View article

Background

Sensory marketing can be defined as the intention of the firms to engage consumers’ senses, which in turn affects their behaviour, emotions, memories, perceptions, preferences, choices and consumption of products (Krishna et al., 2010). As sensory marketing is related to the senses and emotions of individuals, it emphasises the importance of consumers’ senses and brings new insights into increasing the appeal of a product or service from the consumers’ point of view (Krishna et al., 2010). The logic behind the senses being related to experience and positive post-consumption identities is possible since consumers’ experiences constitute a collaboration between individuals and brands (Hultén, 2011).

Despite the common perception, the words “sense” and “experience” are not synonyms (Pine and Gilmore, 1999; Rieunier, 2009). With the fast-paced environment of competitive marketplaces, firms are actively seeking to appeal to consumers’ sensations in order to differentiate their offerings (Lindström, 2005). Marketers use this phenomenon because, once one or more of the senses are evoked, it is difficult to eliminate them, thereby enabling a long-term experience (Krishna et al., 2010; Lindström, 2005; Schmitt, 2011). This marketing phenomenon is applicable not only to food products, but also to all kinds of other sectors, from the automotive industry to technology (such as BMW, Blackberry, and iPad Touch)(Abimbola, 2010). When it comes to the sensory branding, it can be worthwhile to understand the evolution of the concept of experience in the marketing domain. American philosopher John Dewey proposed in 1925 that the …