In today’s economy, consumers are increasingly motivated by emotions and self-realization, and have been described as ‘transformational aspirants’. These aspirants demand companies to understand their needs, co-create products/services/experiences with them and to provide transformational value. Therefore, this study aimed to identify the characteristics of ‘transformational aspirants’. A descriptive phenomenological approach was used, and semi-structured interviews were conducted for data collection. The results showed that ‘transformational aspirants’ have two major characteristics: otakufication and progression. This study contributes to the understanding and application of transformational value in business settings by clarifying the characteristics of transformational aspirants and demonstrating the importance of transformation for the promotion of sustainable customer relationships.
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