Sensory marketing-an ongoing learning path

Sensory marketing may be a buzz word (or phrase) these days but the concept has been in use, in various forms, for a while. Anybody who has visited a trade show or commercial fair has noticed how some booths and kiosks stand out from the crowd with stunning visuals and well-designed light setups, appropriate music and use of product scents (food, household products, etc.). These are just a few tools of the trade.

Many of these booths offer sample tastings, giveaways or other incentives that target the senses. But simply playing music and spraying scents doesn't translate into a consumer's buy-in. Sensory marketing is not a method used to fool a customer into buying a product or service under the influence of sensory cues.

Today, the consumer is overwhelmed with advertising messages and a sensory marketing campaign may be the right campaign that gives consumers more time to analyze the quality of a product before ultimately deciding which product wins his/her attention. It means that businesses that count solely on impulsive buyers and not on the quality of their store products may be dissapointed to learn that a customer spending more time in store doesn't necessarily point to quick sales.

The sensory marketing strategy should be anchored in the features of the products, on specific qualities that a consumer may overlook without proper attention. Creating an environment where consumers can feel at ease will encourage them to better evaluate the products and facilitate interaction with salespersons, creating a convivial atmosphere where the dialogue and exchanges will prove to be beneficial for both sides.

The interaction between sensory variables and customers is at the center of the research studies conducted by academics and marketers. The results are not always predictable or measurable, although the advance of science, medicine and psychology gives increased credibility and support to the empirical findings.

The diagram below shows the the environmental and individual factors involved in a sensory marketing campaign.

The senses at work

The impact of sight and taste on senses should be considered when the tasting of food and beverage is organized in stores, malls, trade-shows and restaurants.

Taste is a powerful sensation and may trigger an impulsive sale, but also a quick rejection, regardless how the sight is influenced. The way the food is presented creates the desire to eat that piece of cake or pizza, but ultimately, the taste makes the last impression. If we don't like what we eat, the initial favorable visual impression vanes on the spot.

While is important to attract as much as visitors possible to the sampling counter using displays and panels, it is crtitical that the promise of the sight will be fulfilled at the tasting time. If the product was tested carefully before entering the market, and the demographic and psychographic profile of the customers was taken into account, there are fewer chances that the sampling campaigns fail.

The keyword of the sensory marketing approach is consistency. The display panels, the name and shape of the product, and the information provided to visitors must match- yet without overloading the senses.

Let's consider the campaign of launching a new sort of star-shaped cookies meant for kids. The ideal visual setting of a presentation booth would be based on the star/kids theme. If the name of the product, the slogans, logo, color, the packaging and even the shape of the cookies are related, the synergy of all these components will reach out with more convincing power.

The smell is another important variable to consider in a sensory marketing campaign. In our case, the cookies don't have a strong smell, like coffee or popcorn. However, it is possible to use a synthetic scent diffused by a scent difuser. It is recommended that the scent is customized to match the real one. Keep in mind that besides the fact that this is an expensive strategy, customers may not appreciate the "artificial" impressions. Another limitation is the spread of smell to other neighbour stores or booths.

Music can be successfully integrated with the other sensory elements in a way that attracts, but doesn't disturb, keeping the same consistency throughout the tasting campaign. The impact is stronger if a jingle or song,associated to the product, is played during the tasting event. Eventually a CD or booklet can be used as give aways.

The taste and the memorable experience have a great impact on customers when they harmoniously match. The visitors can not only be tempted to buy the product impulsively, but also it raises the chances that they trust the brand in the future, becoming loyal customers.

Sensory at work during wine testing events

Wine has always been a drink and a symbol related to lifestyle, leisure and socialization. In the modern world, marketing strategies are based not just on demographics but on the personal values and perceptions of the targeted consumer.

Winemakers and merchants are doing their best to differentiate their brands among other hundreds available on the market. It is not unusual to name a wine after a celebrity( Marilyn Merlot, Marilyn Cabernet), create unusual bottles, use creative materials and packages.

The wine testing events are a golden opportunity to interact directly with the consumer, collect impressions on the spot, all while being a genuine educational and entertaining resource.

Wine is also about senses and feelings and as strange as it may seem, the taste can be influenced by suggestion and emotions!

A study published in Appetite magazine Volume 52, Issue 3, June 2009, by two Swiss researchers found that the information given to wine testers before the testing is influencing their sense of taste. A good rating given by a wine authority induces a positive expectation and opinion, while a bad one will influence the taster in a negative direction.

This experiment paves the way to a better understanding of how our senses are altered by the stimuli we receive. A meaningful synergy of impressions can indeed induce a positive feeling that will ultimately influence the buying decision.

The information we receive is not the only thing that changes our perception of a wine. A survey* conducted at the Institute of Psychology at Johannes Gutenberg University in Mainz, Germany, found that the lighting also has an impact on how wine tastes. The participants in the study ranked a wine higher when the ambient light was red or blue, rather than green or white, and they were tempted to spend more in the first case. A pleasant ambiance is influencing our mood and what is more surprising, the taste.

Music influences the perception of wine and food the same way the ambient light does. Selecting the appropriate music can only contribute to create a relaxed environment, and if the case, to identify the origin of wine.

A testing event can become a memorable experience that brings the wine buyer closer to the brand. But, as always, coherence is the rule. If the contributing sensory factors converge to a harmonious experience during the event, the impression on the consumer will last longer

* Daniel Oberfeld, Heiko Hecht, Ulrich Allendorf and Florian
Wickelmaier. Ambient lighting modifies the flavor of
wine. Journal of Sensory Studies, 2009; 24 (6): 797 DOI:
10.1111/j.1745-459X.2009.00239.x