Engaging Consumers’

Senses for Creating

Unique Brand Positioning
Karthick SM|| Pratiksha || Surbhi || Roshni || Deepshekhar
NeuroManagement Case 7
 Case Summary
In the current economic scenario, where products become commodities within days, it is
extremely important and difficult to differentiate products. Competitors, within no time
come up with products having similar features. Amid this some brands have been able to
differentiate themselves by creating unique sensory signatures for their products which
has helped them to not only beat competition, but also earn premiums for their
products.

Sensory marketing focuses on engaging consumer's senses and in turn affecting their
behaviour. Brands such as Singapore airlines have been able to create unique sensory
signatures for their products which engage with all five senses of the consumers
providing them with a holistic travel experience.

This case helped in understanding the basics of sensory marketing and think of
innovative ways to stimulate consumer's senses. It also introduced the concept of
sensory engagement matrix, which is a tool to measure consumer's sensorial
engagement with a particular product or brand.

The case also provided an understanding of the business scenarios in the emerging
economies, which are poised to grow at much higher rate. It helps in analysing the
market situation of automobile sector (two wheelers) in the Indian markets and design
strategies for a new entrant's brand positioning in the already competitive market.
 Distinctive sensory characteristics Emotional/ functional benefits

Sensory characteristics which are recognizable as belonging

to a specific brand (assets) or Distinctive sensory The benefit may be tangible and easily articulated by
characteristics which set a product aside from other consumers. Or the benefit may be experienced on a
products in the category deeper, less conscious leve

Visual Branding
Using Virtual and Augmented
Reality for promotion.
Honda Motor has a new design
concept, "EXCITING H DESIGN that
focusses on High Tech, High
Tension and the High Touch
thereby creating immersive
experience
Chevrolet Canada uses 360° to
pull at viewers heartstrings in the
ad that features Denna Laing, a
former professional hockey
player(Link)
Five elements in sensory marketing in automotive and other
Auditory Branding
• Royal Enfield devised the
Bullet with a unique macho
sound. It gives its owner a
recognition that gets
deemed as self-recognition
• In the 1990s, Harley
Davidson spent six years
trying to trademark the
distinct sound of their
engines
• Bajaj rendition of the
“Humara Bajaj” jingle in a
very ‘Next Generation’
style
• BMW mikes and amps the
engine sounds through the
car speakers, even when
the audio system is turned
off. The idea is to enhance
the car’s sporty feel
industries
Olfactory Branding
Rolls Royce combines the
smells of mahogany wood,
motor oil and leather to convey
the luxurious identity of the
brand
Lemon Tree Hotel : the
signature lemon fragrance is
used to create a unique
customer experience
Singapore Airlines is one of the
first airlines to have created its
own olfactory signature. The
cabin crew of Singapore
Airlines wears the company’s
signature perfume, which is
also diffused during flights.
Gustative Branding Tactile Branding
• In 2007 Skoda Fabia baked a Xbox 360 and
cake that looked exactly like PlayStation controllers
the real car and they filmed offer different
this whole process. They
vibration amplitudes
wanted to project Fabia as a
across different
“sweet & tasty” car. During
the first week of the vibration frequencies
campaign, sales went up by to enhance the
160 percent feedback for gamers
• Highly competitive fruit
beverage market segment has
raised consumers’
expectations for a more
‘natural’ feel with higher
nutritional value for products
containing fruit pulps and fruit
bits
How sensory marketing can help in various functions like advertising , branding,
pricing , positioning and new product development ?
Branding and positioning
• Branding is associated with graphical stimulus that characterizes a specific
brand
• Example : logo , colours , images , icons , characters ..etc Now , focus is to
solidify and expand the mental territory that brand occupies in the brain of
consumers
• Sensory marketing appeals to emotional logic
• Example: Apple Instore experience and packaging
• Positioning can be done by creating distinct experience leveraging the 5 senses

Advertising
• World where customers are overwhelmed by the number of advertising
messages
• average consumer is sick and tired of the traditional marketing experience
• Sensory Marketing cut through the clutter and noise of these endless
marketing campaigns
• Example: Coca Cola , catchy jingle and mix it together with the scent of coffee
in dunkin donut

Pricing and New Product development

• Charm pricing, round number pricing , odd numbers for pricing are few ways
that create psychological triggers
• For new product development , it has become necessity to integrate sensory
oriented research and marketing research techniques, in the design of the new
products
• In sensory research the objective is to understand how individuals respond to
exposure to sensory information whereas in consumer research the objective
is to predict consumer purchase decisions in a dynamic, complex environment
• Example : Food industry constantly tries to innovate on same lines
Participant Visual Touch Smell Sound Taste
1
2
3 Sensory Engagements
4
5 of the Consumer for
6
7 Bikes
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
 INNOVATIVE SENSORY SIGNATURES FOR ITS PRODUCT

VISUAL TOUCH SOUND

• Light weight drone with

Camera and Lights Unique sound can be
• It allows people to shoot used in these 3 places to
• Touchpoint
short videos on their ride provide hearing
experience in Malls
• Extra lights helps more in sensation
can be increased 9D
off roading • Engine sound
VR drive simulator
• It can help seilco to create • Exhaust note
a riding community for • Side rest
travellers
• Infographic Style
Sensory Consumer Buying Behaviour Model
Sensory Marketing:
• Not about the masses but focusses on
engaging with the individual.
• Affects both Left and Right hemispheres
• Engages consumer’s senses and affects
their behavior
• Brands try to generate beliefs, feelings,
thoughts to create a brand image
• Characteristics- Sensory Cues- Building
the cues into the product, store or
promotional activities- Deciding on the
combination of cues.
• Senses help in developing a perception
towards a brand which leads to
formation of Brand attitude, memories
in the brain, and finally leading to a
purchase
 In- Depth Interviews
Interview 1: Interview 3:
1. Vision- Type- cruise and comfort, cruise and sport mix, 1. Vision- Unique and sporty look, design more important,
NS or Full faring, Top speed, Brake designs, store not headlamps design
an important, Ads: only related to product features 2. Hearing- Engine sound nothing else
2. Hearing- Exhaust note, self start ignition 3. Smell- NA
3. Smell- Different fragrances observed, liked the post- 4. Taste- NA
purchase experience 5. Touch- Good leather quality, Technology interaction
4. Taste- NA would be accepted more, matte finish with dark colors
5. Touch- Leather quality, light weight, comfort riding
Product purchased: KTM Duke
Product purchased: DOMINOR 400

Interview 2: Interview 4:
1. Vision- Vintage look, cult following, Unique outlook 1. Order of engagement- Visual, Touch, sound, smell, taste
design 2. Visual- Bike design, colour, store ambience, store lighting
2. Hearing- Engine sound, exhaust sound effects
3. Smell- NA 3. Touch- Riding position, touch drive experience,
4. Taste- NA Comfortable seating
5. Touch- VR simulator, Silver matte finish, bold colors 4. Sound- Engine sound, the accelerator raising sound
should be different
Product purchased: RE Classic 350
Product purchased: Honda CBR
Perceived Value Vs Engagement of Senses
THANK YOU!