Consumer experience at lifestyle trade fair: study on themed space as experiential context

Abstract

Objectives:

The objective of this research is to find out what is the experiential context in lifestyle trade fairs targeted to consumers. The research problem of this thesis is how the design of the venues affect the consumer experience. Since lifestyle trade fairs have been studied only from the market culture approach, this study aims to describe the lifestyle trade fair experience and how the themed space with social, physical, and atmospherics dimensions contributes to the experience as experiential context by evoking consumers senses, and emotions, and triggering behavior.

Methodology:

Phenomenological paradigm guides the design of this thesis. Market oriented ethnography is the research method applied. The research context comprises of Book Fairs both in Frankfurt and Helsinki. The research material consists of interviews with the fair visitors, participant observations, field notes and photographs taken at both Book Fairs.

Results:

This study indicates that the experiential context at lifestyle trade fair comprises of social, physical and atmospherics elements that each contribute to the fair experience in the theme rooms of the exhibition centre. Visitors' emotional arousal is rather low and, in general, the surrounding space is experienced as functional and effective, but not aesthetically pleasing. The behavior of consumers is characterized by both active and passive participation in the form of discovering and exploring. Main disturbing factor at the fair is the clamor created by the crowding and lack of sufficient sound system. Thus, relaxing lounges are highly sought after to balance the over-stimulation of senses characterizing the overall experience.