Our Byzantine heritage: consumption of the past and its experiential benefits

Abstract

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to explore consumers' attraction to the past and the experiential benefits associated with past‐related consumption practices.Design/methodology/approachAn interpretive study was undertaken using a heritage exhibition in Greece as an appropriate context. A total of 49 interviews using the central premises of phenomenological research were conducted in which 82 individuals participated. Informants were asked to elaborate on their consumption experience. Verbal data were analyzed and interpreted using theoretical guidance by Lowenthal's pioneering work on people's attraction to the past.FindingsSix experiential benefits are found that are prevalent among consumers in their contact with the past: the experience of knowledge, cultural identity, cultural values, escape in time, aesthetic appreciation, and narrative connection. These benefits are embedded on existing cultural narratives that are further enriched through consumption practices. Moreover, the beneficial consumption outcomes of the past are mediated by imagination that functions as a “linking glue” and a “creative force” in the construction of narrative vignettes.Research limitations/implicationsAlthough this discovery‐oriented study provides insight into the consumption of the past, its exploratory nature does not guarantee generalizability beyond the convenience sample employed and the specific context. Further research should also investigate the extent to which the specific consumer benefits are prevalent in other consumption experiences.Practical implicationsThis research provides orientation for the management of experiential products. Marketers can facilitate consumer experiences through the appropriate staging of the servicescape in both substantive and communicating ways. Specific direction can be taken by paying attention to each of the identified experiential benefits.Originality/valueAs experiential consumption rises in consumer research, it is of paramount importance to elucidate what drives consumers in participating and enjoying various consumption experiences. This study provides theoretical guidance to researchers in the area of experiential consumption by elaborating on the benefits associated with the consumption of the past. It also offers suggestions to practitioners for the appropriate management of an experiential servicescape.