From global brand management to localised spatial experience design: how global brands adapt their spatial experiences around the world

Alaali, Amani Ali (2023) From global brand management to localised spatial experience design: how global brands adapt their spatial experiences around the world. Doctoral thesis, Northumbria University.

Preview

Text (Doctoral thesis) alaali.amani_phd (09014849).pdf - Submitted Version Download (13MB) | Preview

Abstract

The endeavour to make the best use of space, along with attention to user well-being and functional design, have pushed the development of the possibilities of interior design. Advances in both experience design and localisation have brought a major shift in interior design. Global brands use interior design as a touchpoint to connect with their customers. However, experience design and localisation concepts add complexity to using physical spaces as a competitive advantage. Therefore, brand management is needed to help manage these complex layers, attune all the touchpoints and manage the experience as well as authentically localise those spatial experiences.

The aim of this PhD thesis is therefore to explore how brand managers and experience designers in global brand management teams work towards localising their spatial experiences. In order to respond to this, working with global leaders, such as Starbucks, IKEA and others was necessary.

The research reviews literature relating to the three fields of interior design, experience design and brand management in the context of localisation. From this, an iterative methodology was developed. The main studies consisted of preliminary interviews with professionals working in interior design, or brand management and the related fields. This was to build on the lack of empirical data available and to practice interviewing skills. Then from the preliminary interviews it was understood that cases needed to be studied in more details, therefore two cases of successful global brands were investigated in more detail, with a background study, observations and interviews with the design and management teams members. Delphi surveys were then used to invite a wider range of global brands to reach consensus on the findings and clear areas that were still of speculation. The results of these primary data collection methods resulted in key ingredients that needed to be integrated into the design process to better the process of localisation of spatial experiences. These ingredients were reflected into toolkits that were tested in the context of interior design students’ courses at Ahlia University, Bahrain.

From the analysis of the data, the outcomes combined resulted in a toolkit that keeps in mind the key ingredients needed to create authentically localised spatial experience around the world. The outcome also considers the challenges that were raised as a barrier to implementing the theoretical information available into practice. These challenges were budget, time, and team distribution related. The toolkits developed therefore bridge the gap between theory and practice that has been a pattern that has been noticed through literature where researchers in experience design and management have noticed and have urged to be brought closer together. The findings are classified in a way that can assist other brands and experience design teams in overcoming shared challenges when it comes to localising their spatial experiences.

Actions (login required)

View Item

Downloads