ISSN 0798 1015

Vol. 39 (Nº27) Year 2018. Page 4

The brand experience as an instrument for customer loyalty; Segment: Health companies Guayaquil (Ecuador)

La experiencia de marca como instrumento de fidelización de clientes; Segmento: Empresas de salud Guayaquil (Ecuador)

Edgar SALAS Luzuriaga 1; Omar MINUCHE Barrera 2

Received: 05/02/2018 • Approved: 08/03/2018

Contents

1. Introduction

2. Theoretical framework

3. Research methodology

4. Analysis of the results of the interviews

5. Conclusion and Recommendations

Bibliography

1. Introduction

 The brand experience is the study in marketing and advertising that is responsible for searching all the alternative factors to raise and establish a more intimate union with the customers. Having this objective clear, the brands that are leaders in the market focus their attention in everything related to brand experience that surpass in the psycho-bio-social-environmental (cognitive, emotional, sensitive, social, behavioral) part of the human being in the consumption of a product or service. Therefore, it is important to take into account that the brand experience is the result of the perception about the brand and the relationship with what it offers and the value that is assigned according to what the consumer perceives.

Nowadays there are many brands that have succeeded in developing as a brand experience, we can mention; Coca Cola, Apple, Disney, Nestlé, Movistar, which really establish differences in their areas of productivity or services that they offer, integrating themselves into the lives of people and social and economic groups.

The problem that sometimes arises is that a breach is detected between the moment of the delivery of the product or service that the organization gives, with unfulfilled promises, as throughout the whole experience. The brand experience is not due to a specific moment, but rather to the treatment a client receives during the whole process.

This is why it is very important to establish experiences based in quality during the relationship of offering and delivering/giving the product or service. Technology and the current social media are important tools to make the client live a great brand experience that the clients seeks to obtain. It is because this tools help to draw the attention, induce to the purchase, and also create a more intimate relationship with the client.

The brand experience is a process where the client perceives and enjoys from everything that leads to obtain the service or product. We can say that a brand experience is not because of a budget, but because it has been able to create actions that form a relationship and experience before and after the commercialization.

In the city of Guayaquil, health companies instantly want to promote their brand but do not study the experience of it. They only limited to make a classic marketing and advertisement plan without studying the future clients and the environment. They do not analyze the psycho-bio-social and environmental factors that could help and increase the customer loyalty.

For this reason, the objective of this article is that the different health brands in the city of Guayaquil know about the study of the brand experience and its benefits so that this theory is taken into account and in practice and and analyze the way the brands are making their publicity.

The article is organized in the next form: the first part, the theoretical framework on the definitions of the brand experience will be developed according to several authors, then the results of the research will be discussed for the results of the article, the samples and the research instruments. Then the analysis of the results, and finally its recommendations and conclusions.

2. Theoretical framework

2.1. Definition of Brand Experience

The "brand experience" is a marketing concept, the same that relates to the experience that the consumer has of a product or service and not only with the image of it. Living the brand is the result of this meaning, but it depends on those who develop this strategy in companies that the result of this experience is positive or negative.

 There are some concepts about what is the brand experience, one that we can mention is Sahin, Zehir, & Kitapci, (2011) who suggest that the brand experience can be determined as the appreciation that the people interested in the brand have touch with it, even through it is by advertisement, personal relationship, or the level of quality appropriate to the particular treatment they receive. The experience is born when customers use the brand, talk with other users of the brand or inquire information about it.

Susana Cáceres G., (2011) conceptualizes the brand experience as "a relationship with the consumer, not only of image, but also of living an experience, knowing the service in depth" It tells us that the brand experience is linked to the internal communication of the individual because the same he or she perceives, becomes aware, apprehends and makes changes in his lifestyle when living the experience, which if positive, would be an achievement of entering the market.

Brakus, (2009) establishes the brand experience as "the internal and individual responses of the clients, as well as the procedural responses aroused by stimuli consistent with the brand that are part of the design and identity of the brand". It also indicates that the brand experience is a knowledge of many generalizations since different types of answers are well-known.

On the other hand, Ha & Perks, (2005) tells us "that it has been confirmed that brand experiences increase the discernment and the familiarity with the brand. But this only occurs when there is a greater footprint than the properties and functional benefits of the product or service offered. In these terms, a deeper and more notable standout is born, which makes it more possible to perpetuate in the minds of customers. "

The brand experience can be both positive and negative, short or long term. It depends on the level of reflection in which it occurs. Specifically, the long-term experience is more memorable, either positive or negative.

Finally, B. Schmitt, (1999) expresses that "there are different types of brand experiences, which are focused to the sensory, affective, cognitive, behavioral and caused by stimuli related to psychological, environmental and biological factors."

With this last concept we can deduce that, the brand experience can have dimensional characteristics, such as a personality, where the brand experience is involved as a more intimate experience.

2.2. Dimensions of the brand experience

2.2.1. Sensory Dimension

This dimension belongs to all the stimuli perceived by the human being, such as the visual, auditory, touch, taste and smell that the brand can provoke.

Humans pay attention to any permutation in their environment due to the senses. These can be qualified as intimidation or a positive occasion. For this reason, organizations today must resort to sensory aspects in order to capture the minds of consumers regarding the image.

Orth and Malkewitz, (2008)  teach us that a sensory tactic concerning the vision can have elements of the design of the service or product, the style with which it is presented to the clients to diversify to one brand of another. It also helps to highlight sensory expressions such as color, graphics, among others.

On the tactics concerning the sense of hearing, these help to reinforce the identification and image of the brand. The sounds often give important meanings to individuals and are always sources of inspiration. They are also used to create memories and give us memories.

On tactics incorporated into the sense of smell, we can indicate that they are manipulated to allow a fragrance to be changed into a component of the brand. This helps create a positive environment for the person concerned, as it marks their emotional state. On the tactics regarding touch, these aim to optimize the image and identification of the brand by means of the physical interrelation with the clients.

Finally, on tactics of gustatory sense, the model suggests that this is a tactic of many meanings since it goes far beyond the current flavor that may have at the time of testing a product. Customers call it taste, but it really is a whole. Which implies that it relates to all the other senses.

2.2.2. Cognitive Dimension

It makes reference to the knowledge, those that cause consumers to think and stimulate their creativity and research in the habits of solving difficulties.

Smith & Kosslyn, (2008) reveals that from a psychological figure, the reason can be specified as a hidden definition, or an evolution of the information collected in the subject through the senses and memory. Reasoning occurs when individuals make associations about an experienced event.

2.2.3. Affective Dimension

The affective dimension demands the emotions created by the brand and hidden alterations of the clients in order to create affective habits, which can be from changes of mood related to the brand to energetic emotions such as joy and presumption. The significant thing is to understand the stimuli that can trigger the emotions and disposition of the clients to conquer them during the use of the product or service Schmitt, (1999).

2.2.4. Conduct Dimension

This demands experiences related to the physical organism, way of life and interactions with the brand. The model points to physical habits, manifesting options to execute things, lifestyles and alternative interactions. Sometimes it changes in customer behavior are caused and stimulated by brand experiences Schmitt, (1999).

2.2.5. Social Dimension

The social dimension according to Schmitt, (1999) describes the interactions that go beyond the very personal emotions of the subjects that lead them to relate with other individuals and social groups. There are two conceptions highly involved with this dimension and that serve to describe it: the identification of a group where they feel links with others and the brand communities in which the clients objectively see a brand as the focus of a social organization. These practices transcend sociocultural interaction and the need for a social identity. The brand experience leads to that kind of description in the subjects.

 The brand experience can be executed from the traditional media as in the non-traditional ones, but these should always be focused on taking the client to a real experience in their lifestyle. This can only be achieved when the individual is influenced by the experience and that this always leads him to remember the brand. We can summarize that the brand experience has as a mechanism or objective of development, the action of creativity to encourage the client, to reach the feelings of the same and a medium investment of money when executing it.

We present some examples of brand experience that also identify the dimensions already described in different products or services.

Table 1
Examples of Brand Experience

The brand experience can be developed by traditional media and non-traditional media, but these should always be focused on taking the client to a real experience in their lifestyle. This can only be achieved when the client is influenced by the experience and lead him to remember the brand. We can summarize that the brand experience has as a mechanism or objective of development, the action of creativity to encourage the client, to reach the feelings of the same and a medium investment of money when executing it.

We present some examples of brand experience that also identify the dimensions already described in different products or services.

2.3. The Brand Experience in our country

There is no study at the statistical or census level that has been conducted to know about the issue in our country in exact numbers on inverted values, specifically as the economic resource in brand experience, but if we have investment data in advertising of traditional channels and non-traditional ones that indicate that more than 213 million dollars have been invested in the advertising industry annually (Infomedia, 2012). This can give us an idea that a part of that investment was used in campaigns to build customer loyalty using the brand experience as a strategy in the market. According to this analysis, it indicates that the participation of the media in the market was broken down as follows (internet is not reflected in this study):

Table 2
Source Infomedia (2012)

Graphic 1
Percentage of marketing share

According to Infomedia (Audit and Advertising Statistics - Group IBOFE). No statistical study of specific information about advertising in health companies in Ecuador or specifically the city of Guayaquil has been conducted.

The brand experience is not reflected in any study conducted in Ecuador but can be seen in the other forms of advertising in the commercial activities of products or services, there is also no estimate of the investment itself in the strategy. There are only traditional media statistics as described in the previous table. There is also no record of investment in brand experience or advertising in private or public health companies.

2.4. The Brand Experience in Guayaquil.

In our city we can mention some brand experiences made by some companies such as:

LG put into consideration in some shopping centers in the city a living room type space (open) with one of its products, the giant plasma TV which accompanied by a good comfortable sofa and excellent audio offered the comfort of being at home but like in the movies. This leads the consumer's imagination to have it in their own home, bringing it closer to a sense of total relaxation and entertainment.

Penguin, Unilever Andian Ecuador (2015) made in the beach season an activation of carts and drones that took ice cream Penguin to the most representative beaches of the Ecuadorian coast this aroused the restlessness of some people generating brand experience through the visual (sensory ).

The Aso Guayas carried out a very emotional campaign called "the eternal seat" whose objective was to create awareness in the individuals about the intimidation that exists between the fans in football matches. The stadium of the Sport Club Emelec was the space where the experience was carried out. This was in supplying the seats in the stadium by tombstones with the name of individuals who have died during football matches. This action had a very strong emotional reception in the public, very impressive in both the national and international media.

Coca Cola (2014). Instead, I run a campaign in which I create personalized bottles with names of people, at the same time also put in certain areas of the city as shopping centers (San Marino, Mall del Sol) and universities (University of Guayaquil, Catholic) of the city ​​where they could print the name of the consumer if they could not find the soda with their name, creating through this strategy a social identity of belonging to the brand. For this they had to execute a very high economic investment, but the impact of the experience led to continuing to keep the customer loyal to the product. Coca Cola is a brand that is at the forefront of implementing strategies that are consistent with the brand experience in almost all of its campaigns lately.

Veris (before Salud s.a.), (2015). I use a strategy that consisted in taking free samples at home for their clients in different areas of the city, approaching their public, giving them comfort, saving time and as a result capturing the consumer in their affective dimension.

 These strategies become brand experiences by the form and inspiration in which they were made and, with the objective that describes the concept of brand experience already read; through the different dimensions of the individual, sensory, affective, behavioral, social, which went beyond communication boundaries (as in the case of the strategy of the Aso. Guayas).

3. Research methodology

This research has a qualitative approach and a type of descriptive research since its purpose is to relate that Guayaquil's health organizations know so much about the brand experience in order to make them aware of the benefits it offers. This article also has the exploratory method as a type of research, which will allow us to give an overview of the results.

An avalanche-type sampling was also carried out (chain selection, starting from a contact asking for help to identify another). Four persons in charge of the marketing and advertising of agencies and private health agencies of the city of Guayaquil were interviewed.

The digital questionnaire was used as an evaluation tool and the results were analyzed in the form of statistical tables.

4. Analysis of the results of the interviews

Table 3
Analysis of interview results

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Graphic 2
Staging of interview analysis by percentages

Based on the results obtained in the elaborated interview, we can indicate that if there is knowledge about what is the Brand Experience in the company managers in the commercial, marketing and advertising areas of the city of Guayaquil, the same as They indicate that they desire to use any means of advertising that is low budget but still impacting the target audience.

When asked what traditional media they handle, they mostly told us that they used BTL media: below the line, although Mauro Martínez de Mc Cann told us exclusively that he uses digital media because it is booming and reaches a high level. More global audience connotation to ages, socioeconomic status, knowledge and geographical status; In our city this means is the one that governs as a communication tool in the market, the professional tells us.

 The respondents also commented to us in general that it is this means of social networks the most feasible to interact in a more personal way with the general public which helps to maintain a more intimate relationship with it.

 They were also asked about what factors they took into account when doing their brand's advertising and which they consider more important, to which we find very varied answers ranging from the economic factor, to the logical person, that is, the profile of the individual, their access to media, age, employment status, etc.

 Everyone was clear about the concept from a general point of view of what brand experience is and how important this strategy has become within the medium of advertising, which helps them to achieve a lasting impression in the minds of consumers. of the product or service. All agree to indicate that the brand experience does help to retain customers in any type of company. Some also expressed that they did not see strong example of brand experience in the market of the health companies of our city except for one or another company (like Veris for example).

5. Conclusion and Recommendations

At present, organizations are in need of creating, developing, conserving and improving the relationship with the consumer. This can be achieved through the brand experience. This type of marketing is the way we execute a new experience towards consumers, focusing on a more intimate and active relationship. Organizations can not fail to take into account the foundation of a brand experience in their consumers.

The attraction of customers in the health market of the city of Guayaquil is carried out more by traditional channels, but they are more focused on the quality of the service they offer. Your loyalty can be given by different factors but mainly to the experience of the service, the attention to them, the innovation that can be created so as not to be monotonous the market strategy.

Brand experience is practiced in our environment in many companies but in health companies in a very little way. Either for lack of knowledge as a tool of high creativity or for not knowing that it can also be low budget according to the proposed idea.

Being clear about how important and effective it is for the client to connect with the brand from an emotional, emotional point of view, is a 100 percent guaranteed response to an individual's fidelity to the service or product that the company can offer. Health companies in the city of Guayaquil must take into account this strategy to improve their image and modernize in some cases, how to advertise and retain customers in them. Although the digital medium is also effective and reaches more masses and is more economical, if there are large companies in the city that are committed to this brand experience to increase their commercial activities and with excellent results, as in the case of Coca Cola.

The interviewees not only had knowledge of the brand experience, they are also aware of its benefits and recommend it for all types of business.

All the examples and names of companies that handle and said have experienced the brand experience, demonstrates the importance and need to implement and innovate this concept of brand experience in the commercial business environment of the city of Guayaquil.

The brand experience is essential, because it shows us that there is no ignoring that brands can become emotions, feelings capable of creating all kinds of persuasions until the user feels absolutely involved and becomes the protagonist of a lasting experience.

Why is the Brand Experience important? Because it generates a high impact on the consumer's mind, and their actions create a more intimate link with the consumer.

 Although the brand could have been known from the beginning thanks to the traditional means of communication, networks and could have reached more than its target audience, it is the Brand Experience that will lead to a familiarization of the product or service, with the step by step of the activity that comprises being part of the brand and everything that concerns it.

Brand experience is a creator of marketing and advertising because it develops new information not only for the consumer but for everything that is around him; media, regulators, general public that believes and defines based on their experience on whether the product or service is positive or negative depending on the experience. This brand experience can create affective bonds with the brand in a permanent and faithful way, and with the public it will end up expanding its experience to other publics for generations. Therefore, the experience must be careful in its strategy so that it does not become a negative experience that brings undesirable results.

Bibliography

Documents on the Internet

Brakus, J., Schmitt, B. H., & Zarantonello, L. (2009). Brand Experience: What Is It? How Is It Measured? Does It Affect Loyalty? Journal of Marketing, 73(3), 52–68. http://doi.org/10.1509/jmkg.73.3.52

Hong-Youl Ha.   Helen Perks (2005).  Effects of consumer perceptions of brand experience on the web: brand familiarity, satisfaction and brand trust. http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/cb.29/abstract

Orth, U. R., & Malkewitz, K. (2008). Holistic Package Design and Consumer Brand Impressions. Journal of Marketing, 72(5), 64–81. http://doi.org/10.1509/jmkg.72.3.64

Infomedia. (2012) Ecuadorian advertising market. Infomedia. Recovered from

http://www.infomedia.com.ec/sistema/news/news.htm

Schmitt, B. (1999). Experiential marketing: How to get customers to sense, feel, think, act and relate to your company and brands. New York: The Free Press

Latin Spot.com, (2104). Ecuadorian Soccer Federation, The Eternal Seat Campaign. Recovered from https://www.latinspots.com/sp/piezas/detalle/18517/asiento-eterno

Veris, (2015). Campaign samples at home. Recovered from https://www.veris.com.ec/laboratorio/toma-de-muestra-a-domicilio/

Unilever Andina Ecuador. Ice cream Penguin, (2015). BTL seasonal activity, Bonding Agency. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rczL9RVcpSA

Coca Cola, (2014). Campaign: Share a Coca-Cola. Recovered from http://www.arcacontal.com/sala-de-prensa/comunicados/m%C3%A1s-nombres,-diminutivos,-apellidos-y-nuevas-razones-para-compartir-una-coca-cola.aspx

Brakus, Bernd H. Schmitt, & Lia Zarantonello, (2009). Brand experience: What is it? How is it measured? Does it affect loyalty? Recovered from file:///E:/datos%20de%20marca/Brand%20Experience%20and%20Loyalty_Journal_of%20_Marketing_May_2009.pdf

Susana Caceres G., (2011). Internal. Internal Communication and Brand Experience (or Brand Experience). Recovered from http://www.internal.cl/marketing-interno/, https://susanacaceres.com/

Books

Carlos Avalos (2010). The brand: identity and strategy. Editorial La Crujía, 2010. Buenos Aires.

Capriotti, Paul (2007): Management of the corporate brand, La Crujía, Buenos Aires (Argentina).

Alejo Sterman (2013): How to create brands that work. Editions of the U Limited, Buenos Aires.

Health Companies: The Kennedy Clinic, Veris and us, Omnihospital.

1. Director Académico de la Facultad de Comunicación en la Universidad de Especialidades Espíritu Santo, Máster en Diseño & Branding, esalas@uess.edu.ec

2. Presidente y CEO del Grupo MINVASA, Magister en Administración de Empresas, ominuch@uess.edu.ec