Small versus big stories in framing consumption experiences

Abstract

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to highlight the importance and utility of introspective accounts to ethnography when it deals with consumption experiences.Design/methodology/approachThe paper reviews the changes in the way “reflexive consumers” write introspective narratives about their intimate thoughts and deep feelings lived during an experience and takes advantage of previous research carried out in different contexts, e.g. music concerts and internet‐based services.FindingsThe paper specifies the more original stages of a complete ethnographic approach to consumption experience. These include co‐immersing; organising the narratives' write‐up; combining the experience's time frame with data generated via observation and introspection; and producing interpretations that will vary depending on the consumer's expressed level of pleasure.Research limitations/implicationsThis type of approach does not work in all consumption situations, nor does it apply to all consumers.Practical implicationsThe combination of observation and introspection will enrich researchers' toolboxes in the quest to unravel the increasingly complex and unpredictable experiences the consumption of today products and services affords consumers.Originality/valueThe paper advocates that the writing up of introspective narratives and diaries has become a common practice for reflexive consumers accustomed to telling their stories online that must be used in market research.

Emotional timescapes: the temporal perspective and consumption emotions in services

“…Diary research has found some uptake in consumer research to date for issues such as examining how people consume chocolate (Zarantonello and Luomala, 2011), experience surfing weekends or a classical music concert (Caru and Cova, 2008), and how students live their daily lives (Patterson, 2005). Perhaps unsurprisingly, there has recently been an increase in electronic forms of data collection, such as using the Internet and PDAs (Personal Digital Assistants).…”

Em Busca De Uma Articulação Entre Técnicas Projetivas, Análise Do Discurso E Os Estudos Do Consumo

“…Contudo, nos estudos relacionados ao consumo, ainda são incipientes no Brasil os trabalhos que lançam mão de alguma abordagem da análise do discurso, certamente, pela tendên-cia, reinante nesse campo, de seguir uma linha mais quantitativa como estratégia de pesquisa LArA, 2008). Na literatura internacional é possível encontrar alguns trabalhos na área que utilizam a análise do discurso para interpretar experiências de consumo (SITZ, 2008;CArÙ;COVA, 2008).…”

Thematic Events as an Experiential Marketing Tool: Kite Festival on the Experience Stage

“…Experiential marketing has become a cornerstone of many recent advances in areas such as retailing, branding and events marketing, and it is crossing over to the service sector, from hotels to restaurants to airlines (Smith and Wheeler, 2002) with enthusiasts reported in all sectors of the global economy from consumer products to health care providers (Williams, 2006). Therefore, understanding consumption experience has become a prime goal of today's marketers, especially with the rise of experiential marketing approaches (Caru and Cova, 2008) that seek to capture customers' whole minds, to evoke positive emotions and to render them captivated (Shaw, 2005).…”

“…The rise of experiential marketing during last decade (Pine and Gilmore, 1999;Schmitt, 1999Schmitt, , 2003 has turned the understanding of consumption experiences into a hot topic for market researchers (Caru and Cova, 2008). Experiential marketing has become a cornerstone of many recent advances in areas such as retailing, branding and events marketing, and it is crossing over to the service sector, from hotels to restaurants to airlines (Smith and Wheeler, 2002) with enthusiasts reported in all sectors of the global economy from consumer products to health care providers (Williams, 2006).…”