Consumer experience tourism and brand bonding

Abstract

This paper reviews the growing use of manufacturing plant tours, company museums, and company visitor centers as strategic tools available to strengthen the bond between consumers and brands. Consumer experience tourism provides the user (i.e. the consumer) with an experience regarding a product, its operation, production process, history, and historical significance. Such brand bonding may contribute to higher levels of personal product involvement and brand loyalty. Ultimately, the bond between consumers and brands may be strengthened by the availability of such consumer experiences. The relative importance of these outreach efforts, in addition to their availability, will likely increase as the competition for consumer loyalty intensifies.