Exploring how cute museum cultural and creative products affect consumer engagement behavior

Museum cultural and creative products (MCCPs) play an important role in facilitating the development and functionality of museums by making cultural resources more accessible to the public; however, few studies have examined cute MCCP designs and their marketing potential. This study expands the research on MCCPs and cuteness by investigating the impacts of cute designs on emotions, such as feeling of healing and perceptual curiosity, and the resultant consumer engagement behaviors related to the willingness to pay a premium price, museum visit intention, and consumer learning. We conducted two experiments to explore the effects of cuteness. The results show that cute MCCPs can evoke feeling of healing; in turn, the feeling of healing generated by cute MCCPs can lead to the willingness to pay a premium price, increased museum visit intentions, and enhanced consumer learning. This study also investigates the moderating role of social exclusion. The results provide useful suggestions for museum marketers regarding MCCP design and marketing.