IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/jbrese/v136y2021icp513-522.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Virtual reality marketing and customer advocacy: Transforming experiences from story-telling to story-doing

Author

Listed:
  • de Regt, Anouk
  • Plangger, Kirk
  • Barnes, Stuart J.

Abstract

Marketing managers strive to build branded experiences that both excite and engage their customers in novel ways in order to enhance attitudes and encourage positive behaviors towards their brands. As it offers immersive and interactive encounters, Virtual Reality (VR) technology is a promising tool for managers to create these experiences, evidenced by increasing and successful VR marketing applications. Yet, the literature offers little guidance on how VR experiences can be strategically designed to create favorable customer perceptions, attitudes, and behaviors. Based on five semi-structured focus groups of 27 VR consumers, this article constructs a framework that deconstructs VR branded experiences into both narrative and social interactions to optimize strategic customer outcomes. An experimental study validates the findings after which practical recommendations to maximize the success of VR branding campaigns and a future research agenda for VR marketing is provided.

Suggested Citation

  • de Regt, Anouk & Plangger, Kirk & Barnes, Stuart J., 2021. "Virtual reality marketing and customer advocacy: Transforming experiences from story-telling to story-doing," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 136(C), pages 513-522.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:jbrese:v:136:y:2021:i:c:p:513-522
    DOI: 10.1016/j.jbusres.2021.08.004
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0148296321005579
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.jbusres.2021.08.004?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Hudson, Sarah & Matson-Barkat, Sheila & Pallamin, Nico & Jegou, Guillaume, 2019. "With or without you? Interaction and immersion in a virtual reality experience," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 100(C), pages 459-468.
    2. Han, Sang-Lin & An, Myounga & Han, Jerry J. & Lee, Jiyoung, 2020. "Telepresence, time distortion, and consumer traits of virtual reality shopping," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 118(C), pages 311-320.
    3. van Laer, Tom & Feiereisen, Stephanie & Visconti, Luca M., 2019. "Storytelling in the digital era: A meta-analysis of relevant moderators of the narrative transportation effect," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 96(C), pages 135-146.
    4. Dong Hoo Kim & Doori Song, 2019. "Can brand experience shorten consumers’ psychological distance toward the brand? The effect of brand experience on consumers’ construal level," Journal of Brand Management, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 26(3), pages 255-267, May.
    5. Pleyers, Gordy & Poncin, Ingrid, 2020. "Non-immersive virtual reality technologies in real estate: How customer experience drives attitudes toward properties and the service provider," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 57(C).
    6. Cowan, Kirsten & Ketron, Seth, 2019. "A dual model of product involvement for effective virtual reality: The roles of imagination, co-creation, telepresence, and interactivity," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 100(C), pages 483-492.
    7. Kumar Rakesh Ranjan & Stuart Read, 2016. "Value co-creation: concept and measurement," Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, Springer, vol. 44(3), pages 290-315, May.
    8. Scott Wright & Chris Manolis & Drew Brown & Xiaoning Guo & John Dinsmore & C.-Y. Chiu & Frank Kardes, 2012. "Construal-level mind-sets and the perceived validity of marketing claims," Marketing Letters, Springer, vol. 23(1), pages 253-261, March.
    9. Jing Wang & Bobby J. Calder, 2006. "Media Transportation and Advertising," Journal of Consumer Research, Journal of Consumer Research Inc., vol. 33(2), pages 151-162, July.
    10. Anouk Regt & Stuart J. Barnes, 2019. "V-Commerce in Retail: Nature and Potential Impact," Progress in IS, in: M. Claudia tom Dieck & Timothy Jung (ed.), Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality, pages 17-25, Springer.
    11. Tim Hilken & Ko de Ruyter & Mathew Chylinski & Dominik Mahr & Debbie I. Keeling, 2017. "Augmenting the eye of the beholder: exploring the strategic potential of augmented reality to enhance online service experiences," Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, Springer, vol. 45(6), pages 884-905, November.
    12. Robson, Karen & Plangger, Kirk & Kietzmann, Jan H. & McCarthy, Ian & Pitt, Leyland, 2015. "Is it all a game? Understanding the principles of gamification," Business Horizons, Elsevier, vol. 58(4), pages 411-420.
    13. Calder, Bobby J. & Malthouse, Edward C. & Schaedel, Ute, 2009. "An Experimental Study of the Relationship between Online Engagement and Advertising Effectiveness," Journal of Interactive Marketing, Elsevier, vol. 23(4), pages 321-331.
    14. Kang, Hyo Jeong & Shin, Jung-hye & Ponto, Kevin, 2020. "How 3D Virtual Reality Stores Can Shape Consumer Purchase Decisions: The Roles of Informativeness and Playfulness," Journal of Interactive Marketing, Elsevier, vol. 49(C), pages 70-85.
    15. Deng, Xiaoyan & Unnava, H. Rao & Lee, Hyojin, 2019. "“Too true to be good?” when virtual reality decreases interest in actual reality," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 100(C), pages 561-570.
    16. Boyd, D. Eric & Koles, Bernadett, 2019. "Virtual reality and its impact on B2B marketing: A value-in-use perspective," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 100(C), pages 590-598.
    17. de Regt, Anouk & Barnes, Stuart J. & Plangger, Kirk, 2020. "The virtual reality value chain," Business Horizons, Elsevier, vol. 63(6), pages 737-748.
    18. D. Eric Boyd & Bernadett Koles, 2019. "Virtual reality and its impact on B2B marketing: A value-in-use perspective," Post-Print hal-02160880, HAL.
    19. Hollebeek, Linda D. & Glynn, Mark S. & Brodie, Roderick J., 2014. "Consumer Brand Engagement in Social Media: Conceptualization, Scale Development and Validation," Journal of Interactive Marketing, Elsevier, vol. 28(2), pages 149-165.
    20. Dessart, Laurence & Pitardi, Valentina, 2019. "How stories generate consumer engagement: An exploratory study," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 104(C), pages 183-195.
    21. Cathy Nguyen & Jenni Romaniuk & Margaret Faulkner & Justin Cohen, 2018. "Are two brands better than one? Investigating the effects of co-branding in advertising on audience memory," Marketing Letters, Springer, vol. 29(1), pages 37-48, March.
    22. Sarah Hudson & Sheila Matson-Barkat & Nico Pallamin & Guillaume Jégou, 2019. "With or without you? Interaction and immersion in a virtual reality experience," Post-Print hal-02159315, HAL.
    23. Hsiao, Chih-Hui & Shen, George C. & Chao, Pei-Ju, 2015. "How does brand misconduct affect the brand–customer relationship?," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 68(4), pages 862-866.
    24. Wedel, Michel & Bigné, Enrique & Zhang, Jie, 2020. "Virtual and augmented reality: Advancing research in consumer marketing," International Journal of Research in Marketing, Elsevier, vol. 37(3), pages 443-465.
    25. Obilo, Obinna O. & Chefor, Ellis & Saleh, Amin, 2021. "Revisiting the consumer brand engagement concept," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 126(C), pages 634-643.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Kim, Yunju & Lee, Heejun, 2024. "Consumers’ responses to metaverse ads: The roles of hedonic versus utilitarian appeal and the moderating role of need for touch," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 179(C).
    2. Ahn, Suhyoung & Ellie Jin, Byoungho & Seo, Hyesim, 2024. "Why do people interact and buy in the Metaverse? Self-Expansion perspectives and the impact of hedonic adaptation," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 175(C).
    3. Ana Carla Magalhães Nascimento & Nathália de Kassia Galdino Oliveira & Verônica de Menezes Nascimento Nagata & Reimison Moreira Fernandes & Vitor William Batista Martins, 2023. "Validation of Challenges for the Development of the Marketing Plan for Startups Considering the Post-COVID-19 Reality: An Exploratory Analysis of the Brazilian Context Using Lawshe’s Method," FinTech, MDPI, vol. 2(3), pages 1-12, August.
    4. Schiopu, Andreea Fortuna & Hornoiu, Remus Ion & Padurean, Ana Mihaela & Nica, Ana-Maria, 2022. "Constrained and virtually traveling? Exploring the effect of travel constraints on intention to use virtual reality in tourism," Technology in Society, Elsevier, vol. 71(C).
    5. Giang Barrera, Kevin & Shah, Denish, 2023. "Marketing in the Metaverse: Conceptual understanding, framework, and research agenda," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 155(PA).
    6. repec:hal:journl:hal-04133314 is not listed on IDEAS
    7. Marc Lim, Weng, 2023. "Transformative marketing in the new normal: A novel practice-scholarly integrative review of business-to-business marketing mix challenges, opportunities, and solutions," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 160(C).
    8. Ul Ain, Qurat & Lim, Weng Marc & Rasool, Shahid & Zeshan, Muhammad, 2024. "How do customers react to preferential treatment? An affective events theory and time-lagged survey," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 80(C).
    9. Bin Kim, Woo & Jung Choo, Ho, 2023. "How virtual reality shopping experience enhances consumer creativity: The mediating role of perceptual curiosity," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 154(C).
    10. Shulin Wang & Shanhua Wu, 2023. "Optimizing the Location of Virtual-Shopping-Experience Stores Based on the Minimum Impact on Urban Traffic," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(13), pages 1-25, June.
    11. Dessart, Laurence & Standaert, Willem, 2023. "Strategic storytelling in the age of sustainability," Business Horizons, Elsevier, vol. 66(3), pages 371-385.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Wedel, Michel & Bigné, Enrique & Zhang, Jie, 2020. "Virtual and augmented reality: Advancing research in consumer marketing," International Journal of Research in Marketing, Elsevier, vol. 37(3), pages 443-465.
    2. Mkedder, Nadjim & Jain, Varsha & Salunke, Parth, 2024. "Determinants of virtual reality stores influencing purchase intention: An interpretive structural modeling approach," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 78(C).
    3. Qin, Hong & Osatuyi, Babajide & Xu, Lu, 2021. "How mobile augmented reality applications affect continuous use and purchase intentions: A cognition-affect-conation perspective," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 63(C).
    4. Kostyk, Alena & Sheng, Jie, 2023. "VR in customer-centered marketing: Purpose-driven design," Business Horizons, Elsevier, vol. 66(2), pages 225-236.
    5. Loureiro, Sandra Maria Correia & Guerreiro, João & Japutra, Arnold, 2021. "How escapism leads to behavioral intention in a virtual reality store with background music?," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 134(C), pages 288-300.
    6. Anderson, Kelley Cours & Laverie, Debra A., 2022. "In the consumers’ eye: A mixed-method approach to understanding how VR-Content influences unbranded product quality perceptions," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 67(C).
    7. Zhang, Yunen & Shao, Wei & Quach, Sara & Thaichon, Park & Li, Qianmin, 2024. "Examining the moderating effects of shopping orientation, product knowledge and involvement on the effectiveness of Virtual Reality (VR) retail environment," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 78(C).
    8. Xi, Nannan & Hamari, Juho, 2021. "Shopping in virtual reality: A literature review and future agenda," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 134(C), pages 37-58.
    9. Pathak, Kanishka & Prakash, Gyan, 2023. "Exploring the role of augmented reality in purchase intention: Through flow and immersive experience," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 196(C).
    10. Meißner, Martin & Pfeiffer, Jella & Peukert, Christian & Dietrich, Holger & Pfeiffer, Thies, 2020. "How virtual reality affects consumer choice," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 117(C), pages 219-231.
    11. Lim, Weng Marc & Rasul, Tareq & Kumar, Satish & Ala, Mamun, 2022. "Past, present, and future of customer engagement," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 140(C), pages 439-458.
    12. Cowan, Kirsten & Ketron, Seth & Kostyk, Alena & Kristofferson, Kirk, 2023. "Can you smell the (virtual) roses? The influence of olfactory cues in virtual reality on immersion and positive brand responses," Journal of Retailing, Elsevier, vol. 99(3), pages 385-399.
    13. Dessart, Laurence & Pitardi, Valentina, 2019. "How stories generate consumer engagement: An exploratory study," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 104(C), pages 183-195.
    14. Raza, Ali & Wasim, Manahil & Ishaq, Muhammad Ishtiaq, 2024. "Virtual reality-based product displays to inspire consumers’ purchase intentions: An experimental study," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 175(C).
    15. Laura Studen & Victor Tiberius, 2020. "Social Media, Quo Vadis? Prospective Development and Implications," Future Internet, MDPI, vol. 12(9), pages 1-22, August.
    16. Gong, Taeshik & Park, JungKun, 2023. "Effects of augmented reality technology characteristics on customer citizenship behavior," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 75(C).
    17. Luigi Cantone & Pierpaolo Testa & Teresa Marrone, 2022. "Issues in defining and placing consumer brand engagement," Italian Journal of Marketing, Springer, vol. 2022(2), pages 135-172, June.
    18. Lara Stocchi & Naser Pourazad & Nina Michaelidou & Arry Tanusondjaja & Paul Harrigan, 2022. "Marketing research on Mobile apps: past, present and future," Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, Springer, vol. 50(2), pages 195-225, March.
    19. Petit, Olivia & Javornik, Ana & Velasco, Carlos, 2022. "We Eat First with Our (Digital) Eyes: Enhancing Mental Simulation of Eating Experiences via Visual-Enabling Technologies," Journal of Retailing, Elsevier, vol. 98(2), pages 277-293.
    20. Francesca De Canio & Elisa Martinelli & Margherita Peruzzini & Sara Cavallaro, 2022. "Experiencing a Food Production Site Using Wearable Devices: The Indirect Impact of Immersion and Presence in VR Tours," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(5), pages 1-17, March.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eee:jbrese:v:136:y:2021:i:c:p:513-522. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.elsevier.com/locate/jbusres .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.