The Importance of “Senses” in Marketing

A while back, Harvard Business Review published an article entitled “The Science of Sensory Marketing.” This article not only explores how academics are becoming increasingly interested in sensory input and its relation to marketing, but also suggests that we’re about to witness a surge in consumer product companies utilizing this marketing technique.

Marketing researchers are “starting to realize how powerful the responses to nonconscious stimuli can be,” says S. Adam Brasel, an associate professor of marketing at Boston College. One particularly noteworthy fact mentioned in the article is that a recent Association for Consumer Research North American conference set a record for papers presented on sensory marketing.

While some types of companies, such as hospitality, food, and cosmetics, have embraced the power of sensory marketing for years, others have remained focused on visual attributes. The article points out that things are about to change as a more diverse set of managers discovers the benefits.

The article concludes that if they wish to be on the leading edge of innovation and marketing, every consumer company should be thinking about design in a holistic way that utilizes the senses.

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