Sensory factors for brand success

In a market, where the features and quality of many products are more or less equal, companies must overcome aesthetic, moral and emotional demands to stand out and be successful (Morsing, 2002). The visual sense has been the emphasized sense for branding and communication of identity (Lindstrom, 2005 a). Human beings, however, are creatures of five senses. Utilization of other sensory impulses than the visual may create a synergetic effect for communication of a company’s identity. It may enhance emotional engagement and loyalty between a company or brand and their interested parties (ibid). Finding or creating a distinct and evident identity is a complicated task. Several authors describe methods that can guide such a process. We suggest that systematic methods presented by e.g. Olins (2000) and Smith (1995) can be expanded, by implementing more experimental methods presented by e.g. Bernstein (1995), Dumaas (1994), Karjalainen (2001) and McGrory (2004). To explore whether and how companies may implement multiple sensory elements in their brand-building activities, we executed a case study in November and December 2005. Due to time-limitations we made a choice to restrict the scope of senses to be explored to the haptic sense, in addition to the visual. The target of the analysis was the Norwegian dairy producer TINE. To find suitable haptic qualities for the company, we carried out a workshop and further test at the Department of Product Design at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology. Chosen haptic specimens were subsequently implemented in what we call experimental haptic metaphors. Through tactile, kinetic and visual traits these metaphors, taking the form of clothing articles, were meant to express TINE’s identity in a new and clever way. For a company, explicit sensory metaphors may be used as means to express identity-aspects in untraditional ways. They can work as inspiration for sensory stimuli in the concrete manifestations of the company. Moreover they will provide the company with a tool for communication and exploration around identity aspects internally