Multisensory Marketing: Creating New Sustainability Perspective in Hospitality Sector

Abstract

Synchronic  studies  in  marketing  propose that  sensory stimulus,  like colour, lighting  effects,  backdrop music, ambient scents or upholstery‘s texture, affect consumers‘ evaluation of the milieu, the wares presented, and affect consumer behavior  (e.g.,  approximate  amount spent, time spent at a store).  A Customer is frequently attracted towards a brand based on its sensory experience. In toto, the unexpurgated world is experienced through multiple senses. (Lindstrom & Kotler, 2005). Ingenious brands are discovering means  to  captivate the  entire consumer senses to fortify their brand experience, by amalgamating every sense into the marketing strategy, this approach is called Sensory Marketing. Sensory branding is based on the idea that we are most likely to form, retain and revisit memory  when  all  five  senses  are  engaged. Many companies  are  discovering that  when  they  engage consumers with multiple sensory touch points—not just the traditional sensory channels of sight or hearing—they can enhance customers‘ emotional connection with their products and brands. The multisensory strategies seek to go beyond delivering functionality and value to evoking significant personal identification with products. It aims to  fill  in  the lacuna of  the  conventional marketing. Technology  is  one  of the  main  factors  driving  Sensory marketing  to  success.  Sensory  Marketing  has  made  its mark  in  multiple  fields  like  Automobiles,  Airlines, Hospitality,   Casinos,   Retail   stores,   Textile,   Leather production, Skin Care and Cosmetics at multiple levels. The  following  are  a  few  examples  for  multisensory applications:  74%  of  Europeans  and  46%  of  American recognize the Nokia ringtone (Lindstrom, 2005); Ford has a  specific  branded  aroma  since  2000.  27%  of  US consumers  and  37%  of  Europeans  consider  ford  has  a distinct  smell.  (Lindstrom, 2005);  United  Airlines  has adapted  a  famous composition,  George  Gershwin‘s Rhapsody in Blue, and personalized it; Restaurants play slower  music  as  it  creates extended  dining  hours, increasing 29% of average bill according to an experiment; Heinz  launched  EZ  Squirt  Blastin‘,  Green  Ketchup  in 2001.  They  sold  over  10  million  bottles  in  the  first  7 months. That is the highest sales peak in the history of Heinz,  all  because  of  a  simple  color  adjustment. This paper deals with use of sensory marketing in technology and  the  use  of  technology  to  make  Sensory  Marketing successful.