A Study on Sensory Branding in Organised Retail Stores in Kerala

New brand failure rates are alarming. Campaigns worth sizeable dollars have become ineffective in breaking the clutter. Companies are bombarding our eyes and ears with brand communications. The remaining three sense organs viz skin, nose and tongue of the customers are equally potent in receiving stimuli; but brand marketers either underestimate the power of these remaining senses or are yet to devise effective brand communication tools to seduce these senses. Sensory branding or multisensory branding is a marketing domain in which brands appeal to all the five sense organs of customers in a unique, synergistic and integrated manner. This study is on the potential of sensory branding in organized retail outlets. Sensory branding draws heavily from the disciplines of environmental psychology and neuro-marketing. The study investigates variables which could potentially appeal to the five sense organs, in retail context. A model connecting sensory branding and retail success measures is presented. Futuristic research areas in the domain are suggested as well. Ambiguous sub domains like sixth sense are excluded from in this study.