alternative ways of doing things

Adidas,

Gatorade,

Puma, Nike

Source : Based upon Schmitt, B. (1999), Experiential Marketing , New York: Free Press; Schmitt, B. (1999), ‘Experiential Marketing’,

Journal of Marketing Management , 15, 53–67; and Brakus, J.J., Schmitt, B.H. and Zarantonello, L. (2009), ‘Brand Experience: What

Is it? How Is it Measured? Does it Affect Loyalty?’, Journal of Marketing , 73 (May), 52–68.

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