Traditional Versus Experimental Marketing in The Luxury Industry: Understanding the Effectiveness on Brand Perceptions and Image
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Chapter 1: Introduction
A. Background Information about the Research Study
Generally, the research study will evaluate the potential knowledge about the “Traditional Versus Experimental Marketing in The Luxury Industry: Understanding the Effectiveness on Brand Perceptions and Image”. In this aspect, the researcher will investigate whether the impact of brand use and attributes prototypicality on customers' perceptions of non-luxury brands extends to luxury brands in the luxury brand study streams. Brand use and attribute prototypicality trends produce benchmark reaction values for brands on luxury characteristics based on data from consumers in the United States and China, spanning three luxury segments of Fashion, Jewelry, and Watches. Over 90% of the 580 brand-luxury characteristic pairs assessed by Romaniuk and Huang (2020), can be reliably estimated in their calculation. Since companies' client bases fluctuate over time, it will be easier for practitioners to distinguish between variations in positioning and changes in customer base size when benchmarking scores on luxury qualities are available.
Fashion manufacturers find it more difficult to differentiate themselves from their competitors in an ever-changing and hypercompetitive industry. e-commerce has democratised the fashion industry competitiveness since the media and department stores are no longer the driving force behind fashion sales. Stalling sales are a common occurrence even for fashion businesses adopting cutting-edge tactics like using Amazon and social media. Leading to a shortage of product variety and significant brand switching, client loyalty is at an all-time low (Kim and Sullivan, 2019). For fashion firms, it is imperative that they find fresh ways of attracting customers through appealing to their emotions. Consumers' wants, goals, desires, and egos all play a role in how businesses use emotional branding to involve them in the buying process. Customers are increasingly looking for emotional connections with brands, and this branding approach aims to meet that need. Customers don't overlook how a brand allows them feel, even if the brand's technical aspects are unremarkable.
Personal sentiments and experiences have a greater impact on customer perceptions of brands than objective data such as a product's traits, features, and facts. As a result, emotional branding appears to be an effective method for fostering strong brand loyalty among customers. In order to cultivate brand loyalty, which has been defined as a long-term, devoted, and affect-laden relationship between a customer and a company, emotional branding is a crucial aspect (Chang, 2020). Emotional branding leads to improved customer loyalty, which in turn drives to improved sales. For instance, emotional reactions are three times more likely than ad content to drive buy intentions in response to television marketing.
Customers who are emotionally invested in a brand are worth 52 percent more than those who are just content. There's a good chance that a brand's most loyal customers will be its most lucrative customers. If the organisation wants to connect with fashion customers, emotional branding may be the best way to do so since fashion is typically connected with experimental, symbolic or hedonic items (Jung, Kim and Kim, 2020). The approach of a company that appeals to the emotive state of its customers in order to increase customer loyalty is known as "emotional branding."
Problem Statement of the Research
Generally, during the conduction of the research study, the researcher has faced different kinds of issues and challenges and due to this, the researcher has been obliged to demonstrate and provide some limited knowledge to the learners and the future researchers of this particular study topic. Fundamentally, currently the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic is the greatest threat for efficiently and prominently conducting the research. Due to the prevalence of the COVID-19 pandemic, the researcher has been obliged to do the research with different restriction. Due to the protocol for work from home, the researcher has not been able to conduct his research through interview and survey.
Generally, the face-to-face interview and survey can help the researcher in order to collect the most authentic and reliable information regarding the study. On the other hand, due to having inaccessibility in different sources, the researcher has not been able to collect all kinds of information from the data bases. Usually, the researcher has been obliged to pay for getting access in some relevant and appropriate sources; however, accessing all the paid sources were not possible for the researcher. In addition to this, due to having some limited time, the researcher has not been able to effectively and potentially interpret all the information within this study.
B. Rationale for Conducting Research Project
The researcher will demonstrate and evaluate the significant knowledge and information regarding the study topic “Traditional Versus Experimental Marketing in The Luxury Industry: Understanding the Effectiveness on Brand Perceptions and Image”. Within this, the researcher will determine the variations among the traditional marketing and experimental marketing and even the tools and the uniqueness of these two kinds of marketing. Moreover, the on the other hand, the researcher will effectively examine and experiment the utilisation of experimental marketing as a positive effect on consumer purchasing decision and consumer loyalty (Koivisto and Mattila, 2020). These kinds of effective knowledge have not been evaluated within any particular study relevant to this research. Therefore, it becomes more potential and rationale for the future researchers and the learners. In addition to this, by providing the information and data about various experimental marketing campaign with some instances, the researcher will be able to make this study more resilient and rationale for the readers.
Generally, the previous studies regarding the relevant topic to this, the researchers have put their focus on detecting some specific knowledge about few industries or companies, which are prominently related to fashion in order to limit the information. However, this research will provide and demonstrate a vast range of information and knowledge that will help the future researchers and the learners to be more knowledgeable and recognised about this research. Through this, the researcher will get the success by executing and accomplishing the entire study. Moreover, the relationships between the experimental and traditional marketing and certain aspects of brand perceptions and brand image will be significantly evaluated and analysed within this research study (Wiedmann et al., 2018). In addition to this, the researcher will also provide and recommend some future strategies, which will help the marketers and the companies of different fashion brands to incorporate into their marketing activities.
Through this, the marketing experts will be able to significantly meet with the distinctive needs of the consumers by doing and facilitating several options for traditional marketing and experimental marketing. In this way, the researcher will be prominently able to provide and demonstrate significant knowledge to the future researchers and the learners of this particular study topic (Ihtiyar, Barut and Ihtiyar, 2019). In case the researcher will select one or two specific companies for conducting this study; though, he or she will not be able to provide a vast range of knowledge by comprising almost all the organisational information regarding their traditional and experimental marketing activities.
When it comes to this component, in order to increase the feasibility and potentiality of this research study, the researcher will obtain the most obvious, dependable facts and information from the most viable and legal sources available. These study activities will effectively assist the researcher to establish acceptability and rationalisation for this research, which will be beneficial in the long run (Ebrahim, 2020). It is via this method that the researcher will achieve success in performing and completing the full research study in a timely and effective manner.
C. Aims and Objectives of the Research
1. Research Aim
Fundamentally, this study of the research aims to evaluate and analyse the information and knowledge regarding traditional versus experimental marketing in the luxury industry, which will provide the understanding about the effectiveness on brand perceptions and image.
2. Research Objectives
To identify the distinctions between experimental marketing and traditional marketing methods, as well as the distinctive characteristics of each.
To evaluate whether or not adopting experimental marketing has a beneficial impact on purchase decisions and, therefore, client loyalty.
To consider a variety of experimental marketing initiatives that have been successfully conducted by different Luxury Brands in the past.
To provide examples of probable future methods that fashion brand marketers might use into their experimental and conventional marketing activities.
D. Research Design
It is the structure of market research methodologies and procedures that a researcher chooses. Generally, a well-chosen study design allows researchers to use appropriate methodologies for the study, as well as to set up future studies effectively. As a result, research design follows a distinctive cycle in which an exploratory posture is taken, where a knowledge of an issue is gained and preparations for some kind of intervention approach are created. Once the intervention has begun, multiple means of data collection will be used to compile the findings (Sileyew, 2019). The new intervention tactics are implemented and the cycle procedure is repeated till an adequate knowledge of the issue is reached. For this reason, the procedure follows an iterative or circular approach that begins with conceiving and narrowing down on an issue before moving on to various treatments and assessments.
Through considering this understanding; fundamentally, there are several research design approaches like explanatory, exploratory, case study, descriptive, grounded theory, longitudinal design, etc., which helps in specific studies those are suitable to these research designs. Therefore, in order to efficiently and successfully conduct and accomplish the entire study of this research, the researcher will utilise the explanatory research design method (Sovacool, Axsen and Sorrell, 2018). Through this, the researcher will be able to potentially develop the appropriate and vast range of information and knowledge regarding the study topic. Moreover, the explanatory research design method proficiently helps to appropriately and sufficiently explain all the details regarding the study topic.
1. Significance of the Research
Experiential marketing's impact and applicability will be further illuminated as a result of this study. Furthermore, it aids in the implementation of experiential marketing to raise consumer awareness of the business. The researcher will be able to spread and promote the experiential marketing concept as a result of this. As well as that, the study focuses on ways to improve customer loyalty and views of a brand. As a result, experiential marketing may be used in the present and future (Mohasoa, 2014). Researchers and students alike can benefit from this study's inclusion of tips on how to stimulate a customer's five senses via experience marketing and examples of how businesses employ experimental branding to draw in consumers.
2. Scope and Range of the Research
Generally, by studying and reviewing the entire study, the researcher and the learners of this particular study topic will be able to proficiently develop the knowledge and information regarding the traditional versus experimental marketing in the luxury industry and will be able to understand the effectiveness on brand perceptions and brand image. Moreover, the researcher will potentially develop the information how the marketers will influence the consumers for developing the system of purchasing within their brand. In this way, the marketers and the brands will get more proficient knowledge about how to influence the consumers for traditional or experimental marketing activities.
E. Underpinning Theoretical Concepts and Frameworks
Developing a theoretical framework is one of the most important aspects of a research publication. In all dissertations, it must be included in the opening part. An introduction and description of a research issue is the framework that holds or promotes a hypothesis. A thorough knowledge of the subject's ideas and concepts is shown. And it covers a wider range of topics. The reader is able to examine the work critically because of the clear description of the underlying premises. It provides a link between the researcher and the existing body of knowledge through offering direction from appropriate theory as well as the foundation for hypotheses and methodological decisions. Generalizing an observable event from its description allows researchers to identify its limitations. It identifies the most important factors affecting a phenomenon of interest and emphasises the need of examining how they could change under various conditions.
F. Overview of the Structure of the Dissertation
The first chapter “introduction” introduces the readers with the basic knowledge regarding study. The second chapter “literature review” will interpret the information that will be collected from the scholarly sources. The third chapter “methodology” will describe and demonstrate the knowledge and information about the methods which will be utilised and implemented to accomplish the research. The fourth chapter “Findings” will collect the raw data from the secondary sources. The fifth chapter “discussion” will proficiently analyse the entire data, which will be gathered and interpreted within findings chapter. The sixth chapter “conclusion” will summarise the entire study of the research.
G. Discussion of the Intended and Managerial Contribution of the Research
It is the primary goal of this assignment to assist managers in creating tactics that help consumers enjoy and appreciate their goods, as well as to give basic knowledge to help organisations grow their customer base and increase market share via the notion of brand experience (Zenker and Kock, 2020).
Chapter 2: Literature Review
A. Introduction and Contextualisation
According to the definition provided by Ko, Costello and Taylor (2019) for Luxury Brand Marketing, this approach is one that is focused on establishing the most value and pricing power possible for the luxury brand by utilising the many parts of the luxury brand’s identity to their fullest extent. The amount of money companies spend on experiential marketing is rising rapidly. Moreover, several case studies, empirical research, statistical data, as well as other evidence, show that it is both short-term and long-term effective (Wang and Wang, 2021). The fact that many organisations still have a branding strategy that is heavily dependent on traditional marketing is surprising.
Experiential marketing, as opposed to traditional marketing, focuses on creating memorable brand experiences for customers rather than promoting the characteristics and benefits of a product or service. Traditional marketing relies mainly on highlighting a product’s qualities and benefits in order to entice buyers (Arora, 2013). This idea serves as the foundation for whole advertising efforts. As a result of this, the experiential marketing strategy aims to cultivate brand advocates who will spread the word about the company’s benefits to their friends and family.
As opposed to traditional marketing, experiential marketing approaches competition by recognising that items and services are part of a larger overall consumer experience. Consider how traditional marketing views competition: a new feature could be added to a product — marginally improving a benefit – to beat the competition (Verma and Jain, 2015). An experiential approach, on the other hand, reveals the following truth: in order to set one brand apart from the rest, the complete customer journey must be considered.
The reputation, position, rarity, or class of luxury goods are all upheld by luxury items. You can tell they’re high-end when you hear their names. There are several well-known luxury brands, such as Rolex, Louis Vuitton, Gucci, and Ferrari. Choosing such a brand is a sign of success in life, since many people feel that a status symbol is a way to demonstrate achievement in one’s life (Rahman, Haque and Hussain, 2012). Alternatively, if a brand incorporates the 3Es – Excellent, Exclusive, and Expensive – it may be considered a luxury brand. The top designers in the world create luxury goods and clothes, which come with hefty price tags. In addition, the price should be commensurate with the item’s quality, design, scarcity, and attraction. When it comes to attaining exclusivity, it is important to consider aspects such as price, quality, heritage, and the perceived worth of a company’s brand name.
As opposed to traditional marketing, experiential marketing considers customers to be both rational and emotional at the same time. The conventional marketing strategy assumes that customers’ decisions are always based on logic. It is assumed that their judgments are based only on logical considerations, such as recognising a need, looking for more information, evaluating numerous alternatives, and finally making a purchase decision (Wiedmann et al., 2018). Experiential marketing, on the other hand, adds a significant emotional component to customer behaviour by framing it in terms of the emotions of spontaneity, play, fantasy, and profound emotion. Understanding the contrasts between these two fundamentally opposed methods to marketing may help a luxury firm to determine how much of the marketing budget should be dedicated to an experience strategy.
Consumption is the act of people or groups making decisions about which goods or services they want to consume or discard in order to meet their individual or collective wants and requirements. In order to select a product or service, people consider a variety of factors. Price, quality, and service quality are among these characteristics. Research has shown that, in addition to price and quality, other signals, such as brand, shop name and prior experience, attitude and product information are more essential in determining a product’s worth (Ueacharoenkit and Cohen, 2011). Consumers’ purchasing decisions are influenced by the reference price, according to previous research. Consumers frequently use a company’s brand name as a hint or a proxy for the quality of the products or services they are considering purchasing. According to the researchers, the effect of price is larger when it is offered on its own rather than when it is paired with a well-known brand name. Kapferer and Bastien (2017) claimed that if customers feel that there are distinctions across brands, then the brand name will become the central piece of information in the decision to purchase or repurchase intention of the product. Brands are also used by customers to construct or transmit their own sense of identity or social standing. Associating oneself with a particular brand and making a choice based on the name of the producer are two ways consumers make brand choices. In addition, brand names enhance both the consumer’s self-image and the financial performance of companies.
There are several factors that contribute to a company’s image, according to Hennigs, Wiedmann and Klarmann (2012), including the name of the company and its physical and behavioural qualities, as well as each employee’s opinion of quality while engaging with customers. Reputation has a significant role in the views of a seller’s items’ quality. Liu, Perry and Gadzinski (2019) found that customer familiarity and confidence in a product’s brand and a company’s sales history are strongly influenced by the brand’s history of sales. Long sales history, strong brand imagery, and past positive experiences with the product all contribute to familiarity in the broader market. The views of customers, which have a direct impact on their purchase intentions, were also a source of confidence. According to Li, (2021), image, perceived service quality, trust, and customer switching costs are the main antecedents of customer loyalty, and loyal consumers may purchase more, tolerate higher prices, and have a good word-of-mouth effect. As a result, a company’s image as an attitude must influence its customers’ actions, such as their loyalty. Brand name and image might influence consumers’ buy intentions for consumer items like computers or apparel, according to Islam and Rahman (2016). A study by Setiawan and Sayuti (2017) found that customer loyalty is positively associated with a company’s image in three different industries (telecommunication, retailing and education).
To a large extent, marketing plans are built on promotional efforts. According to the research of Husnain and Toor (2017), promoting items may enhance customers’ cognitive value, raise consumers’ desire to buy, and boost profits for businesses. Today’s businesses strive to keep customers loyal, and promotional activities, rather than traditional advertising methods, have been shown to improve consumers’ desire to buy and their overall consumption. Promotional activities, according to Lin, Bruning and Swarna (2018), have the potential to increase the value of products and services. To be effective, a marketing campaign must communicate the right message to potential customers. A negative impression of the firm and its product will be created if advertising efforts are made to appear more impressive than they actually are. According to Kim and Joung (2016), goods purchases are influenced by the brand. It serves as a guarantee of product quality and gives customers a sense of the value that comes with the purchase of a product. Customers tend to buy items from firms with strong brand images when they’re out shopping. In order to establish a strong brand, companies should use a combination of their own marketing strategies as well as input from their customers. It has the potential to progressively improve the brand’s image.
B. Scholarship
A study by Dhaoui (2014) focused on luxury firms that have integrated the social media era using marketing communication, highlighting the specific features of luxury, such as high quality, rich lineage and uniqueness as well as a traditionally high price, in order to encourage customer involvement. According to the author’s research, luxury brand marketing is an effective way to get customers to interact with the brand via social media. An empirical analysis of 52 Facebook pages belonging to luxury brands was carried out by Dhaoui (2014). Premium brand managers and marketing researchers may use the study’s results to develop and implement social media marketing strategies that maximise the potential of their luxury brands.
A study by Podder and Paul (2020) discussed the relevance of Experiential Marketing and how luxury businesses have benefited from its use, as well as how it has helped them get the notoriety they have today. Experiential Marketing is characterised here as a response to the combination of globalization’s rapid expansion, mass production’s drop in pricing for items, and the Communications enabling of consumers getting access to global pleasures. As well as exploring the ways in which lifestyle shifts in the 20th century have affected marketing, this article also examined the role played by Experiential Marketing in this transformation. There are several advantages to firms and enterprises who use this method in their marketing strategy, but this article also examines the need of it. The study by Podder and Paul (2020) presented qualitative research conducted on the procedures and success stories of organisations like Hermès, Apple, Moët & Chandon and Disney. Research has been bolstered by the use of case studies, which have provided more information on how experiential events have helped to increase brand recognition, sales numbers, and interest percentages.
Mohasoa (2014) conducted a research on MAC Cosmetics and Maybelline New York. It was the goal of this study to evaluate the role of experiential marketing in the cosmetics business, utilising MAC Cosmetics and Maybelline New York as case studies. In his research, he examined the differences between traditional marketing and other approaches, such as experiential marketing. Experiential marketing is stated in the report as a way to connect individuals with a brand and impact their purchase decisions. In addition, the study shed light on the benefits of experiential marketing for both marketers and consumers. Brand identification, memory, and attitude are all linked to experiential marketing, according to a study by Mohasoa (2014). In addition, the study showed how marketers use all of their senses to help customers feel the brand.
Snakers and Zajdman (2010) has conducted a research on marketing of Luxury brands. They began by reading academic papers, books, and other research on the subject of emotions and the use of experiential marketing techniques. This helped them perform the study and make conclusions, therefore they came up with three possibilities. By undertaking a combination of qualitative and quantitative research, these theories have been examined. A study conducted by Snakers and Zajdman (2010) evaluated how customers felt and what they planned to buy at different Lancel locations to determine if the location that utilised experiential marketing performed better. In their qualitative investigation, Snakers and Zajdman (2010) aimed to uncover why Lancel has established this new concept shop. Quantitative data was gathered through the distribution of questionnaires throughout the Lancel chain of outlets. They used a method known as deduction. Qualitative research was carried out through the use of pre-planned interviews and a descriptive technique. Snakers and Zajdman (2010) conducted a study to investigate if there are variations in attitudes and behaviours between consumers who shop in a store that employs experiential marketing and those who shop in a store that does not.
Ihtiyar, Barut and Ihtiyar (2019) researched about experiential marketing and customer experience. As part of their research project, the authors looked at the impact of experiential marketing modules on the experiential values of young clients. The article also looked at the impact of customer satisfaction (CS) and post-purchase behaviour on the impact of experiential values. It also hoped to contribute to a more nuanced understanding of the marketing literature while also bolstering the shift in paradigm. Strategic experience module, social judgement module, and service quality judgments of clients are all assessed using an instrument. Using a survey of 402 Phnom Penh, Cambodian coffee shop customers, researchers were able to get insight into the experiences of youthful consumers. Based on partial least squares-structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM), the constructions and their interconnections were studied. Validity and reliability of the PLS-SEM findings were determined to be sufficient. Experience modules and service quality have a good effect on experiential values, according to the findings. Many service contexts might benefit from this research, according to their findings.
According to Thomsen et al. (2020), research on consumer-focused types of luxury is still in its infancy in the field of consumer goods. Today, luxury experiences are driving the growth of luxury markets, and private, discreet consumption of luxury is on the rise. In order to address these changes, this special issue goes beyond the conventional conception of luxury as including the conspicuous consumption of tangible objects by people of status and instead focuses on how consumers might experience, contribute, generate, or share luxury and what luxuriousness entails. Several articles in the special issue were studied by Thomsen et al. (2020). They looked at subjects including intangible services, hedonic escapes, and ordinary pleasures. Thomsen et al. (2020) discovered new interpretations of exclusivity and the scarcity of common commodities. Articles included in the special edition together provide a more complete picture of what luxury is, and what it can accomplish for customers. They found that although earlier conventional understandings of luxury primarily focused on exclusive status consumption, their findings presented consumer conceptions of luxury for which conventional luxury qualities seem considerably or even wholly different.
In an effort to better understand luxury branding, Keller (2017) provided a list of 10 characteristics. In his presentation, he explored some of the problems and possibilities in managing growth trade-offs. Luxury brands’ growth strategy need an in-depth knowledge of brand equity assessment and brand design. As Keller (2017) clarified, the following characteristics were present:
Luxury businesses need to keep their high-end image; thus, image management is a top responsibility.
Aspirational images and countless intangible brand connotations are the hallmarks of luxury branding.
Marketing programmes for luxury goods must be coordinated to provide high-quality products and services as well as enjoyable purchase and consumption experiences.
Brand equity for luxury companies may be bolstered by factors other than the brand name, such as logos, emblems, packaging, and signage.
Luxury brands’ brand equity can be bolstered by secondary associations with related people, places, events, and things.
In order to maintain their exclusivity, luxury businesses must use a selected channel strategy to distribute their products.
With a premium pricing plan that emphasises quality, there should be no reductions or markdowns.
For premium brands, brand architecture must be carefully controlled.
When competing for discretionary consumer spending with other luxury brands, it is important to define competition for premium companies broadly.
Legally enforcing trademarks and battling counterfeits are essential responsibilities for luxury firms.
Although the concept of a “luxury” brand is subject to discussion, Atwal and Williams (2017) discovered that marketing strategists face new hurdles as luxury brands are accepted by the wealthy and affluent before being translated and reinterpreted for mainstream audiences. Their understanding of luxury companies’ importance was that they must always find fresh and innovative methods to convey their customers’ wishes. For luxury marketers to achieve long-term success, Atwal and Williams (2017) examined the fundamental differences between communication and connection and established a way to engage with the premium customer through brand-related experiences.
Enlightening on brand perception and loyalty, Foroudi et al. (2018) used complexity theory to examine the relationship between brand perception and brand loyalty and brand purchase intention. Perceptional and behavioural brand equity components were conceptualised and implemented in their study. In order to have a better grasp on whether a brand marketing strategy is beneficial, these authors investigated the many aspects of brand perception and assesses the implications of favourable brand perception.
C. Theoretical Framework
Research conducted on luxury brand Facebook pages by Dhaoui (2014) used content analysis to determine the features of social media marketing communications (posts) and customer interaction they created. Data gathered from Facebook’s social networking platform are the focus of this study.
The 2nd edition of the World Luxury Index China has been released by the Digital Luxury Group (2013). Luxe Society, the world’s biggest network of luxury professionals, has partnered with a Chinese consumer study to create this report. Six primary areas were covered in the report’s 400-plus luxury brands: automobiles; fashion; beauty; hotels; watches; jewellery; and jewellery. As a consequence, Dhaoui (2014)’s research sample contained 52 luxury brand names, with the top ten names in each of the following categories making up the sample (Several fashion, jewellery, and watch companies are among the top ten). There are now verified Facebook brand pages for each of the premium brands.
According to Dhaoui (2014), every post on the Facebook pages of the selected brands is a marketing angle that wants to enact one or more of the 8Ps (performance, public figures, placement, public relations, pricing, pedigree, paucity, and persona) used by luxury brand marketing strategists when creating marketing messages. A qualitative data classification procedure based on the 8Ps coding system was used to determine which Ps are being enacted in a post.
For luxury brand managers, the empirical findings from Dhaoui (2014)’s research study gave important insight on how effective each 8P strategy is on social media. These also give luxury brand managers insights on how to create and implement successful social media marketing plans to maximise their luxury brand possibilities. Some of the 8Ps are more important than others when it comes to fostering customer participation. According to this study’s key marketing conclusion, it is possible to influence individual customer involvement by focusing on some luxury brand marketing features rather than others.
The study by Podder and Paul (2020) employed a case study technique to examine the effects of experiential marketing on the luxury sector of marketing. In comparison to traditional marketing, Experiential Marketing has demonstrated to be more effective. Key words such as “Experience,” “Experiential Marketing,” “Consumer Experience Management (CEM), etc. were used to discover relevant existing publications and literature in this field in order to extract the necessary information, which was then categorised based on relevance.
This study was based on qualitative research. This study relied on academic publications, books, professional articles, etc. to acquire important data, which allowed to build a deeper knowledge of the relevance of experiential marketing in the continuously shifting contemporary market scenario, where companies are unable to compete over their competitors by depending exclusively on the features and advantages, they give to their consumers.
A study by Podder and Paul (2020) found that, because luxury products are targeted at those with affluent lifestyles, those customers have a wide range of choices when it comes to meeting their needs. It is therefore critical for luxury brands to reach these customers with a unique storey and provide them with an unforgettable experience. It is critical for these firms to connect with their target audience, since these consumers of luxury goods are accustomed to visiting several events of the same sort and seeing high-end quality products on a regular basis, thus it is essential to suit their needs while tailoring each product to match their profile.
Case study analysis was used by Mohasoa (2014) in his research. When it comes to marketing, Mohasoa (2014) compared traditional and experiential methods by analysing secondary data from the cosmetic industry. MAC cosmetics and Maybelline New York were used as case studies by Mohasoa (2014), who examined customer purchase intent and brand loyalty in addition to marketing tactics. By Mohasoa’s (2014) account, MAC and Maybelline employed both traditional and experiential marketing techniques. In addition, the managerial repercussions of the case companies have been shown.
To advertise its new “Aquatic Allusions” line, which depicted synchro swimmers in a turquoise-coloured tank of water, MAC Cosmetics, according to Mohasoa (2014), leverages social media as its key marketing technique. The event’s success was aided by the presence of many MAC Cosmetics professionals with whom guests could schedule appointments and obtain details. Social media services like Twitter were also encouraged as a way to spread the word about the movement and build interest for future legs.
The Maybelline New York India 14-hour Super Stay Lipstick Experience Campaign was started in 2013, according to Mohasoa (2014), to advertise the product. First, the company launched a social media campaign encouraging women around the world to report goods they believe should last longer than they do. With the hashtag “#ItDoesntLastLongEnough,” individuals on Twitter and Facebook could express their views about the current issue. For 14 hours, this hashtag was the top trending subject on the social media networks listed above, with more than 1.7 million individuals participating in the discussions. The product was introduced two days later, with all of the comments and tweets shown in the shape of the actual product, and a facsimile of the New York skyline in the background, as the backdrop. By using social media and public involvement tactics, this campaign effectively promoted both on- and offline referrals
Snakers and Zajdman (2010) did quantitative and qualitative research in order to have a deeper knowledge of the issue at hand. They were able to overcome the drawbacks of each technique by utilising them all at once. A survey of Lancel customers in both the new and old locations was done by Snakers and Zajdman (2010), who interviewed the managers who came up with the new store idea. A large amount of data could be collected in a short period by using questionnaires. Emotional and social status were measured by questionnaires, as well as demographic data. Lancel managers were also interviewed by Snakers and Zajdman (2010) in order to better comprehend and explain their new retail concept, which includes experiential marketing.
Since Snakers and Zajdman (2010) found that people can be cognitive as well as affective, they decided to utilise interpretivism as their method because it embraces the diversity of people. Deductive reasoning was used in the study. It was pre-existing research and beliefs that guided their initial steps in the examination.
Experiential marketing, according to Snakers and Zajdman (2010), raises the emotions of luxury goods customers. They have the power to affect the effect hierarchy of cognitive persons and thus their attitudes. Because they are already hedonistic, it does not alter the attitudes of those who are affected by it; rather, it reinforces them. In the end, their behaviour, i.e., their purchasing decision and purpose, is influenced by this new, more emotional attitude towards the thing.
A mono-quantitative non-probabilistic technique was utilised to collect primary data and do statistical analysis in the study by Ihtiyar, Barut and Ihtiyar (2019). A five-point Likert scale was used to evaluate items that had been carefully modified from relevant literature in the questionnaire. Students from Zaman University volunteered their time to help collect data for Ihtiyar, Barut and Ihtiyar (2019) to eliminate linguistic obstacles and increase participation. At many well-known Phnom Penh coffee shops, survey takers visited and randomly solicited university students in the fall of 2017. A small-scale pilot study was done prior to the full-scale research effort in order to forecast an appropriate sample size and identify any questionnaire flaws.
Several techniques and diverse approaches were combined in the PLS-SEM method used by Ihtiyar, Barut and Ihtiyar (2019) to evaluate the measurement and the model. Behaviour studies have benefited greatly from PLS-SEM, which has been used in a variety of management fields. Using Anderson and Gerbing’s (1988) two-stage technique, the findings of this study were analysed. At this point, we’re looking at a measurement model to see how closely observed variables match up with latent variables in order to determine which sets of items are most representative of each scale. As a further assessment of the model’s fit, Ihtiyar, Barut and Ihtiyar (2019) used a standardised root means square residual (SRMR) study. Using a structural equation model, we evaluate the relationships between latent variables and their effects in the second stage of the analysis.
It was found that 14 of the 21 hypothesis tests were statistically relevant and were therefore supported by the findings of the study by Ihtiyar, Barut and Ihtiyar (2019). Experiential marketing modules and PSQ lead to significant customer experiences, which in turn lead to CS, which, in turn, leads to favourable post-purchase behaviour among customers. Furthermore, service providers should ensure that consumers are surrounded by a physically and psychologically calming environment that shields them from tension and worry. This will help them to feel more at ease. They may also consider offering a broad variety of high-quality goods, such as pastries, specialty coffees, and so on, which would surely enhance CS and create a powerful impression in the minds of clients.
Moreover, as an illustration of the practical ramifications, businesses in the hotel industry may think about reallocating financial resources to improve the atmosphere of their stores and their other facilities. Even while some modules, such as warmth, competence, and relation, may not be as vital as previously thought, coffee shops may commit more money to core operations such as service quality and variety, communication tactics, or highly dedicated employees to deliver superior services (Ihtiyar, Barut and Ihtiyar, 2019). As a result, they may be able to use more of their financial resources more effectively, which could result in a better return on their investment. However, despite the existence of similar research, this study has investigated the direct relationship between PSQ and experiential value modules, and found that its hypotheses are supported.
In addition, Ihtiyar, Barut and Ihtiyar (2019)’s study has examined how social judgement and experiential values are linked, as well as the relationship between the CS and IPM. Moreover, most previous studies on experiential marketing were undertaken in Western countries, whereas this study was conducted in Cambodia, a Pacific–Asian country and rising market. To that end, this study could serve as a foundation for future research on Cambodian service industries’ strategic experience modules and post-purchase behaviours. Cambodian service providers will benefit from this study’s empirically validated findings when developing future marketing strategies.
There is a perception that luxury research has always been limited to a few groups of consumers and products that can only be found in select regions, according to Thomsen et al. (2020). Modern consumer habits have been radically altered as a result of social upheaval and the rapid advancement of technology. As a result of such upheavals, the concept of “luxury” is inherently unstable and prone to shifts in the future.
Although luxury is traditionally defined as the consumption of high-end products and brands that can be seen from a distance, Thomsen et al. (2020) believed that the special issue should move away from the traditional definition of luxury and instead focus on how consumers interact with and experience luxury. Intangible services and everyday joys, as well as common items that have become scarce, are all part of this theme. The papers in this special issue contribute to a better understanding of what luxury may be and what it can achieve for customers. Together, they provide a valuable resource. To begin, Thomsen et al. (2020) compared traditional and unconventional approaches to luxury in terms of three key elements of luxury conceptualizations. Thomsen et al. (2020) also provided an overview of the articles in the particular issue on unconventional luxury and explained how they advance new understandings of the term.
According to Thomsen et al. (2020), the papers in this particular issue integrate to offer an understanding of new kinds of luxury, offering an atypical definition of luxury more centred on the customer than the commodity, and more concerned in what luxury accomplishes for the consumer rather than what luxury is. A greater awareness of unconventional luxury provides a number of opportunities for future study as luxury research moves away from product marketing and focuses on the modern world of disruptive technology, socio-economic and environmental trends.
Luxury brands, according to Keller (2017), are possibly the purest instances of branding because the brand and its image are typically major competitive advantages that generate massive value and wealth for organisations. Marketers representing luxury brands like Prada, Gucci, Cartier, and Louis Vuitton control lucrative franchises that have lasted for decades and are estimated by some to be worth $220 billion in retail sales.
Marketing for luxury companies is no different from marketing for lower-priced and more “down-to-earth” products, but it must be done in a continually changing marketing environment, according to Keller (2017). When it comes to marketing luxury businesses, it’s imperative that they have the ability to adapt to the ever-changing landscape of the global marketplace. It’s becoming increasingly important to be an expert marketer when working with luxury businesses, as there are always new obstacles to overcome.
Marketing for luxury items does not appear to have openly engaged the theoretical concerns involved, according to Atwal and Williams (2017). Experiential marketing has become a cornerstone of many recent breakthroughs in retailing, tourism, and events marketing. For them, this poses the question: “What does experiential marketing have to offer marketers in the luxury products industry?”
The marketing of luxury items has become increasingly complicated, not only conveying an image of quality, performance, and authenticity, but also seeking to offer an experience by linking it to the consumer’s lifestyle constructs. Luxurious products are distinct from most other industries when it comes to their marketing.
In contrast to traditional marketing, Atwal and Williams (2017) found that experiential marketing is a comparatively new approach that is gaining traction in both developed economies as well as emerging ones. When compared to standard marketing frameworks, experiential marketing considers consumers to be emotional creatures who are more concerned with having enjoyable experiences than with the functional qualities and benefits of things.
Using a mix of quantitative and qualitative methods, including interviews, Foroudi et al. (2018) sought to learn more about the interplay between different aspects of brand perception. Content analysis and “fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis” were used to evaluate the data from the questionnaire survey. To better understand and manage customer perceptions of a product or service's quality as well as its nation of origin's image, Foroudi et al. (2018) conducted a study. Their results showed that brand loyalty and purchase intention were strongly influenced by a mix of numerous perceptional factors of brand equity instead of any single factor. The authors concluded that fashion retailers could benefit from a more interactive approach to consumer loyalty and purchase intention.
D. Conclusion and Research Questions
From the various research studies and reports reviewed in the previous section, it has been obtained that there is no particular research done yet that specifically focused on the contrary perspectives of both traditional and experimental marketing strategies of Luxury Brands for their effectiveness in forming brand perception and image. Therefore, few questions have arisen to us for conducting this current research study:
What is the difference in traditional and experimental marketing strategies for Luxury Brands?
How do both traditional and experimental marketing strategies make effect on brand perception and brand image?
Which one of the Traditional and Experimental Marketing is more effective in forming brand perception and brand image for Luxury Brands?
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