Presentation which applies product, service and experience models to formulate strategies for events

1. Events
Product, Service or Experience?

2. Learning Objectives
At the end of this session participants should be
able to:
• Define the characteristics of and highlight the differences
amongst products, services and experiences
• Discuss the usefulness of product, service and experience
models in analysing events
• Apply product, service and experience models to
formulate strategies for events

3. What are Events?
Temporary occurrence with a predetermined
beginning and end. It is unique, stemming from
the blend of management, programme setting
and people. (Getz, 2005)
“An organised occasion such as a
meeting, convention, exhibition, special
event, gala dinner etc. An event is often
composed of several different yet related
functions.”
(CIC, 2003 cited in Bowdin, 2006:p14)

4. Special events are...
“A special event is that which is different from
the normal day of living.”
- Robert Jani, 1955
“A unique moment in time celebrated with
ceremony and ritual to satisfy specific needs.”
-Goldblatt (1997, p.2)

5. Purposes of Events

6. Purposes of Events
• To celebrate important happenings in our lives
• To position, brand or build the image of a
person, organisation or country
• To relax, to entertain
• To mark the local and domestic details of our
lives

7. Event Types include...
SIZE CONTENT PURPOSE
•Media Event
•Local or •Cultural
•Corporate Event
community Celebrations •Cause-related
events •Political and Event
•Publicity Stunt
•Major events State
•Hallmark •Arts &
events Entertainment
•Business and
Trade
•Sport

8. Event Types include...
SIZE CONTENT PURPOSE
•Media Event
•Local or •Cultural
•Corporate Event
community Celebrations •Cause-related
events •Political and Event
•Publicity Stunt
•Major events State
•Hallmark •Arts &
events Entertainment
•Business and
Trade
•Sport

9. Event Types include...
SIZE CONTENT PURPOSE
•Media Event
•Local or •Cultural •Corporate Event
community Celebrations •Cause-related
events •Political and Event
•Publicity Stunt
•Major events State
•Hallmark •Arts &
events Entertainment
•Business and
Trade
•Sport

10. So Are Events a
Product?
“… a physical
good, service, idea or place
that is capable of offering
tangible and intangible
attributes that individuals
or organisations regard as
so necessary, worthwhile or
satisfying that they are
prepared to
exchange, money, patronag
e or some other unit of
value in order to acquire
it.”
(Brassington & Pettitt 2006:
p288)

11. So Are Events a
Product? ...
• No...
• What about SUP 11-City “... a 5 day event for
Tour? elite athletes and
amateurs roaming
over 220
kilometers (water
and land) through
11 Cities, while
promoting the
sport with free SUP
clinics.”

12. SUP 11-City Tour Product
Core • Core product – SUP
product 220Km race
Tangible • Tangible product –
product Surfboards, maps, schedu
Augmented les, catering, signage, tent
product s, boats ...
• Augmented product-
Potential
product
11-City Tour
brand, sponsorship, websi
te SUP
Clinics, live tracking
• Potential product –
Organized tours, evening
events, amateur/fun
categories

13. Product Marketing
Product Price
Place Promotion

14. ... A Service?...
Any activity or benefit that
one party can offer to
another which is
essentially intangible and
does not result in the
ownership of anything
An activity, benefit or
satisfaction that is offered
for sale
(Kotler et al, 2005)

15. Classifying
SUP 11-City Tour
High service, High physical
low physical content,
content low service

16. Service Characteristics
• Lack of ownership • Inseparable
– No transfer of – Cannot be separated
ownership when from the service
services are sold provider
• Intangible • Heterogeneity
– Cannot be examined – Each service
prior to purchase experience likely to
be different
• Perishable
– Cannot be stored

17. Service Marketing
Product Place and Price and
elements Time other outlays
Promotion Physical
Process
and Education Environment
Productivity
People
and Quality

18. ... Or an Experience?...
A product which involves
experiential aspects of
consumption rather than
utilitarian ones. This type
of product allows
consumers to engage in
fantasies, feelings and
fun and often carries
subjective meanings and
characteristics.
(Hirschman and
Holbrook, 1982)

19. Source: Hirschman and Holbrook (1982: p.133)

20. Key Characteristics
• Symbolic
• Meaningful
• Memorable
• Emotional
• Unique
• Intangible

21. The Realms of Experience

22. Event Marketing
Product Place Programming
People Promotions Partnerships
Packaging Price

23. Activity
• In groups, using either the product, service,
experience model analyze the team building
event you recently attended
– Justify why you believe it is either a product,
service or experience by identifying the key
characteristics
– Using either 4 or 8 Ps outline a marketing strategy
– Suggest some ideas for improving the event’s
marketing and management

24. How Did Your Chosen Model
Affect Your Strategy Choices?

25. Summary
• It is possible to define events as products,
services or experiences
• An event manger’s beliefs and definitions of
events will determine his/her marketing
strategies

26. References
• Brassington, F. & Pettit, S. (2006), Principles of Marketing (4th Edition), Essex,
Pearson Education Limited
• Featherstone, M. (1993), Global and local cultures , In J. Bird (Ed.) Mapping the
Futures: Local Cultures, Global Change, pp.168-187, London: Routledge
• George, E.W. and Reid D.G. (2005) The power of tourism: A metamorphosis of
community culture, Journal of Tourism and Cultural Change, 3 (2), 88-107
• Getz D. (2007), Event Studies, Oxford: Butterworth Heinemann
• Gans, H.J. (1999), Popular Culture and High Culture: An Analysis and Evaluation of
Taste, New YorK: Basic Books
• Hirschman, E. and Holbrook, M. (1982) Hedonic consumption: emerging concepts,
methods and propositions, Journal of Marketing, 46,(3) 92-101
• Hofstede, G. (1984),Culture’s Consequences: International Differences in Work-
related Values, Beverly Hills, CA: Sage Publications
• Kotler, P. et al (2005) Principles of Marketing (4th European Edition), Essex,
Pearson Education Limited
• Pine, B.J. and Gilmore, J.H. (1999) The Experience Economy: Work is Theatre and
Every Business a Stage, Boston, HBS Press

27. Further Reading
• Bowdin et al (2011) Events Management (Third
Edition), Oxford, Butterworth-Heinmann Chapter
1 downloadable from: http://0-
lib.myilibrary.com.emu.londonmet.ac.uk/Open.as
px?id=295454&loc=&srch=undefined&src=0
• Brassington, F. & Pettit, S. (2006), Principles of
Marketing (4th Edition), Essex, Pearson Education
Limited Chapters 7 and 22 or equivalent
• Hirschman, E. and Holbrook, M. (1982) Hedonic
consumption: emerging concepts, methods and
propositions, Journal of Marketing, 46,(3) 92-101