Food feeds our senses — and research shows that when food brands and operations not only feed our sense of taste and smell but offer a broader sensory experience, they’re more likely to hit the sweet spot with consumers.
In fact, the more senses you feed, the more you feed your business. In The Future 100: Trends & Change to Watch in 2024, VML Intelligence reports that 63% of consumers crave multisensory brand experiences, and 72% hanker for new experiences to engage as many of their senses as possible.
Research from Mood Media reveals that multisensory experiences are a must for maximizing in-store traffic. Eighty-four percent of U.S. consumers cite an in-store experience that engages the senses as a determining factor in whether to purchase on-site or online. Mood Media also determined that sensory experiences bring 9 out of 10 shoppers back to stores.
Given how eating and drinking are such sensory-driven experiences, multisensory marketing brings a feast of opportunities to the table for food and beverage brands.
Starbucks Perks Up All Five Senses — and a Sense of CommunityStarbucks has built its brand identity on the strength of a rich in-store experience, from the warm coffee aroma and welcoming interior design to the carefully curated music, menu and merchandise. All five senses — sight, smell, taste, touch and sight — are engaged to create a holistic and seamless multisensory experience.
The java juggernaut markets more than coffee and a miscellany of menu items. It markets a multisensory experience that encompasses a sense of belonging and community, where customers can meet with friends, snack and sip in comfy chairs, and listen to the latest indie playlists. As Joseph Michelli, psychologist and author of "The Starbucks Experience,” put it: “Customers want more than just a cup of coffee; they want an experience that makes them feel special.”
Unilever Ushers in the Multisensory Future Menu Trends
To launch its Future Menus Top North America Trends 2024 report, Unilever Food Solutions partnered with The Food Group to create a multisensory extravaganza at Esmé, the innovative Michelin-starred restaurant in Chicago.
“We had custom art created to reflect the trends, bespoke florals and cocktails, and many other sensory experiences,” said Meghan Flynn, TFG’s director of public relations. “The chef served the first course on a bed of sunflowers, used AI to generate the fish dish and served it on a water-filled placemat, and even took the art and created a dessert from it where we ‘broke’ through the painting to get to the dish. It was all very multisensory.”
As the report states: “Post-pandemic, we’re living in a time of increased connectivity. This means that unique, playful and multisensory dining experiences are more celebrated than ever.” The report also explores the potential of AI to amplify multisensory experiences through enhanced personalization and immersive dining experiences.
Give ‘Em a Break: KitKat’s Breakaway Sensory Success
Sensory-savvy brands have found creative ways to craft out-of-the-box, out-of-store ways to produce experiences that stimulate and engage the senses.
Take the ways KitKat has maximized the unique appeal of its “crack” sound and break-apart chocolate wafer format. In the brand’s “Break Time, Anytime” commercial, a break room vending machine sets the stage for a symphony of sounds as customers buy, unwrap, break and bite into KitKats.
In Australia, the brand took a crack at creating controversy over the correct way to eat a KitKat, with all the crackling, snapping and crunching involved in consuming one. The brand released limited-edition packs with variations of bitten-into KitKats on the front of the wrappers.
“As Australia’s favorite chocolate bar, we know that people have some serious love for the iconic treat, but we wanted to discover new ways to engage with the fanbase online,” said João Braga, chief creative officer of Wunderman Thompson (a fellow WPP agency with The Food Group). “What better way to do this than by jumping into the heartfelt and passionate debate over the true, right, and ‘correct’ way to eat a KITKAT?”
The campaign quickly generated a social media feeding frenzy, with 4.3 million views organically across TikTok and Instagram in the first 48 hours of launch and more than 70,000 votes in a Twitter debate.
Sensing Possibilities: McDonald’s Billboards Grab People by the Nose
Food brands are even integrating sensory experiences into billboards to arouse curiosity and create social buzz. One concept in particular is like a breath of fresh air — with a taste-tempting twist.
In the Netherlands, McDonald’s introduced blank red billboards that give passersby an irresistible whiff of its french fries. “We are well known for our distinctive brand assets that are mostly visual,” said Stijn Mentrop-Huliselan, CMO of McDonald’s Netherlands. “Smell has been proven to be more effective at sparking clear and emotional memories than images. With the inclusion of this next sense in our advertising, we found a new way to remind people of Good Times at McDonald’s.”
It All Makes Sense: Summing Up What a Multisensory Approach Can Do
- Create a sense of surprise and delight
- Establish an immersive brand experience
- Set the stage for premium pricing
- Develop stronger brand loyalty and advocacy
- Drive greater retention and repeat business
- Boost social buzz and customer acquisition
- Enhance the ability to upsell and cross-sell
“In the end, implementing a sensory-driven approach for a more complete customer experience can only give your brand greater impact,” said Flynn. “The way to a customer’s heart isn’t just through their stomach — it’s through their eyes, ears, nose, touch. Feed their need for multisensory experiences and you’ll nourish stronger relationships with your customers.”
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