Employee and visitor interactions in museums as a driver to convey the museum brand identity: an exploratory study approach from Picasso museums

The aim of this study is to analyse the gap between the museum brand identity and the employee brand behaviour during the interaction with visitors. To achieve this objective, a qualitative methodology was carried out for both the collection of documentation to identify the main characteristics of museum brand identity and participant observation for the analysis of employee brand behaviour. The study has been conducted in seven museums and monographic centres of the artist Pablo Picasso in Spain and France. The application of participant observation has made it possible to deduce three types of employee brand behaviour: visual, verbal and emotional brand behaviour. The results highlight the connection of employee behaviour with the brand dimensions related to the product, the artist, the symbolism and the link with the territory. However, the digital sphere and the elements of identity related to the organisation are not reflected in the interaction between employees and visitors. The research emphasises the need for explicit brand behaviour in the museums analysed so that the organisation's mission and values reach visitors through employee-visitor interaction.