What’s The Sensory Experience Got To Do With It?

When we think about successful products or services, how often do we think about the role played by the sensory experience delivered? The March edition of the Harvard Business Review contains an article titled, “The Science of Sensory Marketing,” that discusses the role of the traditional five senses—sight, smell, taste, touch, and hearing—and how products today consciously connect with consumers through the sensory experience and cues they deliver. Did you ever stop to think why we love our Sharpie pens? Yes it writes great, but it also comes with a unique smell and a sound that makes using a Sharpie a special experience. How about that sting that accompanies the use of mouthwash? That’s not by accident. And Hershey’s is very aware of the experience when unwrapping a Kiss. According to Aradhna Krishna, who directs the Sensory Marketing Laboratory at the University of Michigan, “every consumer company should be thinking about design in a holistic way, using the senses to help create and intensify brand personalities that consumers will cherish and remember.” Are your brands effectively creating a full sensory experience?  For us, it’s the sound made when casting a Pure Fishing rod and how it feels in your hand, the aroma of piping hot McDonalds French fries, no matter where you make your purchase, or the smell of a lavender scented roll of FIORA. Think about it.
posted on
February 24, 2015
written by
Glenn Geller