Marketing Management

Abstract

In this chapter we explore the role of place from a cultural perspective. More precisely we show how consumers make sense of the spaces and places around them, and how consumptionscapes such as fl agships stores, shopping centers, restaurants and bars, and also ordinary stores perform many socio-cultural functions that go unacknowledged in traditional marketing management texts. According to this constructivist view, we propose that the design of commercial spaces should be grounded on a thorough understanding of these psychological, bodily and cultural processes, and of consumers’ needs for self-affi rmation through a self–place bond fulfi llment. The suggested principles of store design are thus based on the use of devices and architectural elements which provide a stage for consumers’ experiences (cf. Chapter 10 in this volume) and, at the same time, promote freedom of movement and meaning construction. We illustrate our discussions with many examples of commercial locations and two brief case studies, namely Prada Epicenter and Mama Shelter as interesting points of reference for both theory development and managerial practice.

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