In a world saturated with stimuli vying for our attention, the journey of consumer engagement is intricately woven with sensory encounters. Whether it's the billboards lining our commutes or the notifications buzzing on our smartphones, our daily lives are permeated by interactions designed to captivate our senses and influence our choices. Yet, beneath the surface, the vast majority of our purchasing decisions—about 85-95% —are driven by subconscious triggers, highlighting the profound impact of sensory experiences on consumer behaviour.
Individually, the senses all have their own persuasions; Our eyes process visual information 60,000 times faster than words can convey; endorphin producing soundscapes stir positive emotive states; and smell is the only sense that activates the limbic part of our brain associated with forming memories. Seeing as our moods, affiliations and even concentration levels can all be affected by sensual stimuli, mobilising these triggers in market provides brands with an experiential advantage. The science of multi-sensory experiences has informed the sales industry from pretty much day dot; whether it’s interactive displays, ambient playlists, tailored scents (that smell of fresh baked bread in supermarkets…they pump that in through vents!), or the trusty old sampling station providing tasters of products. Each takes a personalised role in the sensory encounters hierarchy; each works better as part of a wider series of sensory encounters than in a silo.
This idea of ‘try before you buy’ (be that literally, or experientially) has long been a basic principle for engaging audiences, and by stimulating our senses - plural - brands can harness the human psyche to create deeply resonating experiences. It’s argued in Why We Buy that stimulating not only sight and sound, but a combination of all the senses is really where we hit gold. To cite our last Amuse Bouche, digitised marketing may be audibly and visually stimulating, but the foundations provided by physical experience in which the other senses are also engaged are irreplaceable. Sadly the invention of ‘smell-o-vision’ hasn’t happened (yet!) but, until it does, demonstrating a product or brand in a tailored real-world space that incorporates a plethora of sense-engaging touchpoints undeniably delves deeper into the human psyche than any digital-only format can. Psychologist Paco Underhill hit the nail on the head whilst discussing our “tactile-deprived society” when he said that real-world [shopping] represents a now rare chance to “experience the material world firsthand”.
There are so many brands that are absolutely killing it with their real-world sensory experience marketing right now. Some of our favourite recent sensory activations we’ve touched on in EDNA’s Pick’s include;
- Glossier’s ‘You’ campaign, which took a theatrical stance in dissecting the fragrance’s famed attribute of being uniquely adapted to the wearer. Conceptually physicalising emotions through interactive rooms, the pop-up encouraged personal exploration and atmospheric escapism. Hosting an ASMR room adorned in tactile fabrics and whimsical set references, whilst draped actors personified moods with communicative gloved handshakes was the cherry on top of the sensory experience icing!
- Liquid Deaths ‘Country Club’ in Chicago, which enticed visitors with an immersive set-up demonstrating their beverages. Guests could rehydrate from a Liquid Death fountain using complimentary flasks, or sample products stored in an ice-cooled casket. From its live orchestral recitals of classic metal anthems, to the tactile take-away of airbrushed temporary tattoos, the exhibit highlighted the brand's playful ethos of eco-friendly consumption in true, horror-core style.
- Margeila’s ‘Memory Box’ demonstrated sensory marketing at its finest. Eight zones journeyed visitors through evoking set-ups promoting their ‘Replica’ scent, combining a fragrant raw-ingredient lab, onsite polaroid booths and immersive sound baths; the exhibit nostalgically harnessed individual associations whilst awakening deep-rooted memories. Concluding the experience with a personalised memory-box workshop that held trinkets collected from each room, serving as a physical memory enhancer…we’re gutted we couldn’t attend this one in person!
Now that you’re (hopefully) convinced you need to add a physical sensory experience to your marketing campaign or brand portfolio, it’s time for us to insist that you don’t consider it as a ‘one and done’ approach. Utilising multi-sensory experiential marketing should be a foundational part of your strategy; a channel that makes it onto the plan each and every time. To quote Co-creation Experiences: The Next Practice In Creative Value “The experience is the brand”. It might not be as simple to measure this type of spend against hard ROI metrics, but we’re willing to bet that employing real-world sensory experiences as a routine addition to your marketing calendar will, over time, shift brand health metrics such as brand perception, brand consideration and purchase intent more than any of the ‘here now, gone tomorrow’ marketing trends that we see come and go in the ever changing digital space. Moreover, the strategic deployment of sensory tactics doesn't just boost loyalty and advocacy - it also has the potential to significantly impact revenue streams, as consumers are more inclined to invest in brands that offer meaningful, multisensory experiences.
And there you have it! By immersing consumers in sensory-rich encounters, brands create a tapestry of experiences that go beyond mere consumption. They foster enduring connections between consumers and brands, and in today's competitive landscape where attention is scarce and consumer expectations are high, embracing multi-sensory engagement isn't just an option; it's a necessity!
If you are interested in incorporating multi-sensory experience into your marketing plan or want to know more, please get in touch!
In a world saturated with stimuli vying for our attention, the journey of consumer engagement is intricately woven with sensory encounters. Whether it's the billboards lining our commutes or the notifications buzzing on our smartphones, our daily lives are permeated by interactions designed to captivate our senses and influence our choices. Yet, beneath the surface, the vast majority of our purchasing decisions—about 85-95% —are driven by subconscious triggers, highlighting the profound impact of sensory experiences on consumer behaviour.
Individually, the senses all have their own persuasions; Our eyes process visual information 60,000 times faster than words can convey; endorphin producing soundscapes stir positive emotive states; and smell is the only sense that activates the limbic part of our brain associated with forming memories. Seeing as our moods, affiliations and even concentration levels can all be affected by sensual stimuli, mobilising these triggers in market provides brands with an experiential advantage. The science of multi-sensory experiences has informed the sales industry from pretty much day dot; whether it’s interactive displays, ambient playlists, tailored scents (that smell of fresh baked bread in supermarkets…they pump that in through vents!), or the trusty old sampling station providing tasters of products. Each takes a personalised role in the sensory encounters hierarchy; each works better as part of a wider series of sensory encounters than in a silo.
This idea of ‘try before you buy’ (be that literally, or experientially) has long been a basic principle for engaging audiences, and by stimulating our senses - plural - brands can harness the human psyche to create deeply resonating experiences. It’s argued in Why We Buy that stimulating not only sight and sound, but a combination of all the senses is really where we hit gold. To cite our last Amuse Bouche, digitised marketing may be audibly and visually stimulating, but the foundations provided by physical experience in which the other senses are also engaged are irreplaceable. Sadly the invention of ‘smell-o-vision’ hasn’t happened (yet!) but, until it does, demonstrating a product or brand in a tailored real-world space that incorporates a plethora of sense-engaging touchpoints undeniably delves deeper into the human psyche than any digital-only format can. Psychologist Paco Underhill hit the nail on the head whilst discussing our “tactile-deprived society” when he said that real-world [shopping] represents a now rare chance to “experience the material world firsthand”.
There are so many brands that are absolutely killing it with their real-world sensory experience marketing right now. Some of our favourite recent sensory activations we’ve touched on in EDNA’s Pick’s include;
- Glossier’s ‘You’ campaign, which took a theatrical stance in dissecting the fragrance’s famed attribute of being uniquely adapted to the wearer. Conceptually physicalising emotions through interactive rooms, the pop-up encouraged personal exploration and atmospheric escapism. Hosting an ASMR room adorned in tactile fabrics and whimsical set references, whilst draped actors personified moods with communicative gloved handshakes was the cherry on top of the sensory experience icing!
- Liquid Deaths ‘Country Club’ in Chicago, which enticed visitors with an immersive set-up demonstrating their beverages. Guests could rehydrate from a Liquid Death fountain using complimentary flasks, or sample products stored in an ice-cooled casket. From its live orchestral recitals of classic metal anthems, to the tactile take-away of airbrushed temporary tattoos, the exhibit highlighted the brand's playful ethos of eco-friendly consumption in true, horror-core style.
- Margeila’s ‘Memory Box’ demonstrated sensory marketing at its finest. Eight zones journeyed visitors through evoking set-ups promoting their ‘Replica’ scent, combining a fragrant raw-ingredient lab, onsite polaroid booths and immersive sound baths; the exhibit nostalgically harnessed individual associations whilst awakening deep-rooted memories. Concluding the experience with a personalised memory-box workshop that held trinkets collected from each room, serving as a physical memory enhancer…we’re gutted we couldn’t attend this one in person!
Now that you’re (hopefully) convinced you need to add a physical sensory experience to your marketing campaign or brand portfolio, it’s time for us to insist that you don’t consider it as a ‘one and done’ approach. Utilising multi-sensory experiential marketing should be a foundational part of your strategy; a channel that makes it onto the plan each and every time. To quote Co-creation Experiences: The Next Practice In Creative Value “The experience is the brand”. It might not be as simple to measure this type of spend against hard ROI metrics, but we’re willing to bet that employing real-world sensory experiences as a routine addition to your marketing calendar will, over time, shift brand health metrics such as brand perception, brand consideration and purchase intent more than any of the ‘here now, gone tomorrow’ marketing trends that we see come and go in the ever changing digital space. Moreover, the strategic deployment of sensory tactics doesn't just boost loyalty and advocacy - it also has the potential to significantly impact revenue streams, as consumers are more inclined to invest in brands that offer meaningful, multisensory experiences.
And there you have it! By immersing consumers in sensory-rich encounters, brands create a tapestry of experiences that go beyond mere consumption. They foster enduring connections between consumers and brands, and in today's competitive landscape where attention is scarce and consumer expectations are high, embracing multi-sensory engagement isn't just an option; it's a necessity!
If you are interested in incorporating multi-sensory experience into your marketing plan or want to know more, please get in touch!
