An online research approach for a dual perspective analysis of brand associations in art museums

Abstract

The paper develops a research approach that combines digital ethnography with text mining to explore consumers’ perception of a brand and the degree of alignment between brand identity and image. In particular, the paper investigates the alignment between the art museum’s brand identity and the brand image emerging from visitors’ narratives of their experience. The study adopts a mixed methodology based on netnography and text mining techniques. The analysis concerns an art museum’s brand, with the case of the “Opera del Duomo Museum” in Florence. The methodological approach enables a combined investigation of user-generated content in online communities and the company’s online brand communication, contributing to identifying branding actions that can be taken to increase the brand alignment. It also enables the measurement of the degree of alignment between museums and visitors among common brand themes. Specific indicators of alignment are provided. A key point is the replicability of the model in other contexts of analysis in which the content produced by consumers in online contexts are relevant and readily available, such as fashion or food.