In today’s competitive retail market, visual identity alone is no longer sufficient for brands to stand out. Whether you’re a retailer or an FMCG brand competing in retail, cutting through the noise requires creating immersive multi-sensory experiences that captivate consumers and engage all their senses.
As Maya Angelou wisely said, “people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.”
This deeper level of engagement leaves a lasting impression and strengthens brand loyalty.
In fact, recent research from WARC highlights that 63% of consumers seek brands that can provide multi-sensory experiences, underscoring the impact such engagement can have on loyalty and brand resonance. Through my work with brands like M&S, Selfridges, and Stella McCartney, I’ve witnessed firsthand how multi-sensory branding can transform not just retail spaces, but the entire brand experience, writes Kirsty Minns, Executive Creative Director and Partner at Mother Design.
Broader Opportunities in Multi-Sensory Branding
While this approach has traditionally been applied in retail environments, the principles of multi-sensory branding offer broader applications that can benefit any brand competing in retail. Whether you’re selling through physical stores, online, or both, engaging multiple senses can create more memorable and emotionally resonant experiences. For example, a beauty brand might enhance the online shopping experience with sound cues that evoke the ambience of their flagship store or use textured packaging to evoke a sense of luxury and quality.
1. Engage with Sound
Sound is often an overlooked element in brand design but is crucial for shaping consumer perceptions. WARC research shows that cross-sensory sound in experiences can increase engagement by over 30% and perceived product value by around 20%. Beyond the retail space, brands across industries can create a sonic identity that resonates with their audience. For instance, the curated soundscapes at Aesop stores could inspire a beauty brand to develop a signature sound that plays during product unboxings or in digital content, reinforcing the brand’s ethos.
2. Make Touch Meaningful
The tactile experience extends beyond the physical store. Online brands can innovate with packaging that delights the sense of touch, creating a connection even before the product is opened. Stella McCartney’s commitment to sustainability through tactile materials could inspire a similar approach in e-commerce, where the feel of packaging communicates a brand’s values.
3. Use Scent to Tell a Story
Scent has the power to create deep emotional connections and can be applied across various touchpoints, from physical spaces to products themselves. According to WARC, ambient scent in retail environments can positively influence consumers’ emotions and evaluations of the store atmosphere, making it a potent tool for enhancing the overall brand experience. For instance, M&S’s use of sunscreen scent in a campaign might inspire other brands to explore how scent can be used in product packaging or even as part of the digital experience, such as through virtual reality or immersive online platforms where scent technology is integrated.
4. Lighting that Enhances the Mood
Lighting plays a critical role in both physical and digital brand experiences and should be treated as an extension of the brand’s identity. The strategic use of light in Apple stores, for instance, creates a sleek and modern atmosphere. The bright, uniform lighting highlights the minimalist design and latest technology on display, reinforcing the brand’s focus on innovation and simplicity. In contrast, beauty brands like Jo Malone use softer, diffused lighting to create a calming and luxurious ambiance, aligning with their emphasis on sophistication and relaxation. Brands can translate these principles into the digital realm by considering how visual elements, such as colour temperature and contrast, impact the consumer’s emotional response to online content or product photography. It’s about choosing the right intensity, colour, and placement to enhance the product while also evoking the desired emotional response.
Bringing it All Together
Success goes to the brands that think beyond the traditional and create environments, whether physical or digital, that engage every sense. By applying the principles of multi-sensory branding, both retailers and FMCG brands can build deeper connections with consumers. The future of branding lies in the ability to create cohesive sensory experiences that captivate and resonate, ensuring that customers return time and time again.
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