Consumerism drives the present society. Firms seek to distinct themselves from their competitors by offering experience rather than promote services or items. Retail spectacles consist of manufacturer-regulated environments where entertainment is the main consumption. Researchers claim that clients come to retail stores for entertainment spectacles, not to buy products, although purchasing items is a plus. In the end, the retailer has to provide experience together with the good or tap into a consumer feelings and memories. This essay seeks to clarify the consumer brand meaning by gaining insight into consumer brands linked to shopping malls and their limitations.
Analysis of the article
The mall environment and items displayed play a huge role in influencing consumer satisfaction. On the other hand, brands respond to consume satisfaction by adjusting trademark attitudes based on criteria consumers find attractive (Merrilees, Miller, & Shao, 2016). Malls provide variety of shopping items and services. In addition, cinemas and eateries contribute to experiential branding within the mall. Therefore, to remain a cut above the rest, most business owners incorporate experiential methods in their stores.
Reasons for applying Experiential Branding
The reason behind the rationale for an experience-centered branding perspective is the idea that many consumers want the product and the experience that comes with the product. For example, cheapest fast food restaurants fail to impress consumers if their services are slow and ineffective (Merrilees, Miller, & Shao, 2016). Therefore, experience is a constant necessity. Furthermore, a brand like McDonald specialized in making customized hamburgers compared to other food outlets in the 1950s.
Experiential branding works both theoretically and practically (Merrilees, Miller, & Shao, 2016). While it improves loyalty, recent studies reveal that it engages customers in a manner that generates value for their money. Therefore, a consumer’s fulfillment comes from the entire experience journey instead of coming into contact with the product and going home.
Criteria of applying experiential marketing
Branding involves sending a message from one person to another, which in turn pushes the sales up, and assists a businessperson attain their objectives. Experiential perspective is a two-way cycle (Merrilees, 2017). The cycle consists of a consumer interacting with the product and the bond that results from the communication. Live brands make use of live events as a means of enhancing experience of their consumers through activities and hearing. Moreover, the tasks increase the value of the products even in a consumer’s own surrounding. What is more is that experiential marketing integrates consumer requirements with the aim of fulfilling them through effective communication. Besides, communication brings out the item’s personality and ideas hence, the target audience feel more appreciated.
A mall enhances commoditization, which implies that unique brands compete with each other for attention from consumers. As a result, the brands raise the bar and compete on price difference (Merrilees, 2017). This is where experiential marketing comes into play and gives a particular brand an upper hand when engaging with consumers. It is possible for a brand to acknowledge its failure whenever it does not have a competitive advantage derived from its services and goods. A competitive advantage requires a high degree of variation, which may be inclusive of an experiential factor. If possible, the objectives of a brand should incline toward experiential marketing rather than theoretical strategies that do not transform the items. In other words, the experiential component of a product has to give it an edge over its competitors.
On the other side, social aspects of a business such as a friendly face make up experiential ingredients. Good customer care services reinforce product experience consequently enhancing the image of the brand.
Effects of management on experiential marketing
Good management of an item points to an effective experiential technique on the ground. Administration incorporates quality, which is in line with proper consumer policies, depicting a good picture on arrival to the market (Merrilees, 2017). Indeed, experiential marketing starts from the firm’s management to the salesperson’s decision, it is a pendulum effect swinging both ways. It is vital to note that brand administration considers ethical issues and safeguards the operations of a company in turn facilitating the manufacture of a quality item. However, does not imply perfect but improving on a daily basis.
Advantages of experiential branding
It assists firms increase sales. Experience develops bond between a consumer and the product creating value, improving the item’s image. In the end, a consumer will certainly buy the product next time he or she needs it (Merrilees, 2017). In addition, experiential brings the item to life and customizes its image according to the eyes of the consumer.
Secondly, increases the presence of the product within market. Experiential marketing shares with the public various aspects of the product (Merrilees, 2017). For example, when a consumer has a good experience with a certain item, he or she will share the knowledge with others consequently creating an ever presence of the item.
In summary, consumers develop loyalty for anything that appeals to their emotions. The ability to incorporate feelings while marketing triggers association with a brand. Experience wakes up emotions. Hence, when the consumer is in need of an item, he or she will likely settle on a good he or she has an emotional attachment to. In the end, the emotions will facilitate the purchase or transaction of a brand thus assists close the deal.
References
Merrilees, B. (2017). Experience-centric branding: challenges and advancing a new mantra for corporate brand governance. Journal of Brand Management, 24(1), 1-13.
Merrilees, B., Miller, D., & Shao, W. (2016). Mall brand meaning: an experiential branding perspective. Journal of Product & Brand Management, 25(3), 262-273.
