Five Types Of Experiential Marketing

As a relatively new marketing discipline, experiential marketing has already been widely used. Such experiential marketing was developed based on Schmitt’s (1999) five types of experiential marketing approaches. In Schmitt’s Experiential Marketing (1999, p.60-62), he presented strategic experiential modules (SEMs), which was based on Dewey’s analyses in 1925. The five types of experiential marketing approaches include, Sense marketing, Feel marketing, Think marketing, Act marketing, and Relate marketing.

Sense marketing, according to Schmitt, “appeals to the senses with the objective of creating sensory experiences, through sight, sound, touch, taste and smell” (1999, p.61). All these direct sensory experiences will add value to the products

Feel marketing is used to create “mildly positive moods linked to a brand” or “strong emotions of joy and pride” (Schmitt, 2010, p.68). Once the emotional bond is built, customers will always turn to the products or services when he or she needs to fulfill the emotional needs. Applying feel marketing is like holding up a mirror to the product. Marketers position themselves as consumers, and make consumers believe that they share the same value. In return, it will evoke emotional resonance in customers. The British department store John Lewis has been using Feel Marketing since 2007. Every Christmas, John Lewis will release a TV commercial which will be full of warmth, and set in home, with sweet surprises and images that enhance the value of family and friendship. It successfully created an impression that John Lewis will always contribute to create the warmth, especially during Christmas seasons. The commercial links a mood to the “brand” John Lewis. When people want to seek warm moments or send a gift presenting the warmth, they may refer to John Lewis, because of feel

The primal description of experience providers was first given by Schmitt. The ExPros, as Schmitt claimed, include seven types: communications, visual and verbal identity and signage, product presence, co-branding, spatial environments, electronic media, and people (1999, p63). Sharma, R. and Sharma, V. summarized them as 7Cs, which indicates convenience (C1), customer value and benefit (C2), cost to the customer (C3), computing and category management (C4), customer franchise (C5), customer care and service (C6), and communication and customer relationships (C7) (2011, p.6). Any experience within the five types of experiences introduced above can be provided by any of the seven providers. Rachna Sharma and Vishal Sharma’s grid will help us to understand the correlation between experience providers and strategic experiential