If you removed the logo from your brand, would it still be recognisable? That���s what former BBDO executive turned brand guru and author Martin Lindstrom is asking. What about if the consumer were blindfolded? Some brands have managed that seemingly impossible task, and that���s what Lindstrom believes is the breakthrough that every brand should look for.
A classic example: When the Coke bottle was being designed in 1915, the brief was simple. The bottle should be distinctive enough to be recognised by touch ��� even in the dark, and if broken, its pieces should be recognisable as part of the whole. The outcome ��� the classic curved Coke bottle ��� is still used in markets the world over, and has been passing the smash test for almost 90 years now.
More recently, Singapore Airlines patented a distinct aroma that permeates its entire fleet, is included in flight attendants��� perfumes, and is blended into hot towels served before takeoff. Cadillac, Ford and Chrysler cars have their respective single, specific branded aromas.
Kellogg actually created the ���Snap, Crackle and Pop��� sound that its Rice Crispies brand uses as a slogan in its sound labs ��� it ���owns��� that sound just as much as it owns the recipe and the company logo ��� and the expression is trademarked.
Lindstrom believes that more marketers need to take their brands��� imprints beyond the commonly used senses of sight and sound, and capitalise on the stronger impact that they can make the other senses
In a freewheeling interview with Brand Equity, Lindstrom, author of Brand Sense, talks about sensory branding, and how brands can successfully appeal to all the five senses.
How do consumers react to the taste, smell and touch cues that brands give out unconsciously? Is there research to explain these interactions?
The use of the other three senses (taste, smell and touch) is incredibly important. In some cases, these are substantially more powerful than we first assumed just a few years ago. Consider this: about 75% of all the emotions we experience on a daily basis are, in fact, generated by what we smell ��� not by what we see or hear. But very few companies today leverage the power these senses represent.
We conducted a very interesting test with two identical pairs of Nike running shoes that were placed in separate but identical rooms. One room was infused with a mixed floral scent, too weak to be noticed. The other wasn���t. About 84% consumers showed a preference for the shoes displayed in the fragrant room, and were willing to pay, on an average, $10.33 more for that pair ��� and they couldn���t even explain why. This is the power of the branding technique that leverages the concept of sensory branding and involves all the five senses simultaneously.
Feel The Magic
How can the faculties of touch, taste and smell be leveraged for brand creation and promotion in a market that���s dominated by TV and print?
The fact is that a majority of consumer decisions are not made in front of the television, or while reading an advertisement. They���re made when we���re in the store, or while shopping and browsing, or when we���re looking at new cars, shampoo or cloth.
According to a study conducted in Las Vegas, spraying a particular scent in casinos increased gambling revenue by 45%. Further, it has been possible to increase revenue by 29% by simply playing a certain type of music in restaurants. So, the concept of leveraging our senses becomes most powerful just seconds before the consumer makes his or her choice, making the concept of sensory branding so powerful.
Can you share some examples of brands that have tried this and achieved success?
Take Coca-Cola for one: the majority of the population claims that Coke in a glass bottle tastes better than it does in a can. The fact is that they taste the same. However, our tactile sensation plays a strong role when we���re drinking.
At Galleries Lafayette in Paris, we found that spraying a certain scent made people change their perception of time. Prior to the test, people claimed they spent around 45 minutes in the store, though the actual time spent was around 40 minutes. After spraying, consumer perception changed. They thought they���d spent only 25 minutes in the store, despite now spending an hour there.
Rolls-Royce has spent hundreds of thousands of dollars to reproduce the smell of the classic 1965 Silver Cloud RR, and is spraying it into their cars to ensure that they smell like a ���real��� Rolls-Royce.
How can marketers measure the effectiveness of sensory branding campaigns?
It reflects in the instant increase in revenue. The Hershey���s chocolate store in New York Times Square is, in fact, spraying the smell of chocolate into the store as the chocolates themselves don���t smell ��� they are wrapped in plastic for hygienic reasons. They claim their sales climbed some 34%. So, it is possible to measure the loyalty factor, the satisfaction rate, the revenue increase, and some tests even show that people change their perception of the service and the staff ��� believing the service to be better or more professional just because of the smell and the music.
How do the research results and your branding philosophy apply to a country like India?
The concept of sensory branding has been incredibly successful in Asian countries, as we���re much more sensitive towards our senses in Asia than in any other place in the world. In fact, the Japanese show 50% more sensory sensitiveness than Americans. The Indian part of the Brand Sense study done by market research agency Millward Brown shows that Indians have over 20% more sensory sensitiveness. In Asia, major hotel chains, airline companies, clothing stores, restaurant chains, theme parks, fashion lines and mobile phone brands have implemented the concept of sensory branding with major success. The same is the case for Indian brands. Indians, in fact, are very open towards the sensory way of thinking as they feel it enhances the quality perception of using brands.
What types of brands most require or would benefit most from a branding exercise involving smell, taste or touch?
Almost every brand category would benefit. This includes banking, airlines, hospitality, food and beverage, entertainment, the computer industry, mobile phone industry, fashion, FMCG, automobiles and the service sector. In fact, it is estimated that by the end of 2008, 35% of all top Fortune 500 companies will adopt the concept of sensory branding.
What do you think are the most exciting new trends in global marketing today?
I find it fascinating that the brands of tomorrow will follow the concept that I call ���MSP��� (Me Selling Proposition). These are brands owned by the consumer and not the manufacturer. The brand Jones Soda allows the consumer to produce their own labels with their own faces on it, which the company distributes. Google is another fascinating story ��� their marketing budget, last year, was $1.5 million, though the brand is estimated to be worth a double-digit billion dollar amount. Why and how? Because of peerto-peer branding. The traditional way of marketing, which includes television et al, simply doesn���t work any longer.
What is your feeling about Indian marketing, the peculiarities and the issues it faces?
Indian brands need more selfconfidence. Given the size and economic growth of India, the number of new international brands spinning out of India should be booming, but it���s not.
It is imperative that the Indian government begins to re-brand India. Think about Swiss watches, German cars or even Italian fashion ��� all these categories leverage the country of their origin in a major way when exporting to the rest of the world. India needs to follow a similar strategy.
A classic example: When the Coke bottle was being designed in 1915, the brief was simple. The bottle should be distinctive enough to be recognised by touch ��� even in the dark, and if broken, its pieces should be recognisable as part of the whole. The outcome ��� the classic curved Coke bottle ��� is still used in markets the world over, and has been passing the smash test for almost 90 years now.
More recently, Singapore Airlines patented a distinct aroma that permeates its entire fleet, is included in flight attendants��� perfumes, and is blended into hot towels served before takeoff. Cadillac, Ford and Chrysler cars have their respective single, specific branded aromas.
Kellogg actually created the ���Snap, Crackle and Pop��� sound that its Rice Crispies brand uses as a slogan in its sound labs ��� it ���owns��� that sound just as much as it owns the recipe and the company logo ��� and the expression is trademarked.
Lindstrom believes that more marketers need to take their brands��� imprints beyond the commonly used senses of sight and sound, and capitalise on the stronger impact that they can make the other senses
In a freewheeling interview with Brand Equity, Lindstrom, author of Brand Sense, talks about sensory branding, and how brands can successfully appeal to all the five senses.
How do consumers react to the taste, smell and touch cues that brands give out unconsciously? Is there research to explain these interactions?
The use of the other three senses (taste, smell and touch) is incredibly important. In some cases, these are substantially more powerful than we first assumed just a few years ago. Consider this: about 75% of all the emotions we experience on a daily basis are, in fact, generated by what we smell ��� not by what we see or hear. But very few companies today leverage the power these senses represent.
We conducted a very interesting test with two identical pairs of Nike running shoes that were placed in separate but identical rooms. One room was infused with a mixed floral scent, too weak to be noticed. The other wasn���t. About 84% consumers showed a preference for the shoes displayed in the fragrant room, and were willing to pay, on an average, $10.33 more for that pair ��� and they couldn���t even explain why. This is the power of the branding technique that leverages the concept of sensory branding and involves all the five senses simultaneously.
Feel The Magic
How can the faculties of touch, taste and smell be leveraged for brand creation and promotion in a market that���s dominated by TV and print?
The fact is that a majority of consumer decisions are not made in front of the television, or while reading an advertisement. They���re made when we���re in the store, or while shopping and browsing, or when we���re looking at new cars, shampoo or cloth.
According to a study conducted in Las Vegas, spraying a particular scent in casinos increased gambling revenue by 45%. Further, it has been possible to increase revenue by 29% by simply playing a certain type of music in restaurants. So, the concept of leveraging our senses becomes most powerful just seconds before the consumer makes his or her choice, making the concept of sensory branding so powerful.
Can you share some examples of brands that have tried this and achieved success?
Take Coca-Cola for one: the majority of the population claims that Coke in a glass bottle tastes better than it does in a can. The fact is that they taste the same. However, our tactile sensation plays a strong role when we���re drinking.
At Galleries Lafayette in Paris, we found that spraying a certain scent made people change their perception of time. Prior to the test, people claimed they spent around 45 minutes in the store, though the actual time spent was around 40 minutes. After spraying, consumer perception changed. They thought they���d spent only 25 minutes in the store, despite now spending an hour there.
Rolls-Royce has spent hundreds of thousands of dollars to reproduce the smell of the classic 1965 Silver Cloud RR, and is spraying it into their cars to ensure that they smell like a ���real��� Rolls-Royce.
How can marketers measure the effectiveness of sensory branding campaigns?
It reflects in the instant increase in revenue. The Hershey���s chocolate store in New York Times Square is, in fact, spraying the smell of chocolate into the store as the chocolates themselves don���t smell ��� they are wrapped in plastic for hygienic reasons. They claim their sales climbed some 34%. So, it is possible to measure the loyalty factor, the satisfaction rate, the revenue increase, and some tests even show that people change their perception of the service and the staff ��� believing the service to be better or more professional just because of the smell and the music.
How do the research results and your branding philosophy apply to a country like India?
The concept of sensory branding has been incredibly successful in Asian countries, as we���re much more sensitive towards our senses in Asia than in any other place in the world. In fact, the Japanese show 50% more sensory sensitiveness than Americans. The Indian part of the Brand Sense study done by market research agency Millward Brown shows that Indians have over 20% more sensory sensitiveness. In Asia, major hotel chains, airline companies, clothing stores, restaurant chains, theme parks, fashion lines and mobile phone brands have implemented the concept of sensory branding with major success. The same is the case for Indian brands. Indians, in fact, are very open towards the sensory way of thinking as they feel it enhances the quality perception of using brands.
What types of brands most require or would benefit most from a branding exercise involving smell, taste or touch?
Almost every brand category would benefit. This includes banking, airlines, hospitality, food and beverage, entertainment, the computer industry, mobile phone industry, fashion, FMCG, automobiles and the service sector. In fact, it is estimated that by the end of 2008, 35% of all top Fortune 500 companies will adopt the concept of sensory branding.
What do you think are the most exciting new trends in global marketing today?
I find it fascinating that the brands of tomorrow will follow the concept that I call ���MSP��� (Me Selling Proposition). These are brands owned by the consumer and not the manufacturer. The brand Jones Soda allows the consumer to produce their own labels with their own faces on it, which the company distributes. Google is another fascinating story ��� their marketing budget, last year, was $1.5 million, though the brand is estimated to be worth a double-digit billion dollar amount. Why and how? Because of peerto-peer branding. The traditional way of marketing, which includes television et al, simply doesn���t work any longer.
What is your feeling about Indian marketing, the peculiarities and the issues it faces?
Indian brands need more selfconfidence. Given the size and economic growth of India, the number of new international brands spinning out of India should be booming, but it���s not.
It is imperative that the Indian government begins to re-brand India. Think about Swiss watches, German cars or even Italian fashion ��� all these categories leverage the country of their origin in a major way when exporting to the rest of the world. India needs to follow a similar strategy.
