Logotype as a Tool in Marketing Communication: An Analysisof Websites of Agritourism Farms

A logotype can have a considerable impact on the customers' perception of a given business, generate experiences and become a basis for assigning specific associations to the brand (positive, negative, promotional). The aim of the present study is to verify the function of logotypes of selected agritourism establishments, especially in view of the rationale for placing them on home pages of websites, and the marketing function they fulfill. Homepages (the main web pages) of websites of 10 agritourism farms with the dimensions of 1,245 x 570 pixels (and 24 -bit color depth) were analyzed. The study involved 170 respondents (n = 170), whose task was to indicate a single element they perceive as positive, negative, and one that in their opinion best serves the promotional goal in each of the 10 homepages. Statistical analyses were performed using the R-CRAN software version 4.0.2. The study confirmed that there are both differences and similarities in the responses regarding logotypes of the agritourism farms studied. The perception of the logotype depends strongly on the education level and age of respondents. The analyses also confirmed that there is no linear relationship between the size of the logo and the frequency at which it is indicated as a promotional element. The use of a detailed factor analysis of logotypes (with the use of the click-tracking technique) on the websites of agritourism farms is an innovative approach and allows for a relatively comprehensive assessment of the perception of logotypes by potential consumers of offers available on the market. An Analysis of Logotypes of Agritourism Farms on WebsitesThe aim of the present study is to verify the function of logotypes of selected agritourism establishments, especially in view of the rationale for placing them on home pages of websites, and the marketing function they fulfill. Homepages (the main web pages) of websites of 10 agritourism farms with the dimensions of 1,245 x 570 pixels (and 24 -bit color depth) were analyzed. The study involved 170 respondents (n = 170). The study confirmed that there are both differences and similarities in the responses regarding logotypes of the agritourism farms studied. The perception of the logotype depends strongly on the education level and age of respondents. The analyses also confirmed that there is no linear relationship between the size of the logo and the frequency at which it is indicated as a promotional element. Analyses presented in this article focused on the way consumers perceive logotypes of agritourism farms online. However, they pertained solely to Polish farms and Polish respondents. Limitation of this study is the fact that potential customers may react differently to logotypes that incorporate abstract word and/or graphic constructions. This is a rare practice in the case of agritourism farms operating in the Polish market, yet it cannot be excluded. Our study is limited to 10 agritourism farms. Future studies should include a larger sample, which would allow for drawing more precise conclusions. These, in turn, could provide a solid foundation for the practical use of the results by farmers who run agritourism businesses.