Teaching invisible marketing

Marketing education at Haaga-Helia focuses on practical applications, not just theory. In the Experiential Marketing course we equip students with skills for invisible marketing – a concept that fits seamlessly into customer experiences (Invisible marketing: winning customers without selling hard).

Frameworks and teaching methodologies

The Experiental Marketing course emphasises learning by doing. Students apply invisible marketing principles while collaborating with hospitality businesses in Helsinki. This hands-on approach builds career skills and offers businesses fresh ideas for their marketing challenges.

The teaching approach unfolds in the following three phases.

• Customer immersion – Students record reactions to marketing, raising awareness of behavioral influences.
• Touchpoint mapping – Students find moments to express brand values through experiences instead of direct messaging.
• Experiential prototyping – Teams create and test strategies that highlight a venue’s unique qualities for memorable experiences.

Pine and Gilmore’s Experience Economy framework (2011) is the grounding theory. Thus, students explore how experiences add value beyond functional benefits in four areas: entertainment, education, esthetic appreciation, and escapism. The framework helps spot opportunities where marketing enhances the customer journey.

To foster motivating experiences, we use Seligman’s PERMA model (2011), which stands for positive emotions, engagement, relationships, meaning, and accomplishment. This model teaches students that invisible marketing thrives on internal motivations rather than external rewards.

The REACH framework for invisible marketing, created with assistance from ChatGPT, acts as an analytical and creative tool. It aids students in assessing current marketing and crafting new strategies. For each framework element (Relate, Experience, Authenticity, Community, Harmony), students establish touchpoints where customers naturally interact with brand values.

Transforming marketing mindsets

A key part of teaching invisible marketing is transforming how students think. Most start with a promotional mindset, asking how to tell people about a product or service. The course shifts thinking to how to create something worth talking about.

This change is fundamental. Students often find it tough to create marketing that feels organic. The breakthrough typically happens when they become customers at hospitality venues. Experiencing these places firsthand helps students see elements that shape the overall experience.

To assess invisible marketing approaches, we teach our students to use methods distinct from industry standards. Instead of relying on traditional marketing metrics, students learn to focus on evaluating experiential quality by using the following methods.

• Participant observation – Students document and analyze real-time engagement with experiences.
• Experience journey mapping – Creating visual depictions of emotional and practical touchpoints.
• Stakeholder feedback collection – Structured ways to gather insights from staff and customers.

Customer experience and value creation in focus

Transitioning from traditional to invisible marketing is a pedagogical innovation at Haaga-Helia. While traditional marketing often centers on promotions and campaigns, our approach highlights experience architecture and value creation. This philosophy matches the hospitality industry’s demand, where customer experience drives market success.

By prioritizing value creation over mere communication, our students gain experience design, service development, and authentic storytelling skills. The invisible marketing approach doesn’t erase marketing: it enriches marketing by ensuring real added value to customers’ lives.

Picture: Haaga-Helia