CULTURAL CONSUMPTION BEHAVIOR FROM THE EXPERTIAL MARKETING VIEW: BLOCKBUSTER IN TAIWAN

In Taiwan, consumer behavior is a very popular research field. Nonetheless, research to extend the issue to cultural consumption is rare, not to mention any practical thesis using LISREL as a tool. As a result, the lack of domestic practical research in cultural consumption field leads to my motivation to do the related research. In museum research filed, there has been an increasing discussion about exhibition marketing in the past years. Actually, western museums use exhibition marketing as an important marketing means for decades, whereas Taiwanese museums use it for only few years. With the popularity of exhibition marketing, museums should try to make some differentiation among them in order to gain visitors and financial supports in such a dynamic and competitive environment, meanwhile serving the public as an educational organization. The concept of “Experiential Marketing” commonly applied and discussed in these few years may be a suitable tool for museums to differentiate.

The thesis is laid on constructing a correlated model combining a simple three-phase model of consumer decision by Schiffman and Kanuk (2000), five strategic experiential modules (SEMs) by Schmitt (1999), and other related literature, using LISREL statistical method to be the analysis tool. The conclusions are as follows:
1. There is a positive relationship between the promotion incentives used by the museum and cooperative media and consumer’s real visiting experience.
2. There is a positive relationship between consumer’s past visiting experience and consumer’s real visiting experience.
3. There is a negative relationship between the opinions of focus groups and consumer’s real visiting experience.
4. There is a positive and significant relationship between the consumer’s motivation of knowledge, leisure and nostalgia and consumer’s real visiting experience.
5. If there is any interactive opportunity in the process of cultural consumption, it will impress the visitors.
6. Consumer’s positive visiting experience will lead to positive word of mouth effect, referral behavior, and loyalty for similar exhibitions; besides, loyalty will strengthen consumer’s word of mouth and referral behaviors.