Transcending reality: Introducing mental time travel experiences and their ability to influence brand outcomes

Jennifer Brannon Barhorst, Graeme McLean, Nina Krey, Ana Javornik and Heiner Evanschitzky

Journal of Business Research, 2023, vol. 164, issue C

Abstract: This research introduces the concept of mental time travel experience (MTTE) to the experiential marketing literature as a new type of experience that marketers can evoke to prompt consumers to mentally travel to a different time in one’s personal past or forwards in time to one’s personal future. Although research indicates that experiences are a cornerstone of building positive brand equity for firms, and that humans are rarely mentally in the present moment, there is a distinct gap regarding experiences that take place in consumers’ minds. We address this gap with the introduction and examination of MTTEs with two between-subjects studies with 1,879 participants. Results identify three factors important to the elicitation of MTTEs and mental time travel to the past as a key factor to influencing behavioral intentions. Finally, findings indicate that lower states of immersion have the propensity to strengthen mental time travel's effect on behavioral intentions.

Keywords: Mental time travel; MTTE; Experiential marketing; Customer experience; Immersion; Augmented reality (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:jbrese:v:164:y:2023:i:c:s0148296323002448

DOI: 10.1016/j.jbusres.2023.113886

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