Module description
What is the module about?
This module will introduce students to the ‘experience economy’ (Pine and Gilmore), experiential marketing and a range of virtual and physical ‘experience-scapes’. Research indicates that Generation Z are tending to prioritise immersive, interactive and highly personalised experiences, such as concerts, eating out, holidays and other leisure activities, over actual products, consequently this module will address the meaning and characteristics of 'experiences' and lifestyle from a marketing and branding perspective. It will encourage students to critically explore the role of marketing in the customer experience design process and in its delivery. By synthesising key concepts and theoretical foundations of experiential and lifestyle marketing with market orientation concepts, students will be expected to interrogate customer's perspectives and critically assess how this highly complex mix influences consumer decision making, loyalty and, ultimately contributes to the customer experience.
Adopting a blended delivery approach, this module will employ a series of interactive workshop sessions to help students engage with approaches to marketing research, and then be expected to design and deliver practical solutions. In drawing on different sectors /industry areas such as retail, fashion, tourism and events, students will be exposed to a range of lifestyle experiences, commercial scenarios and guest speakers. In seeking to put theory into practice, this module will be centred around students experiential journey and will be introduced to a real-life issues, dilemmas or challenges which requires students develop highly creative, visually-rich and research-informed recommendations and solutions. The module offers a unique opportunity for students to remotely connect with KEDGE Business School students in France. They will collaborate, exchange ideas, and work on joint projects.
Businesses and organisations are increasingly seeking to recruit graduates who recognise the complete experience is critical to customer retention, profitability and growth. By developing and fostering key employability skills such as project management, research, and presentation as well demonstrate confidence with core industry knowledge, students will be able to confidently navigate and engage with complex marketing challenges and employ highly creative industry practices within the ever-evolving experience economy.
Who should do this module?
This module will be particularly appropriate for students who have completed the ‘Principles of Marketing’ module. Students with a strong interest in tourism, fashion, retail, events, and/or other lifestyle experiences. It aims to develop students’ knowledge of relevant theory and practice associated with the experience economy and marketing experiences.
It will appeal to students who wish to demonstrate in-depth understanding of how the creative aspects of marketing strategy and execution are linked to the marketing planning and management of lifestyle experiences (including retail, fashion, tourism, hospitality, events, leisure, music etc.). It will employ a range of cases, scenarios and problems to help students put relevant theories and concepts of experiential and service marketing theory into practice through active learning and authentic assessment so should appeal to students wishing to make a difference and engage with their creative side! Any students seeking to develop skills and confidence in applying conceptual models and tools to develop solutions for complex and multi-dimensional experiential and services marketing problems are welcome!
Provisional Lecture Outline
Introduction to the experience economy and transformational experiences
Exploring Material Value in a Digital Age
Omnichannel marketing and managing the customer experience
The visitor economy: tourism and destination marketing
Creating memorable experiences using immersive technologies and digital storytelling
Marketing and sustainability
Changing word of fashion consumer experience.
Marketing research approaches and addressing problem-based challenges in marketing
Experiential marketing in practice: designing memorable experiences based on the client needs.
Assessment details
Teaching pattern
Weekly Lecture
Weekly Tutorial
Suggested reading list
Given the wide ranging nature of this module. There is no one core text. Rather, the academic team will provide readings for each experience area. Indicative reading includes:
- Belk, Russell W. & Rosa Llamas (Eds.) (2013), The Routledge Companion to Digital Consumption, Abingdon: Routledge
- Berkhout C. (2016) Retail Marketing Strategy: Delivering Shopper Delight, Kogan
- Desbordes, M., & Richelieu, A. (Eds.). (2012). Global sport marketing: Contemporary issues and practice. Routledge: London
- Diamond J., Diamond E., & Lit S. (2015) Fashion Retailing: A Multi-Channel Approach, 3rd Ed, Fairchild Books
- Hudson, S., & Hudson, L. (2017). Marketing for tourism, hospitality & events: a global & digital approach. London: Sage.
- Kotler, Ph., Bowen, J., Makens, J. (2016), Marketing for Hospitality and Tourism, Global Edition. Pearson.
- Peppers D. & Rogers M. (2016) Managing Customer Experience and Relationships: A Strategic Framework, 3rd edition, John Wiley and Son
- Petermans A. & Kent A. (2016) Retail Design: Theoretical Perspectives, Taylor and Francis
- Pine J. & Gilmore J. (2011) The Experience Economy: Work is Theatre & every business a Stage, Harvard Business School Press, Boston
- Sherman G.J. & Perlman S. (2014) The Real World Guide to Fashion Selling and Management, 2nd ed, Fairchild Books
- Smilansky S (2017) Experiential Marketing: A practical guide to interactive brand experiences, 2nd edition, Kogan Page
- Sotiriadis, M., & Gursoy, D. (2016). The handbook of managing and marketing tourism experiences. Emerald Group Publishing.