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The Royal Experience

How Retail Experiences Influence Corporate Brand Perception

Camilla Elming Hansen

05-05-2010

Marketing and Management Communication

Aarhus School of Business

Supervisor: Line Skjødt

Total characters of Bachelor Thesis without spaces: 56.210 / 2200 = 25, 55 pages

Executive Summary

During the past decade, three major changes have altered the society we as consumers live in, and

as originations do business in. The omnipresence of information technology, supremacy of the

brand and the ubiquity of integrated marketing communications has lead to new ways for marketing

communication to reach customers, introducing the concept of experience. Experience has become

the superior conduct for organisations to build durable long-term relationships with their customers,

ensuring improved business performance.

This thesis has set out to gain insight into the definition and construction of a customer experience,

specifically in a retail setting. The experience concept has therefore been discussed, predominately,

from the perspective of Pine and Gilmore’s Experience Economy and Schmitt’s Experience

Marketing. It was found that an experience is in its basic form is a cognitive process triggered by

sensory engagement. Pine and Gilmore differentiate customer experiences along the spectrum of

two dimensions; customer participation and immersion level. Schmitt, however, emphasises the

communicative appeal to senses, emotions, cognitive thinking and behavioural lifestyles and need

for affiliation and self-improvement (relate). However in the retail setting it was found that

customer experiences are generated from the static and dynamic elements constructed in the mind

of the consumer based on the individual prejudices and preconceptions.

Key components classified as superior conduct in constructing retail experiences have been

identified to ensure greatest probability of creating static and dynamic elements that foster positive

brand perception. These components are:

- Sensory engagement – mentally and physically

- Coherence between static and dynamic elements and the corporate brand identity

- Consistency in communicated message across all customer-brand touchpoints, (within the

retail setting and across all marketing communication efforts).

Royal Copenhagen’s newest retail initiative The Royal Cafe has been used as a case study example

to examine the nature of The Royal Cafe’s customer retail experience. A visual analysis was

employed in order to test the key components and gain insight in to their likelihood of producing

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positive brand perception and improved business performance. The limitations of this thesis have

unabled the construction of a reception analysis, hence the visual analysis builds on theory from

predominately Kress and van Leeuwen, Peirce and Barthes through the interpretation of the author.

It was found that the static elements of The Royal Cafe experience communicate a consistent

message in coherence with the new corporate brand identity of Royal Copenhagen. The visual

communicated theme illustrate several style clashes appealing to the cognitive engagement,

however it was found based on Pine and Gilmore’s model of Experience Realms that The Royal

Cafe experience lack physically engagement in order to assure a customer-brand relationship that

will generate customer longevity for Royal Copenhagen, hence improved durable business

performance in the long run. Therefore it can be recommended that The Royal Cafe should

construct experience more along the notion of Experience Economy than Experience Marketing as

they do now.

Total characters of Executive summary without spaces: 2825/2200 = 1,28 pages

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Tabel of Content

1 Introduction.............................................................................................................................................................6

1.1 Objectives............................................................................................................................................................6

1.2 Significance of Thesis...........................................................................................................................................7

1.3 Methodology.......................................................................................................................................................7

1.4 Theoretical framework........................................................................................................................................8

1.5 Structure..............................................................................................................................................................8

1.6 Delimitations.......................................................................................................................................................9

2 The changing business and society........................................................................................................................10

2.1 The supremacy of the brand..............................................................................................................................10

2.2 Integrated Marketing Communication..............................................................................................................11

2.3 Summary...........................................................................................................................................................11

3 The Conceptual Experience....................................................................................................................................12

3.1 Experience Economy..........................................................................................................................................12

3.1.1 Setting the stage......................................................................................................................................12

3.1.2 Experience Construction..........................................................................................................................13

3.1.3 Summary..................................................................................................................................................14

3.2 Experience Marketing........................................................................................................................................14

3.2.1 Creating experiences...............................................................................................................................15

3.2.2 Summary..................................................................................................................................................17

3.3 Definition of experience.....................................................................................................................................17

4 Experiential Retailing.............................................................................................................................................19

4.1 Previous Research within Experiential Retailing................................................................................................19

4.2 Customer-brand Touchpoints in a Retail Setting...............................................................................................19

4.2.1 Static Design Elements.............................................................................................................................20

4.2.2 Dynamic Elements...................................................................................................................................20

4.3 Retail Experience...............................................................................................................................................21

4.4 Summary...........................................................................................................................................................21

5 Empirical Model.....................................................................................................................................................22

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6 Royal Copenhagen.................................................................................................................................................24

6.1 Corporate Brand Identity...................................................................................................................................24

6.2 Royal Copenhagen’s Flagships Store.................................................................................................................24

6.3 The Royal Cafe...................................................................................................................................................25

6.3.1 Visual Communication.............................................................................................................................25

6.3.2 Description of The Royal Cafe..................................................................................................................26

6.3.3 Customer-Brand Touchpoints..................................................................................................................26

6.4 The Royal Cafe Experience.................................................................................................................................32

6.4.1 The Theme-atrical Experience.................................................................................................................34

6.4.2 Identification of Sensory Engagement.....................................................................................................34

6.4.3 Comparison..............................................................................................................................................34

6.4.4 Evaluation of Customer Response...........................................................................................................35

6.4.5 Reflections upon Business Performance..................................................................................................36

6.4.6 Theoretical Recommendation..................................................................................................................37

6.5 Summary...........................................................................................................................................................37

7 Conclusion..............................................................................................................................................................39

8 Bibliography...........................................................................................................................................................41

8.1 Articles:.............................................................................................................................................................41

8.2 Books:................................................................................................................................................................42

8.3 Websites............................................................................................................................................................43

9 Appendices............................................................................................................................................................45

9.1 Appendix 1 - Sensory appeal..............................................................................................................................45

9.2 Appendix 2 – Perceptual process.......................................................................................................................47

9.3 Appendix 3 - Product Description......................................................................................................................48

9.4 Appendix 3 – Monocle Interview.......................................................................................................................49

9.5 Appendix 4 Peirce’ Triadic model.......................................................................................................................51

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11 IINTRODUCTIONNTRODUCTION

“Tell me and I’ll forget, Show me and I might remember, Involve me and I’ll understand “

– Benjamin Franklin (Lindstrøm, 2006)

The retail industry of today is a hyper-competitive environment where organisations are

participating in an ongoing battle to ensure customer1 preference and loyalty (Healy et al.; 2007). In

this brand orientated consumption consumers are experiencing an over exposure of marketing

stimuli, hence they have developed complex webs of filtration in relation to which stimuli they

allow themselves to be affected by (Pickton and Broderick; 2005).

Creating memorable retail experiences is one of the ways that retailers today are trying to break

through the filtration and fostering strong relations with their customers. By developing branded

experiences that engages and emotional involve consumers, organisations has the possibility of

bringing the brand to life and enhance the consumers’ positive perception of the brand.

On the Danish retail scene, experiential retailing is only showing hints of visibility. Royal

Copenhagen is one of the Danish companies that are demonstrating its understanding for the

importance of engaging customers in an experience of the brand; hence they initiated The Royal

Cafe as a space of brand exploration.

Thesis Statement:

Seen form an experiential retailing perspective, how will the visual communicated customer

experience of The Royal Cafe affect the corporate brand perception of Royal Copenhagen?

1.11.1 OOBJECTIVESBJECTIVES

Four objectives have been defined in order to specify the scope of this thesis:

- What is a customer experience?

- What characterise the criteria for success in creating customer retail experiences?

- Theoretically, how can customer retail experience impact brand perception?

1 The terms ‘consumer’ and ‘customer’ are used interchangeably throughout this thesis, as it is operating within the

B2C market.

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Camilla Elming, 08/04/10,

Integrate this development in society into the introduction. One is the omnipresence of information technology; a second is the supremacy of the brand, and lastly the ubiquity of integrated communication and entertainment.

- Theoretically, what affect might experiential retailing have on business performance?

1.21.2 SSIGNIFICANCEIGNIFICANCE OFOF T THESISHESIS

There is an intensified challenge for organisations to differentiate themselves in today’s ever-

changing business environment. Branding and marketing efforts are moving towards more creative

ways to obtain the customers’ attention. “[...] you have to look for other dimensions with which to

attract consumers: not the functional aspects of products, because you don’t own those any more,

but the emotional aspects, which is really what branding is about” (Pickton & Broderick; 2005)

Experiential marketing has become the leading application to obtaining this emotional

differentiation. A successful experience is however highly depended upon consumers’ perception,

hence, crafting and implementing an experience is difficult for organisations to control.

Furthermore, it is important that everything an organisation does is supported by the corporate

identity in order to create a perceived relevance and authenticity for the customer.

Therefore, how do we characterise experience so they create the desired customer impact ultimately

delivering improved business performance. These factors of experiential marketing demonstrate an

interesting and complex task for any organisation; hence this thesis sets out to uncover the

theoretical best practice for organisation to successfully create customer experiences.

1.31.3 MMETHODOLOGYETHODOLOGY

This thesis takes on the scientific method of philosophical hermeneutics in answering the thesis

statement. This methodology emphasises that understanding is not a method but a premise of

existence (Skinner, 1986). Our prejudices and preconceptions, as receivers of communicated

messages, are what make understanding possible. Hence customer experiences are created

individually and no two experiences are alike as human being does not possess exact same

preconceptions. This perspective however entails that there exist no method to distinguish reality,

hence what is good and bad interpretation! As cause of this fact, this thesis will theoretically

substantiate an analytical strategy from which the analysis will be compared and contrasted in

gaining insight into the affect of customer experiences on corporate brand perception.

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Characteristics of expereince

Impact on concumer

Result in businees

performance

1.41.4 TTHEORETICALHEORETICAL FRAMEWORKFRAMEWORK

The theoretical framework is a vital element in the answering of thesis statement, thus the employed

theoretical foundation will be addressed when dealt with respectively.

1.51.5 SSTRUCTURETRUCTURE

Part 1: This thesis take outset in a clarification of the change society and customer needs

that has paved the way for new business conducts, increasingly employing

experiences in their customer-brand communication. This section serves the purpose

of putting the experience concept in to perspective within an integrated marketing

communications context.

Part 2: The thesis will move on to a discussion of the experience concept from

predominately the perspective of Experience Economy (Pine & Gilmore, 1999) and

Experience Marketing (Schmitt, 1999) in theoretically substantiating a definition of

customer experience.

Part 3: Part three narrows the customer experience perspective in focusing solely on the

customer experience created in a retail setting. It will be argues that the retail

environment, i.e. consumption situation, is the still the most ideal communicative

customer-brand touchpoint, hence the ideal experiential touchpoint. The thesis will

gain insight into the construction of experiential retailing (Healy, et al, 2007), based

on the previous defined definition of experience.

Part 4: Based on the theoretical insight the thesis will propose an empirical model

illustrating a standard, i.e. the analytical strategy, from which to evaluate the

effectiveness of customer experiences in a retail environment.

Part 5: The following part will set out to test the empirical model through a case study of

Royal Copenhagen’s integration of The Royal Cafe as an experiential element of

their retail environment. An introduction of Royal Copenhagen including a definition

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of their external communicated corporate brand identity will be made in order to

make a comparison with the interpreted experience.

Part 6: Part five will conduct a discourse analysis on the visual language present in The

Royal Cafe, drawing upon Kress and van Leeuwen, Barthes and Peirce’s theoretical

perspectives in clarifying the theme-atrical experience. From the defined customer

experience, sensory engagement will be identified, an evaluation of customer

response will be theoretically presumed and a comparison will be made to the

corporate brand identity of Royal Copenhagen. Lastly, the thesis will reflect upon

Royal Copenhagen’s business outcome from constructing customer experiences as

derived from The Royal Cafe.

1.61.6 DDELIMITATIONSELIMITATIONS

When working within the scientific tradition of philosophical hermeneutics it implies that scientific

understanding is created through reception analysis. Hence it would have been ideal to research the

holistic perceive experience from customer interacting with The Royal Cafe, thus, both the static

and the dynamic elements. Similar it would have been plausible to research the attributes connected

to the sensory experience of dinning at The Royal Cafe to fully elaborate on the perceived

experience. However, deriving theoretical understanding from this type of reception analysis lies

outside the theoretical scope of the author’s field of study. Furthermore this thesis has chosen to

accentuate the theoretical construction of an experience in order to fully comprehend the nature of

experiential retailing and how it from a managerial perspective can be used, thus limiting the thesis

scope due to limitations of pages.

For the same reasons as above the thesis have been limited in its details of relating concepts such as

Customer Relationship Management, Customer Loyalty and Branding, theoretical areas that

contains extensive depth however narrowly represented in the thesis.

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22 TTHEHE CHANGINGCHANGING BUSINESSBUSINESS ANDAND SOCIETYSOCIETY

Over the recent decades, extraordinary changes in the marketing environment have altered the way

in which organisations do business and build lasting relationships with their customers. Stuart-

Menteth et al. (2006) argues that our present society is built on a consumption-driven economy, in

which value is created during consumption, which defines the identity of the consumers as

possessing attributes such as active, cynical, knowledgeable, time-constrained, tribal, individual,

demanding and experience seeking – a combination that has been labelled as ‘the new consumer’.

These new consumers are setting new standards for the conduct of building customer relationships

by demanding a consumption process that fulfils their need for integrity, meaningfulness, relevance,

social justification, customisation, excellence in expectations and participation – hence they demand

an experience. Consumers seek to become part of an experience, rather than merely encountering

finished products or images, i.e. they seek inclusion through participation (ibid).

Schmitt (1999) clarifies three key changes in society which he argues to be the reason for the new

conducts of customer relationship management; the omnipresence of information technology, the

supremacy of the brand and the ubiquity of integrated marking communication.

2.12.1 TTHEHE SUPREMACYSUPREMACY OFOF THETHE BRANDBRAND

A brand is “the totality of what the consumers take into consideration before making a purchase

decision” (Pickton & Broderick, 2005). Hence, branding strategies builds on differentiating

products and organisations, and to build economic value for the consumer and the brand owner.

Branding structure has moved beyond the primary concern with products and services and since the

mid 1990’s the focus has been on the organisation in its totality which has heralded the introduction

of the corporate branding concept (Balmer, 2009). The increasingly short product life-cycle and the

fact that product brands are easily copied results in a handicap for many organisations. Balmer

(2009) argues that corporate branding is not subjected to such pitfalls as values associated to a

corporate brand can be distinct and enduring through the corporate personality, -identity and -

image, thereby providing a superior basis for brand differentiation.

The value of a brand from a customer perspective is not only about distinguishing a better brand

from the rest, but about which brand fits me (the customer) the best (Pickton & Broderick, 2005) .

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As consumers we are searching for products that define us. “Choosing a brand becomes a way for

one group of consumers to differentiate themselves from another.” (Miller & Schenitz, 1990). Our

consumption is turning into a communicative statement of identity – portraying our personal brand

through the brands we associate ourselves with (ibid). Our brand oriented society have reach a point

where a strong brand position is expected, thus consumers now look beyond, to the values and

beliefs of the organisational identity as the differentiation factor (Balmer, 2009). However, branding

only really works if everything an organisation does support what they stand for, hence their

corporate brand identity is expressed across all brand touchpoints.

2.22.2 IINTEGRATEDNTEGRATED M MARKETINGARKETING C COMMUNICATIONOMMUNICATION

Communication take place even if unplanned or unconscious, thus constantly impressions and

images are being formed (Bernstein; 1984). Thus, it essential for an organisation that the same

message of identity is communicated across all touch points, to obtain the greatest impact on its

customer through a consistent reference point (Pickton & Broderick; 2005).Integrated marketing

communication is “the management process of integrating all marketing communications activities

across relevant audience points to achieve greater brand coherence” (Pickton & Broderick, 2005).

The developments in information technology have opened up for an almost endless range of

communication channels characterised by the potential for rich, interactive, location-independent

dialogue (Stuart-Menteth et al., 2006). This has among others made the distinctions between

communication and sales channels blurry, given rise to the concept of integrated marketing

communications in acknowledging the need to provide consistency in the diverse ways

organisations interact with customers (Balmer, 2009).

2.32.3 SSUMMARYUMMARY

Customers, society and industry are telling organisations that their external communication2 should

always be in coherence with their corporate brand identity for especially to reasons; one being the

fact that customers today are valuing the corporate brand higher than product brand, secondly

because the authenticity and integrity of an organisations communication and actions will be

diminished if customers detect disruptions from the core identity. Hence the need for integrated

marketing communication is vital to any organisational conduct in present time.

2 Vital for internal communication as well, however not address in this thesis

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Entertain- Education ment

Esthetic Escapist

ABSORPTION

ACTIVE PARTICIPATION

IMMERSION

PASSIVE PARTICIPATION

33 TTHEHE C CONCEPTUALONCEPTUAL E EXPERIENCEXPERIENCE

This following section will set out to clarify the concept of an experience and discuss how it is

being employed in different context. Conclusively a general definition and pattern of construct will

be made upon the concept of experience.

3.13.1 EEXPERIENCEXPERIENCE E ECONOMYCONOMY

The idea of customer experiences has its origins in the work of Joseph Pine and James Gilmore

(Buttle, 2009), they discuss customer experience from the perspective of experience economy,

arguing that an experience is as real an offering as any service, good or commodity, i.e. a stage

experience should be viewed as the next stage in the economic value. In order words, when

businesses are charging for the time customers spend with them, first then are they in the experience

business and operating within the concept of experience economy (Pine & Gilmore, 1999).

Customers have always had experiences, but Pine and Gilmore recognises a new form of value-

adding economic activity that has previously been hidden or embedded in the service economy

(Buttle, 2009).

Pine & Gilmore define experiences as being a staged and planned event similar to a theatre or

movie. “An experience occurs when a company intentionally uses services as the stage, and goods

as the props, to engage individual customers in a way that creates a memorable event” (ibid). Their

definition of experience accentuate the process of interaction and engagement, thus, experiences are

inherently personal, existing only in the mind of the individual who has been engaged on an,

emotional, physical, intellectual or even spiritual level.

3.1.13.1.1 SSETTINGETTING THETHE STAGESTAGE

Within Pine and Gilmore’s (1999)

framework of thought, four broad

categories of experiences have

emerged; entertainment,

education, esthetic and escapist.

These four realms, is a result of an

interplay between two dimensions;

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Figure 1 The Experience Realms

customer participation and connection as visible in Figure 1. Hence, an experience is characterised

in relation to the level of customer participation (horizontal) from being an observer or listener

(passive participation) to being an actor on stage (active participation), so to speak. The second

dimension (vertical) is the level of connection, or environmental relationship, which unites the

consumer with the experience, ranging from absorption, i.e. occupying a person’s attention by

bringing the experience into mind, to immersion, i.e. becoming physically of virtually a part of the

experience itself.

Entertainment is a passive absorption experience and general occur when you watch TV or listen to

music; hence the participation level is fairly low. Educational event, being a lecture or dance class,

involves a higher level of participation in comparison to entertainment, however Pine and Gilmore

argues that the customer is still somewhat outside of the action process. Escapist experience can

both educate and entertain but involve a create level of immersion, e.g. climbing Mount Everest, or

something less extreme, participating in a 3 mile race. Minimizing the customers’ participation

level, the event becomes an esthetic experience, i.e. the customer is still immersive in the activity or

environment but transformed to a role similar to a tourist where everything is seen from a distance

but not affect in any way. Conclusively, Pine and Gilmore state that the richest experience

encompasses aspects from all four categories. Applying these types of experiences is useful when

setting the stage for any experience it gives direction to which kind of experience is desired and

guidelines for how to engage customers in the process.

3.1.23.1.2 EEXPERIENCEXPERIENCE C CONSTRUCTIONONSTRUCTION

Pine and Gilmore (1999) proposes a

framework for creating unique and

memorable experiences, evident in Figure

2. An experience takes outset in building

a themed foundation that is the

organisational principle of an experience,

driving cues such as design elements and

staged events towards a unified storyline

which in its totality captivates the customer. These cues serve the purpose as vibrant source of

connotations along the spectrum of the five senses – sight, sound, touch and smell (see appendix 1

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Experience

Memorabilia

Impressions

Cues - sesnory appealTheme the Experience

Figure 2 Experience Economy Approach to Construction of Experience

for elaboration. The stimulation of senses evokes customers’ cognitive interpretation and generates

various impressions - the memories a customer take away. Pine and Gilmore argues that

memorabilia should be added to any experience in order to prolong the impressions within the mind

of the costumer.

3.1.33.1.3 SSUMMARYUMMARY

Experience Economy considers experience as being the next economy value; “instead of relying on

our own means to experience the new and the extraordinary – as has been done for ages – we will

increasingly pay companies to stage experiences for us, just as we now pay companies for services

we once delivered ourselves, goods we once made ourselves, and commodities we once extracted

ourselves” (Pine and Gilmore, 1999). Experience Economy accentuates the key element of actively

customer participation and engagement in the experience in order to live up to the demands of

economic value for an organisation. According to Pine and Gilmore, such experiences is

constructed by using service as the stage and goods as the pops to orchestra a true theatrical

performance.

3.23.2 EEXPERIENCEXPERIENCE M MARKETINGARKETING

Despite the fact that the industry are confirming the presence of experience economy in connection

with more and more organisations questioning their ways of conduct by evaluating what they would

do differently if they charged their customers admission - most theorist and academics argue that

experience still primarily exist within the context of marketing (Schmitt, 1999; Healy et al., 2007;

Yalch & Spangenberg, 2000; Kotler & Keller, 2009; Brakus et al., 2009; van Tongeren, 2003, to

name a few).

Customers want “[...] products, communications, and marketing campaigns that dazzle their sense,

touch their hearts, and stimulate their minds. They want products, communications and campaigns

that they can relate to and incorporate into their lifestyles – they want products, communications

and marketing campaigns to deliver an experience.” (Schmitt,1999). The change in customers’

needs have paved the way for experiential marketing, a concept that in its simplicity focuses on the

customer experience.. According to Schmitt (1999) “Experiences are private events that occur in

response to some stimulation, e.g. as provided by marketing effort before and after purchase.

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Experiences involve the entire living being. They often result from direct observations and/or

participation in event – whether they are real, dreamlike, or virtual”. As marketing

communication means customer experiences are used to enrich the brand equity3a customer hold for

a brand or an organisation (Kotler & Keller, 2009).

3.2.13.2.1 CCREATINGREATING EXPERIENCESEXPERIENCES

Schmitt (1999) proposes that an

experience is build on tactical

components such as visual and verbal

identity, communications, product

presence, co-branding, spatial

environments, electronic media and

people, to name the more general

headings (Schmitt, 1999). These

components are used integrated or separately to create brand-related stimuli through sensory,

emotional, cognitive or behavioural appeal in generating a positive and memorable experience as

evident through Figure 3.

3.2.1.13.2.1.1 Types of experiences - Strategic Experiential Modules (SEMs)Types of experiences - Strategic Experiential Modules (SEMs)

Schmitt (1999) argues that the mind is constructed of specialized functional parts, providing a

perfect framework for the different types of experiences a marketer can appeal to. He defines these

types as strategic experiential modules; Senses, Feel, Think, Act and Relate.

Senses The purpose of sensory experiences is to provide aesthetic pleasure, excitement, beauty and satisfaction through sensory stimulation. Creating sensory experiences entails planning the sensory (visual) identity elements which are the properties, product, presentation and publications of an organisation. In more detail it is the physical locations and cars, the physical product and its core service, packaging, uniforms and shopping bags, brochures, business cards and advertising. The communicated message at each of these touchpoints is created through primary elements which relates to the five senses, e.g. colour, shape, loudness, pitch, material and texture. These elements are the building blocks of style which create distinctiveness and consistency in the communicated message. The theme adds meaning and content to the style and serves as a mental anchor and reference point for the customer.

3 Aaker (2002) defines Brand equity as following: “Brand equity is a set of assets (and liabilities) linked to a brand's name and symbol that adds to (or subtracts from) the value provided by a product or service to a firm and/or that firm's customers. The major asset categories are: Brand name awareness, Brand loyalty, Perceived quality and Brand associations"

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Experience

Brand-related stimuli

Sense, feel, think, act, (relate)

Tactical components

Figure 3 Experience Marketing Approach to Constructing Experiences

Table 1 Experiential Grid

Adapted from Schmitt 1999

Emotion Emotional experiences refer to act of affecting the customer’s emotions. The feel experience range from mild moods to strong emotions, triggered primarily by communication and people, hence the consumption situation is critical for emotional experiences as well as the communication prior to consumption has influential power. It is a tricky experience to create as many emotions are thought of as bipolar, e.g. being satisfied opposing dissatisfied, there is no in-between, thus the emotional appeal should be carefully planned to make sure it does not evoke negative emotions.

Cognition Think experiences are the creation of cognitive and problem-solving experiences that engages the customer creatively through the “think principle”; a sense of surprise, a dose of intrigue and a smack of provocation. These types of experiences appeal to the customer’s creative thinking about an organisation and its brand, however, appealing to think through surprise even provocation might not be a given success for every context, as well as not every type of customer would be compelled to invest the time an effort of figuring out the message.

Behaviour Act experiences are the enrichment of customer’s lives by enhancing their physical experience, showing them alternative ways of doing things, alternative lifestyles and interactions. Hence act experience appeal to the modification of behavioural patterns and demonstrating new, or enhancing existing long-term lifestyles, most often occurring from private or public interaction.

Relate Relate experiences includes aspects of all of the above types of experiences in relating the individual to his or her ideal self, other people and cultures. The primary objective is to build a relationship between the social meaning of the brand and the customer, hence these experiences appeal to the desire for self-improvement, social recognition and affiliation (Schmitt, 1999).

3.2.1.23.2.1.2 Constructing tactical components in accordance to experiential modulesConstructing tactical components in accordance to experiential modules

From a holistic perspective, an experience will

most often be a combination of several of the

above described types. Schmitt (1999)

proposes that experience marketing should be

planned following an experience grid in

which the types of experience appeals and the

tactical components are coordinates to make

the best fits, see Table 1. The dark turquoise

squares in the grid are indicating which

tactical components within the marketing

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TACTICAL COMPONENTS

STR

ATE

GIC

EX

PER

IEN

TIA

L

MO

DU

LES

- SEM

Com

mun

icat

ion

Ver

bal a

nd

Vis

ual I

dent

ity

Prod

uct

Co-

bran

ding

Spat

ial

Envi

ronm

ent

Elec

troni

c M

edia

Peop

le

Senses

Feel

Think

Act

Relate

communication mix are most plausible in communicating each experience module. Thus, the model

accentuating the best fit, however, Schmitt (1999) recognises that from a certain view point

everything we do and do not do communicates a message.

3.2.23.2.2 SSUMMARYUMMARY

Experience Marketing has evolved as the newest direction within the marketing field as a direct

effect of the omnipresence of information technology, the supremacy of the brand and the ubiquity

of integrated marketing communications and entertainment in today’s industry as well as society.

Experience is used as an affective marking communication means created through sensory,

emotional, cognitive, behavioural or relatable appeals which are communicated through the tactical

components of marketing communication plan. Experience Marketing effort focuses on influencing

the customer prior to consumption, and primarily during the consumption process with the purpose

of engaging customers in an emotional bond forging a relationship that may lead to increased

purchase, premium prices and hopefully continues purchase.

“The degree to which a company is able to deliver a desirable customer experience – and to use

information technology, brands, and integrated marketing communication and entertainment to do

so – will largely determine its success in the global marketplace of the new millennium” (Schmitt,

1999).

3.33.3 DDEFINITIONEFINITION OFOF EXPERIENCEEXPERIENCE

According to Brakus et al. (2009), brand experience, in its conceptual context, is the subjective,

internal consumer response, and behavioural response evoked by brand-related stimuli that are part

of a brand’s design and identity, packaging, communications, and environment. Hence it is the

cognitive process of generating satisfaction, pleasure and preference, leading to an approach

behaviour towards an organisation, a brand or a retail store. This process is among others argued for

by Donovan & Rossiter (1982) in a discussion of the Mehrabian-Russel environmental psychology

model (Figure 4), similar to the Stimuli Organism Response (S-O-R) framework (Figure 5), among

others discussed in Thang & Tan (2002) and lastly, as argued from in Yalch and Spangenberg

(2000) framework for integrating environmental factors, nonverbal responses and shopping

behaviour (Figure 6).

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These cognitive outcomes are triggered by the sensation and stimulation of our senses. From a

marketing point of view different types of experiences are created by appealing to a customer’s

senses, emotions, cognition, behaviour and relation. However the actual cognitive process is

initiated by the stimulation of the senses, and then, depending upon the message that organisations

what to communicate, the appeals within the marketing communications are created accordingly.

As previously clarified, the experience originates from the interaction or contact with tactical

components as argued for by Schmitt (1999), whereas Pine and Gilmore classify these points of

contact as cues. Buttle (2009) accentuates a general umbrella concept which encompassed the

aspects of both tactical components and cues in his definition of touchpoints4, thus the characteristic

of the sensory experience depends upon the brand touchpoint a customer encounter and customers’

individual line of sense-making as argued for by the perceptual process within consumer behaviour

theory (Solomon et al. 2007) (see appendix 2 for elaboration).

In a more abstract version, experience is a differentiating value-add, a marking tool, or may be the

core offering of an organisation. Within this thesis experience will predominately be employ ad a

means of marketing, creating awareness of a brand, differentiation, linking the right associations to

the brand in the mind of the customer, eliciting positive brand judgement and/or facilitates a

stronger customer-brand relationship (Kotler & Keller, 2009). Experience is marketing

communication tool used to enhance the brand equity a customer holds for a brand by extending

4 Buttle’s terminology will be employed throughout the rest of this thesis and defined as websites, service, centres, warehouses,

contact centres, events, exhibitions, trade shows, seminars, webinars, direct mail, e-mail, advertising, sales calls and retail stores.

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Environmental stimuli

Emotional state:Satisfaction, arousal

and/or pleasure

Appraoch or Avoidance behaviour

Store Environment:

Nonverbal responses:

Pleasure, Arousal and dominance

Shopping behavioour:Stimulus:

Store Image

Organism:Consumer perception

Response:Preference for

store

Figure 4 Mebrahiam-Russel Model

Figure 5 S-O-R model Figure 6 Yalch and Spangenberg 2000

communication beyond the functional benefits and actively engage the customer in an experience

surrounding the brand.

44 EEXPERIENTIALXPERIENTIAL R RETAILINGETAILING

Initially the retail store was built on the concept of direct selling to private persons. It was, and still

is, a physical outlet that allows customers to sensorial evaluate products prior to purchase.

Experiential Marketing accentuates the consumption situation as it is an organisation’s main

consumer touchpoint, thus the ideal setting for evoking experiences. This notion is supported by van

Tongeren (2003) in arguing for the retail store environment as a more ideal communicator of values

than commercials; hence the consumer has chosen to be there and is therefore more receptive to its

stimuli. In the following section, this thesis will elaborate on the construction of experiences

evolved from the interaction with a retail touchpoint and accentuate the experience providers in this

branding setting.

4.14.1 PPREVIOUSREVIOUS R RESEARCHESEARCH WITHINWITHIN E EXPERIENTIALXPERIENTIAL R RETAILINGETAILING

With few exceptions, the existing experiential retail literature has focused mainly on the isolated

testing of static design elements, i.e. the tangible features, of retail stores. Often research examines

the effect of different styles of music, crowdedness, number of ails, selection of products, colours,

and olfactory on store or product quality perception, rather than how consumers holistically

experience the static elements in a branded space (Healy et al., 2007; Miller, 2009; Yalch &

Spangenberg, 2000). The holistic environment is of significant interest to researchers of experiential

conditions, hence the lightning, odours, displays, activities, arrangement of merchandise, size and

style of the interior design/architecture, the personal interaction, each impact on the rate and

willingness of consumers to make purchases (Healy et al.; 2007).

4.24.2 CCUSTOMERUSTOMER--BRANDBRAND T TOUCHPOINTSOUCHPOINTS ININ AA R RETAILETAIL S SETTINGETTING

In the retail setting the brand touchpoints a customer encounter from interacting with the store

environment can, according to Healy et al. (2007), be distinguished as the static elements and

dynamic elements. These elements represent the only managerial control of customer experience

and the main source from which the customer interpret impressions, hence it becomes vital to link

the “right” associations to the “right” channel of touchpoint.

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4.2.14.2.1 SSTATICTATIC D DESIGNESIGN E ELEMENTSLEMENTS

Static design elements are characterised as the cold, hard, tangible features of the store that

facilitates the functional characteristics of the products, and the sensual and psychological benefits

that derives from the stores hard design features. Schmitt (2003) further details the characteristic of

the static elements in describing them as aesthetic qualities counting the physical goods, i.e. it

functional attributes, the look and feel of a store, which include the logos and signage, packaging,

brochures and advertising that help to establish the store’s identity and brand experience, and the

experiential theme. Healy et al. (2007) adds to the notion of static elements by arguing that the they

are represented through the atmospheric conditions of the store, thus the visual, aural, olfactory and

tactical cues corresponding with Pine and Gilmore’s (1999) notion of appeal to the five senses and

similar to sense experience within Schmitts’s (1999) strategic experiential modules. The static

elements create a store environment and communicate a message though the persuading sensual and

psychological themes which allow the customer to deduce product qualities and make informed

consumption decisions (Healy et al., 2007).

4.2.24.2.2 DDYNAMICYNAMIC E ELEMENTSLEMENTS

Contradictory, dynamic elements relate to the exchange of dynamic information with emphasis on

the human interaction through the customer-staff-store interface (ibid). In correspondence with the

last strategic experience module, i.e. Relate, dynamic elements could be defined as the relational

context in a retail store facilitating the customer’s relational connection to a retailer via interaction

(Schmitt, 2003). Healy et al. (2007) substantiate that themes and theatrics is equally a constituent

within dynamics, creating a symbolic narrative that runs throughout the retail store generating

design consistency and a story that may reflect a period, place or fantasy. Pine and Gilmore (1999)

similar accentuated the need for consistency in symbolic design elements supporting a broad

planned theme throughout the store. They argue that a theme is the foundation for any experience

and extends the concept in encouraging to a theatrical store setup as a vital component in

constructing a successful engaging, rich and memorable experience. Healy et al. (2007) employs the

terminology; retail theatre as a concept for using the dynamic interaction in a way that diffuses the

boundaries between the service provider and the customer. This type of interaction will enable the

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customer to gain a sense of organisational citizenship and perceive a degree of control over the

operations of the store and the generated values.

4.34.3 RRETAILETAIL E EXPERIENCEXPERIENCE

The retail experience occur in the flow between static and dynamic elements and demands that

customer actively participate in the experience; taking cues from the static environment of the store

in order to produce the dynamics of the retail experience (ibid), hence the customer’s perception,

decision-making, consumption and satisfaction is directly connected to the message they derive

from both elements of the store.


The art of experiential retailing lies in the planning and execution of which associations to link to

the brand encounter, hence ensuring that the stimuli evoked through static and dynamic elements

communicates the right message and is in consistency with the identity of the organisation. The

retail setting is the main direct channel an organisation has with its customers and the ideal setting

for bringing the brand to life through experiences. However as well as the retail store becomes the

ideal setting for positive influence, the chances of having a negative effect on customers are just a

big, thereby setting high standards for the research and planning prior to such constructs.

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Analytical Strategy for Constructing Customer Experiences in Retail Environments

Customer experience satisfaction

Behvioural and Attitudinal Customer Loyalty

Business Performance

Sensory stimuli

Cognitive Response:Satisfaction, Pleasure

Impressions and Perception

55 EEMPIRICALMPIRICAL M MODELODEL

The thesis will now summarise its obtained insight concerning the construction of customer

experiences in a retail stetting in an empirical model, integrating the key components of superior

organisational conduct which was found vital in business today.

This thesis has narrowly accentuated the retail setting as the customer touchpoint from which

experience is created. Experiential retailing is composed in an interaction of several touchpoint

generally classified as static and dynamic elements (indicated by the first two square boxes). These

touchpoints are experienced in a cognitive process through the customer’s sensory system creating a

cognitive response that forms the impressions and perception of the consumer (the red process in

the empirical model).

The customer’s perception and impressions are cognitively weight against ones expectations,

prejudices and preconceptions in the process of developing a cognitive response. From the cognitive

evaluation an attitude towards the experience is form such as satisfaction or dissatisfaction.

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Static elements:- Physical product- Look and feel of

the store- The experiential

theme

Dynamic elements:- Customer-staff-

interface- Interaction- Retail Theatre

The Retail Experience

Corporate

Brand Identity

Cognitive process

Coherence and consistency in communicated message

The key notion for any retail experience is to create coherence and consistency throughout the

communicated message at each touchpoint a customer interacts with. Transparency and cognitive

links is created by using the corporate brand identity as the guiding principle for all activities

(illustrated by every arrow leading towards corporate brand identity). Experiences are used as a

means of accentuating and bringing the brand identity to life in order to enriching customer’s

perception of the brand through the creation of cognitive ties between customer and brand. A retail

experience that is constructed, and fulfilling the components of superior conduct, as proposed

through the empirical model, will obtain greatest probability of generating positive brand identity

perceptions of the organisation, thus improve business performance in the long-run through the

longevity of customer loyalty.

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66 RROYALOYAL C COPENHAGENOPENHAGEN

This thesis will now move into the case study analysis, in which the theory discussed in part one to

four will be applied to a case in verification of the empirical model presented in section 5. This

thesis will employ Royal Copenhagen for its case study with specific interest in the Royal Cafe.

6.16.1 CCORPORATEORPORATE B BRANDRAND I IDENTITYDENTITY

Royal Copenhagen is a world-famous brand known for its exclusive, high quality porcelain

products and faultless design and craftsmanship. The organisation pride itself on its Danish

nationality and royal genes that has created the foundation of the company and still is, as the

organisation has moved beyond the boundaries of Denmark with operations in the USA, EU and

Asia, and employs more than 500 employees (RC’s corporate Website5).

RC has been going through a

transformation the last 6 years.

The process has focused on

leveraging the historical

organisation into a more modern

era under the motto “Rethink

History”. Branding and

storytelling has been the

essential factors in leading the

organisation towards a younger and wider target group supported by the introduction of new

products such as the Element (see picture), Contrast and Function tableware collections (ibid) (see

appendix 3).

6.26.2 RROYALOYAL C COPENHAGENOPENHAGEN’’SS F FLAGSHIPSLAGSHIPS S STORETORE

In December 2006, Royal Copenhagen reopened their flagship store in the shopping centre of

Copenhagen with an integrated shop, museum, florist and cafe, hence The Royal Cafe. This

5 This thesis is relying on the communicated message of the corporate website in determining RC’s corporate brand identity.

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Picture 1 Royal Copenhagen's Elements collection

integrated retail environment was created in the hope of making a vibrant, inviting shop that

provides a rich experience and world-class service – some call it a lifestyle oasis.

6.36.3 TTHEHE R ROYALOYAL C CAFEAFE

This thesis will now move

on to an analysis of The

Royal Cafe with the aim

of uncovering the nature

and characteristics of the

customer experience

created from interaction with the cafe. The analysis will focus on examining a representative

selection of touchpoints connected to the cafe with the purpose of uncovering the presumed

customer perception of the communicated message from a visual perspective.

6.3.16.3.1 VVISUALISUAL C COMMUNICATIONOMMUNICATION

Visual communication is always coded. It seems transparent only because we know the code

already, at least implicitly – but without knowing what it is we know, without having the means for

talking about what it is we do when we read an image (Kress & Van Leeuwen, 2006). As visual

interpretators we as human beings are biased by history, values, society and culture, hence our

perceived meaning of visual communication will never be identical. However, like linguistics,

visual structures point to particular interpretations of experience and forms of social interaction.

What is expressed in language through the choice between different word classes and clause

structures, may, in visual communication be expressed through the choice between different use of

colours or different compositional structures.

According to Pilditch (1970), human beings have learned how to make associations between things

and use this learning to help us understand our world – to create meaning for ourselves. Marketing

communicators are able to put an understanding of such things to good use in developing brand and

corporate identity (ibid).

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Picture 2 The Royal Cafe name at the entrance to the court yard

The analysis will draw on general assumptions based on theoretical viewpoints within visual

semiotics from predominately Kress and van Leeuwen (2006) in evaluating if the message derived

from the experience is in accordance with the model proposed in section 5. From the result of the

analysis the thesis will discuss the potential customer and organisational outcome of TRC

experience in clarifying its complimentary effect on Royal Copenhagen’s corporate brand

perception.

6.3.2 DDESCRIPTIONESCRIPTION OFOF T THEHE R ROYALOYAL C CAFEAFE

The Royal Cafe is a concept cafe creatively

created by Lo Østergaard and Rud

Christiansen in corporation with Royal

Copenhagen. They opened the doors in April

2007 (visitcopenhagen.dk) with the hopes of

creating a “[...] unique space to promote the

best of traditional Danish food and Danish

design. The result is a pure anti-Starbucks

experience”, according to Rud Christiansen (RC’s corporate website). The theme of the store builds

on Danishness, design, our royal heritage and humour, and has according to Rud Christians in an

video interview for Monocle, created a “[...] Danish funky, baroque clash of styles and some

modern designs[...]”, he further states that he calls it “[...]sort of a mini Danish royal castle”(see

appendix 4).

6.3.36.3.3 CCUSTOMERUSTOMER-B-BRANDRAND T TOUCHPOINTSOUCHPOINTS

But which elements create this feeling of a mini Danish royal castle? and how is the theme

expressed in the store? From a holistic impression what are the connotations form the cafe

expressing about Royal Copenhagen’s corporate brand identity? These rhetorical questions are

leading the next section in analysing the customer-brand touchpoints within The Royal Cafe. The

analysis will focus on the static elements within TRC, more specifically the food, paintings,

furniture and tableware6.

6 See delimitations section 1.6

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Picture 3 Inside The Royal Cafe

6.3.3.16.3.3.1 LogoLogo

The logo is the brand element that is frequently communicated through

symbols and pictures than words. Generally, the logo is a strong

indicator of brand identity; hence it is feasible to include TRC’s logo in

analysing the brand identity communicated in the cafe. The Royal

Cafe’s logo depicts a frog with a crown on its head, from its bubbly aura

rise six flowers. On top of the frog stands a girl with her leg bended like

if she was a ballerina and a butterfly is flying next to her. The logo is all

in white, with the exception of the bottom statement; “THE ROYAL CAFE”, written in very bright

red bold letters. The logo is craved in one piece and added to the white board, the adaption of purely

white, except for the title creates a very simplistic expression. Based on Peirce (1894) triadic model

of interpretation the analysis will attempt to assign meaning to the logo (see appendix 5).

The figures in the logo connotes to the fairytale universe in more than one

way. The frog, being the signifier, show striking resemblance to the Frog

Prince, the object of reference, in Brother Grimms fairytale of a spoiled

princess who kisses the frog and he then turns in to a lovely prince, thus the

crown. The girl standing as a ballerina, (the signifier) in the upper part of the

logo, connotes strong resemblance to H.C Andersen fairytale of Tommelise,

the object of reference (in English Thumbelina); a little girl at the size of a

thump who, at some point in the story, is saved by a butterfly,

as in the logo. If looking for meaning outside of the fairytale

universe, RC has several porcelain figures as part of their

collection, many of which take outset in fairytales and fantasy.

One look at for example the figure of Tommelise and the toad,

and RC’ collection of Good Luck Frogs, illustrates very clearly

the possible source of inspiration. These elements within the logo take on iconic sign identity in

creating meaning through resemblance (Peirce,1894). TRC’s logo encourages cognitive links

between the cafe and the universe of fairytales, thereby transferring characteristics of fantasy, joy

and colourful scenery but also connotes a link to H.C. Andersen, the famous Danish writer behind

many of the fairytales and stories we heard as children. H.C Andersen is part of the Danish legacy

and a good representation of Danishness7. 7 http://www.hcandersen-homepage.dk/

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Picture 4 The Royal Cafe logo

Picture 5 Royal Copenhagen's porcelain figure of Tommelise

Picture 6 Royal Copenhagen's Good Luck Frog

http://www.hcandersen-homepage.dk/

6.3.3.26.3.3.2 Smushi Smushi

The foundation of the Royal Cafe builds on being Danish, illustrating Danish royal heritage,

traditions and quality design. Therefore it is no wonder that the food served in the cafe similar seeks

to represent a flavour of Denmark. TRC has positioned themselves in a distinct position through

their innovative creation of smushies; a clash between our Danish traditional Smørebrød (open-

faced sandwich) and the Japanese sushi.

This signature dish as illustrated in three variations above, have become a brand-recognisable

touchpoint embedded in the essence of The Royal Cafe. Rud Christiansen characterises the choice

of food style as a breach from the traditional rules of Danish smørebrød by mixing the taste and

presentation of the dish with elements from the Japanese kitchen. The specific selection of food

menu demonstrates the embedded international perspective of the cafe by forging the traditional

Danish with new and modern food (at least a relative modern food type in the Danish kitchen8) (see

appendix 2). By not vowing solely to Danish the concept opens up for a broader target audience

domestic and international by creating a bridge between two or more cultures. This fact influences

the tourist-attraction value, again, both in Denmark but also abroad enhancing the possibility of

success when expanding to other countries. By now The Royal Cafe exist in Singapore and Tokyo

8 A general assumption based on just-eat’s blog http://blog.just-eat.dk/: “Sushi er inden for de seneste par år blevet et kæmpe hit i Danmark […] sushi er populært som aldrig før. Dette har også fanget mediernes opmærksomhed:” Translated: Within resent years, sushi has become a major hit in Denmark […] sushi is popular like never before. This has also caught the media’s attention:”

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Picture 7 Images of three versions of TRC's smushies

http://blog.just-eat.dk/

and soon in Seoul as well, focusing only on geographical areas where Danish and Scandinavian

designs in generally have been meet with great interest and success; namely the Far East as Rud

Christiansen phrases it (Monocle interview, see appendix 4).9

6.3.3.36.3.3.3 Images in the cafeImages in the cafe

On the entire back wall of the cafe, on top of the pale

pink wall is painted a collage of various elements such as

flower prints, a Royal Copenhagen teacup, Kai Bojesen’s

wooden monkey, diamonds in various colours, a pair of

sumo wrestlers, a horse, a cow and a pig, to name a few.

The most salient elements in the collage are the flower

prints and the teacup. The flowers illustrate a direct

connection to Royal Copenhagen’s first-class series;

Flora Danica, which is worldwide renown for being of

excellent handcraft. Various flower prints have been

incorporate into the collage in a rather large scale and

immediately bring forward memories of your

grandparents’ old books of “plants and flowers you can find in the Danish nature” based on their

iconic resemblance (Peirce, 1894- see appendix 3). The Blue Fluted Half Laced teacup is part of the

very first porcelain series within Royal Copenhagen dating back to 1775 and has become a

somewhat synonym with Royal Copenhagen. The teacup is the only element strongly saturated in

colour where other elements are illustrated in more pale, almost see-through saturation. It is situated

in eyelevel perspective for customer in the cafe and recognisable even from the opposite end of the

cafe (the entrance).

The wall collage illustrates clear

elements relating to Royal

Copenhagen through their symbolic

meaning. It could be argued that,

especially, the teacup provides a

9 See delimitations

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Picture 8 Image of the wall collage

Picture 9 RC teacup, Kaj Bojesen wooden monkey and elements from Flora Danica collection

connection through its symbolic suggestive relation with Royal Copenhagen (Kress & Van

Leeuwen, 2006). The object connotes a meaning and identity as coming from within, as deriving

from the qualities of the teacup itself, hence the highly recognisable pattern and shape – an

unmistakable product of Royal Copenhagen. The essence of the teacup creates a rub-off effect

upon the entire collage thereby generating meaning to other elements through a collected

representation within the frame of a wall painted collage taking on identity as indexical signs

(Peirce , 1894 – see appendix 5). It could be argued that the teacup anchors the meaning of

elements, hence facilitating the connection of flowers to the Flora Danica series, animal depicturing

to Danish agricultural history and Kaj Bojesen’s wooden monkey as a magnify the essence of

quality (Barthes1977). However there are elements that seem out of place form the general

interpretation of the image such as, the sumo wrestlers and the diamonds, they disrupt form the

somewhat classical presence. Nevertheless, by representing all elements in a connected context they

come to share same meaning (Kress & Van Leeuwen, 2006). The holistic view of the collage; the

composition and colours create a more contemporary feel and look (Kress & Van Leeuwen, 2006),

where sumo wrestlers and diamonds become natural elements. Taking in imagery of different styles

and time, creates a third meaning, not classical design, not contemporary, but a combination of both

– creating a new style, a new time.

6.3.3.3.16.3.3.3.1 The Royal PortraitsThe Royal Portraits

The Royal Cafe employs other means of visual communication such as a large portrait of Countess

Danner and King Frederik VII looking down upon the customers with serious eyes. However, it has

a humours tone, because a witty mind has added a new object to the copy of J.V. Gärtners famous

portrait from 1861, thus painted a Royal Copenhagen Mega Mussel teapot in to the painting. These

images above, demonstrate the little added detail, even though a bit blurry. The portrait belongs to

the Baroque art style developed in Europe from the early 17th to mid-18th century, emphasizing

dramatic, often strained effect and typified by bold, curving forms, and elaborate ornamentation10.

However, as the baroque style is represented in The Royal Cafe customers once again experience

the humoristic twist to the

communicated classical theme. The

portrait adds to the royalistic connotation of the cafe, while being a strong representation of the

baroque style. “The meter high royal portrait [...] testifies of a vivacious fantasy and a loving eye

10 http://wordnetweb.princeton.edu/perl/webwn?s=baroque

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Picture 10 Portrait comparison between original and copy hanging in TRC

http://wordnetweb.princeton.edu/perl/webwn?s=baroque

for the royal legacy” (RC’s corporate website). The portrait creates an object sign connotation,

according to Barthes (1977), drawing meaning form the object imposed upon the portrait. Hence the

royalistic and classical theme of the portrait is disrupted by the act of humour creating an

unconventional expression while demonstrating the royal of Royal Copenhagen.

6.3.3.46.3.3.4 Royal Copenhagen TablewareRoyal Copenhagen Tableware

The food and drinks served in TRC are all beautiful presented by the use of Royal Copenhagen

tableware. Every collection is represented and customers are even allowed to chose, themselves, on

which plates they want their food served. Enactment of the products allows customers to touch, feel

and sense the product. The plate is no longer an object on display but a product that demonstrate its

usage through the offering of food. The presentation of the food draws upon the connotations from

the tableware based on the invisible vector connecting food and plate. Thereby the cognitive mind

draw parallels between qualities of Royal Copenhagen’s tableware and the attributes of the food,

hence enriching the customer perception of the presented food.

An experience is created from the sensory interaction with the tableware, generating an appeal to

customers’ behavioural lifestyles. The Royal Copenhagen tableware is brought to life though the

usage as presentation and serving of food, creating a vivid image of how the customer can use the

product themselves. By enacting the product through such experiences TRC are appealing to the

customers’ behavioural lifestyles, a lifestyle where value and status are derived from the

materialistic possessions one can show others, or a lifestyle where quality food are highly valued

thereby the presentation becomes equally important as a supporting factor of the holistic impression

(Schmitt, 1999). By taking the tableware out of its traditional presentation and making it more

tangible through an experience enhances the customer’s motivation for purchase. The product

becomes easier to cognitively enact into their private home environments, hence it becomes more

relatable and alive for the customer (Schmitt, 1999).

6.3.3.56.3.3.5 Interior designInterior design

When dining in The Royal Cafe customers are seated along wide, long buffet tables encouraging to

conversation among customers, while relaxing in the famous chair; “ANT” which was customized

in a bar height version just for TRC. At the end of the room, beautiful artistic deign chairs surrounds

a big old wooden table as King Arthurs’ round table of knights. In the sealing two enormous glass

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Entertain- Education ment

Esthetic Escapist

ABSORPTION

ACTIVE PARTICIPATION

IMMERSION

PASSIVE PARTICIPATION

chandeliers are shedding light into the room reflecting on the silver birch-leaf patterned paper. The

interior have been especially designed and made by Holmegaard, Bang & Olufsen and Fritz

Hansen, some of Denmark’s most famous design houses, giving evidence to extensive product

placement integrated into the cafe. For especially tourist and visitors from abroad the interior will

stand as a clear representation of Denmark as the chosen elements are renowned Danish design.

Furthermore the strong presence of the interior adds to the tone of the cafe in being an expression of

quality and contemporary design thus reflecting upon the general impression of The Royal Cafe.

The cafe balances between being a cafe environment representing an experiential customer

interaction and being a capitalized tourist attraction (visitdenmark.dk). From a discussing angle, the

strong Danish product presence strongly indicates, the perhaps hidden agenda that the cafe actually

is build with the purpose of expansion into the Far East markets as a marketing tool to promote

Denmark.

6.46.4 TTHEHE R ROYALOYAL C CAFEAFE E EXPERIENCEXPERIENCE

The following section will set out to clarify the characteristics of the experience a customer will

derive from interacting with The Royal Cafe. Based on the above analysis the clarified experience

will solely be characterised from the perspective of visual and tangible touchpoints within the cafe.

As a visitor, guest or customer at

The Royal Cafe, ones participation

level exists as normal cafe

behaviour such as drinking coffee,

eating light food or cake and first

and foremost socialisation with

friends. Following Pine and

Gilmores model of the Four

Realms of Experience indicates

that cafe behaviour is more active

then solely watching television but

less than climbing Mount Everest,

hence indicating a participation level somewhere in between passive and active. Taking in clues

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Figure 7 The Four Experiential Realms

Adapted from Pine and Gilmore 1999

from the surrounding environment demands very little immersion, hence the customers act in a state

of absorption. However from the perspective that the act of eating becomes a way of immersion

oneself by experiencing the food served at the cafe, argues form a rather higher level of

engagement. Thus the total cafe experience is to an extend defined as a combination of all four

realms, however with closes resemblance to a combination of entertainment and esthetic

experiences as indicated by the red circle. This definition indicates that the customer experience a

high level of entertainment from interacting with the cafe, similar to the kind of entertainment we

derive from watching television. However there are indications of the customer experiencing a

higher level of engagement than simply entertainment. Nevertheless, TRC is still observed from a

distance enacting the customer in a role comparable to being a tourist, hence demonstrating interest

for TRC but not fully taking part in creating the experience (Pine & Gilmore, 1999).

This thesis have only been able to analyse the static touchpoints of the experience, nevertheless,

indications form Pine and Gilmores model demonstrate that customer might not experience

dynamic elements through interaction with the cafe based on their interpretation taking place

through observation form a distance.

6.4.16.4.1 TTHEHE T THEMEHEME--ATRICALATRICAL E EXPERIENCEXPERIENCE

The static elements illustrate a theme characterised by a mix of classical design elements and newer

funkier truchpoints. The entire sensory presentation of TRC, hence the theme of the store plays with

contrasts between old and refined, and contemporary and edgy, creating a strange environment of

bipolar elements. As Mies van der Rohe, the famous German-American architect, said; “God is in

the details” 11, and that is the case for TRC. The visual imagery is not disturbed by the many clashes

of styles but has created its own style from the clashes. It is a design jungle where customer can

explore new details each time they visit and sumo wrestlers and teapots in classical royal paintings

will suddenly appear and make the cafe experience more engaging. These types of style twist and

humour appeal to customers’ cognitive process by incorporating elements of surprise and

provocation, forcing the customer to think (cognition) outside the traditional box.

11 God is in the details." Speaking about restraint in design, the New York Herald Tribune, 28 Jun 1959. http://architecture.about.com/library/bl-mies-quotes.htm

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http://architecture.about.com/library/bl-mies-quotes.htm

6.4.26.4.2 IIDENTIFICATIONDENTIFICATION OFOF S SENSORYENSORY E ENGAGEMENTNGAGEMENT

The untraditional and unconventional theme demonstrates a different perspective on life - a new

young modern version of the classical Royal Copenhagen – almost like a fairytale. A message that

is communicated through the engagement of predominately, the customers’ sensory register within

sight, touch and taste in appealing to their senses, cognition and behavioural lifestyles The theme of

the store speaks to a new behavioural lifestyle (behaviour/act), cognitively embracing our cultural

and social need for self-improvement, social recognition and affiliation. The cafe has created and

experience that intrigues interest, provoke the traditional thinking and first and for most allow the

customers to visually live and feel the brand – bringing the brand to life.

6.4.36.4.3 CCOMPARISONOMPARISON

The above analysis demonstrates strong cohesive links between Royal Copenhagen’s corporate

brand identity and the visual experience generated from The Royal Cafe.

Table 2 Comparison of Royal Copenhagen's Corporate Brand identity and The Royal Cafe Customer Experience

Royal Copenhagen’s

Corporate Brand Identity

The Royal Cafe Customer Experience

Exclusivity Selection of exclusive product placement

Danish Danish design furniture, Food selection is inspired by the Danish kitchen

Craftsmanship Danish design furniture,

International Smushies,

Royal The royal portrait, The name

Contemporary Interior decoration,

Innovation Smushies, Furniture setup, Visual presentation

Royal Copenhagen is traditionally viewed as a symbol of Danish history; craftsmanship and

exclusivity however during their brand transformation in 2006 RC’ shift focus towards a more

contemporary and innovative product development strategy under the heading of Rethink History.

TRC stands as a clear expression of the new identity of RC. The cafe conveys a message of style

clash between the old classical craftsmanship organisation and the new contemporary, humoristic

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and international orientated brand identity. The thesis concludes that the static elements of the TRC

experience is founded on the brand identity characteristics of Royal Copenhagen new brand

position, thus fulfilling the requirements set forward by the proposed model in sectio5.

6.4.46.4.4 EEVALUATIONVALUATION OFOF C CUSTOMERUSTOMER R RESPONSEESPONSE

As discussed in the methodology section, it is

impossible to determine if TRC experience will

generate positive or negative interpretation as it

depends upon the individual’s prejudices and

preconceptions. From a theoretical perspective The

Royal Cafe’s retail experience have the potential

of being successful in generating positive

perceptions of the Royal Copenhagen brand

identity. The theme of the cafe appeals to a pleasant and stimulating environment, thus according to

Mehrabian-Russel environmental psychology model (Donovan & Rossiter, 1982), generates

satisfaction pleasure and arousal. Hence the environment created through TRC experience have the

potential of positively affecting satisfaction, the time spend, quantity, and intention to visit the store

again, hence an approach behaviour toward the store. Thus, assuming that the average customer

process positive or neutral perception of Royal Copenhagen as a brand prior to a visit at TRC, the

experience derived from physically and cognitively interacting with TRC will reinforce and/or

enhance customer brand identity perception or Royal Copenhagen through the created synergy,

coherence and consistency throughout the communicative touchpoints of the retail environment.

6.4.56.4.5 RREFLECTIONSEFLECTIONS UPONUPON B BUSINESSUSINESS P PERFORMANCEERFORMANCE

Society has changed and customers have change, hence organisations are changing their approach

to generating economic value. Therefore, organisations are building strong customer relationships

to ensure high retention rates, profitable customer lifetime value, and better customer insights. From

a customer point of view, a strong brand relationship (i.e. organisational relationship) enriches the

perceived value proposition by providing benefits over and beyond those directly derived from

acquiring, consuming or using the product or service (Buttle, 2009).

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Environmental stimuli

Emotional state:Satisfaction, arousal

and/or pleasure

Appraoch or Avoidance behaviour

Figure 8 Mehrabian-Russel environmental psychology model

Adapted from Donovan & Rossiter (1982)

Analytical Strategy for Constructing Customer Experiences in Retail Environments

Sensory stimuli

Cognitive Response:Satisfaction, Pleasure

Impressions and Perception

Customer experience satisfaction

Behvioural and Attitudinal Customer Loyalty

Business Performance

Customer insight will allow organisations to understand their customers better, hence create

improved and better customer experiences generating increased customer satisfaction. As

satisfaction rises, so does the customer intention to purchase, hence customer loyalty. This in turn

will influences actual purchasing behaviour, which has an impact on business performance (the

green process of the empirical model). Satisfaction is not enough to generate customer longevity,

i.e. loyalty. Highly engaged customers have levels of emotional or rational attachment or

commitment to a brand, experience or organisation that are so strong that they are highly resistant to

competitive influence (Buttle; 2009).

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Static elements:- Physical product- Look and feel of

the store- The experiential

theme

Dynamic elements:- Customer-staff-

interface- Interaction- Retail Theatre

The Retail Experience

Corporate

Brand Identity

Cognitive process

Coherence and consistency in communicated message

6.4.66.4.6 TTHEORETICALHEORETICAL R RECOMMENDATIONECOMMENDATION

Through the generation of satisfaction and customer engagement lies the long-term possibility for

RC to enforce brand loyalty towards the cafe, hence Royal Copenhagen. However it will demand

that RC is highly attentive to the changing needs of their customer in order to keep generating

experiences that provide benefits beyond the expected. One area where TRC is not fulfilling its

potential as experience provider is the level of engagement they offer their customer. Following the

notion of Pine and Gilmore (1999) and Buttle (2009) the key to longevity is to physical engage the

customers in an experience to ensure strong emotional bonds and rational attachment.


Royal Copenhagen have created a vibrant, inviting, experiential retail environment that enables the

customers to live the brand through multiple experiential engagements that collectively creates a

synergetic impression of the brand. The visual touchpoints within The Royal Cafe create cognitive

links to the universe of fairytales, enforce international orientation, promote RC products, illustrate

royal genes and demonstrate the quality of Danish design. In the holistic interpretation of these

impressions a theme is created from the clash between classical and contemporary forging a new

style communicating the characteristics of Royal Copenhagen’s new brand identify, hence The

Royal Cafe take the role as having a synergetic complementary effect on customers’ brand identity

perception of Royal Copenhagen. However for future evolvement and longevity TRC is lacking in

their physical engagement of their customer, an initiative that generate life-long customer loyalty,

hence further improve their business performance.

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77 CCONCLUSIONONCLUSION

This thesis set out to gain insight in the definition and construction of the experience concept

through the discussion of Experience Economy and Experience Marketing. It was found that

experience in its general form, despite context, is a cognitive process triggered by the sensory

engagement and influenced by appeals to the senses, cognitive thinking, behavioural lifestyles and

need for affiliation and self-improvement.

Experience Economy employs the cognitive experience as a interactive and engaging customer

offering form which to obtain economic value. In a marketing sense, a customer experience is a

communication means of creating positive brand perception. Nevertheless, experiences occur

whenever consumers encounter organisational touchpoints, whereas the retail environment is one of

the strongest influential customer-brand contacts as it is not forced upon the customer but a self-

selected encounter.

Experiential retailing is constructed through the static and dynamic elements, accentuating the

holistic interpretation of both the tangible elements and the interactive contact. There exists no one

definition of a successful customer experience as it is individually constructed in the mind of the

customer formed by the personal prejudices and preconception. However, based on theoretical

insight, this thesis has concluded on key criteria for constructing retail experiences that have the

potential of obtaining profitable results for an organisation. These criteria entails that the

communicated experience is in coherence with the corporate brand identity, communicates a

consistent message across all touchpoints and creates sensory engagement of the customer

cognitively and physically. Are these criteria fulfilled the likelihood that customers will generate a

positive brand perception is at its greatest.

Royal Copenhagen’s newest experiential retail initiative; The Royal Cafe have been employed in a

case study to analyse how the customer experience will affect the corporate brand identity of Royal

Copenhagen. A visual analysis was made upon a selective representative of the static element in

order to uncover the communicative nature of the experience. It was found that the TRC experience

is founded on attributes such as danishness, quality, humour, contemporariness and international

orientation. Hence there exists strong coherence between the RC corporate brand and the TRC

experience.

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TRC theme-atrical experience exists in the smallest detail of the cafe engaging the customer in an

sensory exploration. The theme appeals to the cognitive interaction, whereas the hands on

accessibility of the products used for presentational purposes encourages the physically interaction.

Theoretically the TRC experience posses great probability of generating customer satisfaction as the

experience bring the brand to life – the brand is experienced not observed, thereby enriching

customers brand perception of Royal Copenhagen. However to ensure that the enriched brand

perception evolves to strong customer-brand loyalty relationships the TRC needs to affect beyond

satisfaction, hence accentuate their physical customer interaction. Conclusively, TRC experience

should in the future focus on moving closer towards Escapist experiences compare to the Esthetic

experience they provide today. The Royal Cafe should reconsider what they would do differently if

they were to charge admission for the experience they give their customer because taking leap

further might ensure them longevity as experience providers.

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88 BBIBLIOGRAPHYIBLIOGRAPHY

8.18.1 AARTICLESRTICLES::

Balmer, M.T. John & Thomson, Irene (2009)The Shared Management and Ownership of Corporate

Brands; the case of Hilton. In Journal of General Management. Vol. 34 NO. 4

Barthes, Roland, 1977. Image, Music and Text, chapter Rhetoric of the Image. Page 32-51 Hill &

Wang

Barthes, Roland, 1977. Image, Music and Text, chapter The Photographic Message, page, 15-31

Hill & Wang

Brakus, J. Joško , Schmitt, Bernd & Zarantonello, Lia (2009) Brand Experience: What is it? How is

it Measured? Does it affect Loyalty? In Journal of Marketing, vol. 73, may, 52-68.

Donovan, J. Robert &Rossiter, R. John (1982), “Store Atmosphere : An Environmental Psychology

Approach”, Journal of Retailing, 58 (1), 34-57.

Healy, J. Michael, Beverland, Michael, Oppewal, Harmen and Sands, Sean (2007) Understanding

Retail Experiences - the case for ethnography in International Journal of Market Research, Vol.

49 Issue 6, p751-778, Database: Business Source Complete

Lindstrøm, Martin (2005) Brand Sense – How to Build Powerful Brands Through Touch, Taste,

Smell, Sight and Sound. Free Press, New York

Miller, Annetta. & Shenitz, B. (1990) You are what you buy in Newsweek, Vol. 115 Issue 23, p59

Database: Business Source Complete.

Miller, R. (2009) Consumer Marketing 2009, Ch. 40 Shoppability, p. 176-185

Peirce, S. Charles (1894) Chapter 2: What is a Sign, in Houser, Nathan, Eller, R. Jonathan, and

Lewis, C. Albert et al. (1893-1913) The essential Peirce: selected philosophical writings. Indiana

University Press

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Pilditch, James (1970), Communication by Design: A Study in Corporate Identity, McGraw-HillPublishing Company Limited

Ray, Ipshita & Chiagouris (2009) Customer Retention: Examining the Roles of Store Affect and

Store Loyalty as Mediators in the Management of Retail Strategies. Journal of Strategic Marketing.

Vol. 17, No.1, 1-20. Routledge

Skinner, Quentin (1986) The Return of Grand Theory in the Human Science. Chapter; Hans-Georg

Gadamer. Cambridge University Press, pp. 21-39

Stuart-Menteth, Hester, Wilson, Huge & Baker, Susan (2006) Escaping the Channel Silo –

Researching the New Consumer. International Journal of Market Research Vol. 48, issue 4.

Thang, L. Doreen Chez & Tan, B. Benjamin Lin (2002) Linking Consumer Perceptions to

Preference of retail Stores: an Empirical Assessment of the Multi-Attributes of a Store Image.

Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Vol. 10, page 193-200 Pergamon

Yalch, F. Richard & Spangenberg, Eric (2000) The Effects of Music in a Retail Setting on Real and

Perceived Shopping Times. Journal of Business Research, Vol. 49, 139-147 Elsivier Science Inc.

8.28.2 BBOOKSOOKS::

Aaker, A. David (2002) Building Strong Brands. The Free Press

Bernstein, David (1984), Company Image and Reality: A Critique of Corporate Communication.

Holt Rinehart and Winston Ltd.

Buttle, Francis (2009) Customer Relationship Management – Concept and technologies.

Butterworth-Heinemann. Second edition

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Keller, L, Kevin (2003) Strategic Brand Management - Building, Measuring and Managing Brand

Equity. Prentice Hall, second edition

Kotler, Philip & Keller, L. Kevin (2009) Marketing and Management, 13th edition, Pearson

International Edition

Kress, Gunther & van Leeuwen, Theo (2006) Reading Images – The Grammar of Visual Design.

Routledge, Second edition

Pickton, David & Broderick, Amanda (2005) Integrated Marketing Communications. Prentice Hall,

London. Second edition.

Pine, B. Joseph & Gilmore, H. James (1999) The Experience Economy: Work is the Theatre &

Every Business a Stage. Harvard Business School Press, Boston..

Schmitt, H. Bernd (1999) Experiential Marketing: How to get customers to sense, feel, think, act,

relate to your company and brands. The Free Press, New York.

Solomon, R. Michael, Bamossy, Gary, Askegaard, Soren and Hogg, K. Margaret (2007) Consumer

Behaviour – A European Perspective. Financial Times Press

van Tongeren, Michel (2003) Retail Branding. Bis Publishing Amsterdam

8.38.3 WWEBSITESEBSITES

Royal Copenhagen’s corporate website (26.02.10):

http://www.royalcopenhagen.dk/Craftmanship/The-history-of-Royal-copenhagen.aspx

Designscount.dk (14.04.10)

http://www.designscout.dk/2007/06/royal-copenhagens-new-flagship-store/

Visitcopenhagen.dk (14.04.10)

http://www.visitcopenhagen.dk/content/turist/nyheder/nyhedsarkiv/the_royal_cafe

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http://www.visitcopenhagen.dk/content/turist/nyheder/nyhedsarkiv/the_royal_cafe

http://www.designscout.dk/2007/06/royal-copenhagens-new-flagship-store/

http://www.royalcopenhagen.dk/Craftmanship/The-history-of-Royal-copenhagen.aspx

Hcandersen-homepage.dk (02.05.10)


Mies van der Rohe quote (20.04.10)http://architecture.about.com/library/bl-mies-quotes.htm

Monocle.com (09.03.10)

http://www.monocle.com/sections/design/Web-Articles/Yo-Smushi/

Wordnetweb – Princeton (02.05.10)


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http://architecture.about.com/library/bl-mies-quotes.htm


99 AAPPENDICESPPENDICES

9.19.1 AAPPENDIXPPENDIX 1 - 1 - SSENSORYENSORY APPEALAPPEAL

“As human beings we’re at our most effective and receptive when operating on all five tracks”

(Lindstrøm, 2005), here referred to as our five senses. However, organisations employing all five

senses are more an exception than a common observation, more often, only sight and sound is

utilised to put the message across (ibid). Lindstrøm (2005) substantiate Pine and Gilmore’s (1999)

notion of sensory appeal in proposes his Five-Dimensional Brand model through which he argues

that every brand should incorporate elements of sight, sound, touch, taste and smell in to their

communication at each customer touchpoint, as argued by Pine and Gilmore (1999).

Sight

Sight is the most seductive sense of all. It often overrules the other senses and has the power to

persuade us against all logic. Take for example Coca-Cola who has created a brand so intertwined

with their use of colours that red and white has become a synonym with Coke and has even been the

cause of Santa Claus’ colours changing from green to red. With the use of our sight we can identify

brand logos, even if incomplete.

Sound

Sounds are directly connected to our moods and generate feelings and emotions within human

beings. Sounds can make us sad, but luckily, also joyful. Watching a movie without sound is not

nearly as emotional as with the sound off. A thriller looses it touch when there is no tune of

suspense right before the killer strikes or no grand ballade intensifying as two lovers finally kiss at

the end of a great love story. Another commercialisation of sound is corporate jingles such as

McDonalds’ “I am loving it!” campaign or Nokia’s recognisable mobile ringtone.

Olfactory

Our smell is the one sense that we cannot turn off, yet it is the sense that we take most for granted.

However, everyday most of us spay on a deliberate chosen sent of perfume to communicate a

message to ourselves and, for most, the people around us. We know the smell of our partner, our,

our home and of freshly baked buns, we value the smell of a new car and buy products to improve

the odour in our bathrooms. Several car manufactures have trademarked the smell of their newly

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fabricated cars as an important element of their brand identity and a supporting differentiation factor

Rolce Royes even made it commercial by selling it on bottles in their showrooms.

Tactile

The stimulation of touch is an important element of growing and thriving as human beings. Our

skin is our largest organ making us instantly aware of cold, warmth, pain or pleasure. The tactile

appeal is a powerful channel of communication, one that is especially use within luxury brands such

as the fashion industry communicating quality of products through the touch of the clothes or the

weight of a Harry Winston diamond ring. Bang & Olufsen has made their heavy, solid and quiet

distinct remote control a communicator of quality differentiating themselves from other electronic

organisations who neglects the quality statement of weight.

Taste

Taste is perhaps our weakest sense as it is goes hand in hand with smell and without the ability to

smell we might lose 80% of our taste, anyone one who has had a cold can relate to such

circumstances. Appealing to our taste is tricky, apart from the food and beverage industry however

Colgate has managed to do so with a patent on their distinct toothpaste taste.

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9.29.2 AAPPENDIXPPENDIX 2 – P 2 – PERCEPTUALERCEPTUAL PROCESSPROCESS

The cognitive paradigm within Consumer Behaviour theory substantiates this line of reasoning,

according to Solomon et al. (2007). Consumers construct meaning of the exposed stimulus through

their individual interpretation which is influenced by their unique biases, needs and experiences.

First we experience sensation through an appeal to our sensory system that draws our attention, we

then attempt to construct meaning by selecting, organising and interpreting these sensations. It

results in a response, hence our perception of reality (Solomon et al., 2007) and according to Aaker

(2002) perception is more important than reality as perception will directly affect the consumer’s

actual behaviour.

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Adapted from Solemon et al. 2007

Figure 9 Perceptual Process

9.39.3 AAPPENDIXPPENDIX 3 - P 3 - PRODUCTRODUCT D DESCRIPTIONESCRIPTION

Product description of Royal Copenhagen’s Elements collection as supportive characteristics of

RC’s corporate brand identity.

Louise Campbell, one of the leading designers in Denmark, is the designer behind the Elements

series launched in 2008 by RC. The collection is known for its astonishing colours, simplicity and

sculptural design created for the modern home (RC corporate website). This collection is embedded

in the new modern ear and a visual statement of the new directions within Royal Copenhagen. As

described on the corporate website, Elements “are forging the contrasts between hundreds of years

of legacy with the new millenniums lifestyle in an innovative style combination, indicate modernity

and vitality” (ibid)12. The Elements collection won the Design of the Year 2008 award for Royal

Copenhagen granted by Bo Bedre13.

12 Translated from danish: Stellet lader kontrasterne mellem århundredes arv og det nye årtusindes livsstil mødes i et innovativt stilbrud, der signalerer modernitet og vitalitet13 Bo Bedre is Denmark’s oldest and most strongly trendsetting lifestyle magazine (RC’s corporate website)

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9.49.4 AAPPENDIXPPENDIX 3 – M 3 – MONOCLEONOCLE I INTERVIEWNTERVIEW

Monocle’s interview with Rud Christiansen, co-founder of The Royal Cafe:

Copenhagen November 2007

This definitely is not a typical Danish cafe or coffee shop and I think too many of the cafes that has

opened the 5 – 10 years have basically tried to imitate Starbucks or other chains. We have create a

Danish funky baroque clash of styles and some modern designs and so on, I call it sort of a mini

Danish royal castle, it might not be so obvious but if you look around you will see an old Danish

wallpaper in the sealing, the chandeliers are made by an old Danish glass factory, the chairs are

made by Fritz Hansen the famous Danish furniture maker.

The Danish smørebrød, which means open faced sandwich, is a 300 years old pheromone. It is way

back when the poor people could only afford to have once piece of two pieces of bread and no

butter. Then when they became a little more wealth they started to be able to put butter and meat

and stuff like that on the bread, and there is a procedure how you start and how you end up, and

what goes with what and by layer and by colour - so it is a piece of art, it is, for me it is one of the

most beautiful types of food in the world.

I felt that is was time for a change because smørebrød as you would have it served in various places

in Copenhagen it is actually a very large piece or a very large sandwich I just though why not just

do it smaller and why not try put a little artistic touch to it. Now, we have a school here in Denmark

which have existed for many years, where they teach, it is three and have year education where they

teach the girls how to make smørebrød. Today you could probably order maybe 3000 types of

smørebrød, so we just ended up with something we call smushis - we are breaking a lot of rules, and

we are not only breaking roles in Denmark but we are also breaking a lot of rules of the traditional

way that we were taught to make this type of food - and we like that.

We could take that the traditional Danish salmon on top of that we would put some roe, we would

cut a very beautiful apple flower and maybe we would put some wasabi with that. Now, right there

we broke the rule, in Denmark you would probably just have horseradish but it is related, it just give

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the contrasting colour. We are using a lot of new creative ways of designing this smørebrød and we

are also trying to incorporate some of the elements from the Far East as far as taste is concerned.

Very shortly after we opened here we were very excited to see what the reaction was, and we knew

that if the reaction was positive from the markets where Danish product traditional are sold very

well in the Far East, so we are opening up very soon in Singapore, we will in the summer in 2008

open up in Tokyo, we are trying to see if we have time enough to do this but we are going to open

up in Seoul in Korea, and then we are moving on to Taipei - so this is what’s planned at the moment

and we are doing this together with Royal Copenhagen, and Georg Jensen, and Fritz Hansen.


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9.59.5 AAPPENDIXPPENDIX 4 P 4 PEIRCEEIRCE’ T’ TRIADICRIADIC MODELMODEL

Peirce argues that meaning of signs in not contained within it, but arises in its interpretation (Peirce,

1894). He defined the three most fundamental divisions of signs:

Symbol/symbolic: fundamentally arbitrary or purely conventional. The relationship must be

learned (language, numbers)

Icon/iconic: recognisably looking, sounding, feeling, tasting or smelling like it- being

similar in possessing some of its qualities.

Index/indexical: the link can be observed or inferred.

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