JIFAM Special Issue on Experiential Marketing: Perspectives from the International Agro-food Sector

Globalization in the food sector has increased over the past few decades, resulting in consumers finding little differentiation between food products, and consumers who are less loyal to the brand. To help overcome this problem, food companies are trying to shift the consumer’s attention from the product itself toward other elements, such as the experience they have with the brand/product and the emotions that derive from it, through Experiential Marketing. The rise of Experiential Marketing has led to businesses advertising and selling their offerings based on experiences rather than just the characteristics and quality of the product, meaning consumers are increasingly motivated by emotional factors in their purchasing decisions. Experiential Marketing has the potential to be effectively applied in the Agro-food sector and significantly influence consumers’ food purchasing choices. This special issue encompasses contributions from Experiential Marketing researchers and covers topics such as, consumers' sensory and emotional experiences, brand experience, and consumer perceptions of food quality. The papers that compile this special issue explore Experiential Marketing in the Agro-food sector and provide insights of its effects on consumer engagement through an international perspective.