Selling the invisible to create an authentic experience: imagination at work at Cézanne’s studio

ABSTRACT

The purpose of this exploratory research is to understand how visiting a particular heritage-based attraction, Cézanne’s studio in Aix-en-Provence – an almost empty place in which Cézanne painted his major works – becomes an authentic experience through consumer’s imaginative processes. Thirty-three semi-directive in-depth interviews were conducted at Cézanne’s studio at the end of attendees’ visits. Content analysis led to identifying key themes that describe how imagination at work during the visit creates an authentic experience. More specifically, results show that material dimensions (e.g. the studio setting, familiar objects, and guides) mixed with immaterial dimensions (e.g. Cézanne’s aura, stories, and atmosphere) facilitate consumers’ imagination through immersion, embodiment, and narrative transportation. The paradox of creating authenticity from nothing – the invisible – through imagination is then developed.

KEYWORDS:

• Imagination
• authenticity
• experience
• invisible
• paradox

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank Floriane Rasplus (Student of the Creative Industries Track, Master in Management, Kedge Business School) for collecting data for this research.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Notes

1. Source: Cézanne’s studio website.

2. Source: Cézanne’s studio website.

3. As explicitly suggested by one of our reviewers.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Maud Derbaix

Maud Derbaix is Associate Professor of marketing at KEDGE Business School, France, and a member of the Creative Industries Research Group. Her research has focused on consumer behaviour within the context of arts and cultural activities, including live performances, events and heritage. Her works have been published in Recherche et Applications en Marketing, Psychology & Marketing, Advances in Consumer Research and Décisions Marketing.

Anne Gombault

Anne Gombault is Professor of organisational behaviour and management at KEDGE Business School, France, where since 2013 she has headed the Creative Industries Research Group, also the Arts, Culture and Management in Europe Chair, which she founded in 2004. Her research covers organisational identity, behaviour and strategy of artistic and cultural organisations and creative industries in general, including museums, heritage, creative tourism and creative regions. She has been involved in research for various bodies – European organisations, the French Ministry of Culture and Communication, regions and cities in France and Europe, cultural organisations and businesses. Her work has been published both in France and internationally.