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

Barhorst, Jennifer Brannon and McLean, Graeme and Krey, Nina and Javornik, Ana and Evanschitzky, Heiner (2023) Transcending reality : introducing mental time travel experiences and their ability to influence brand outcomes. Journal of Business Research, 164. 113886. ISSN 0148-2963 (https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusres.2023.113886)

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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.

ORCID iDs

Barhorst, Jennifer Brannon, McLean, Graeme ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3758-5279, Krey, Nina, Javornik, Ana and Evanschitzky, Heiner;
CORE (COnnecting REpositories)