Emotional & Experiential Marketing: Campaign Analysis in Romania

This paper investigates the strategic integration of emotional and experiential marketing in brand communication, focusing on how these approaches reshape traditional rational strategies within the Romanian market. The purpose of this study is to understand when and how emotional and experiential marketing become effective tools for enhancing consumer engagement and brand loyalty, even in highly technical industries such as banking. The research combines a theoretical framework with applied analysis. First, a literature review was conducted to define the conceptual differences and intersections between emotional and experiential marketing, both offline and online, and to identify key success factors in their implementation. Second, a qualitative case study was developed on Banca Comercială Română (BCR), examining its transition from rational and technical communication to emotion-driven and experience-centered strategies, both in traditional campaigns and through its digital ecosystem, George. BCR’s campaigns illustrate how emotional storytelling, personalization, and user experience design can humanize a technical service and foster brand trust. This study contributes to marketing practice by offering insights into the applicability of emotional and experiential strategies beyond lifestyle industries, demonstrating their relevance in complex, data-driven contexts. It also proposes directions for future research, suggesting that quantitative studies should further explore the direct correlation between these strategies and measurable outcomes such as brand perception, satisfaction, and long-term trust.