Sensory Experiences

"If I touch it I have to have it"

Touching a product has been found to increase attitudes and purchase intentions towards the product and to increase the confidence in the evaluation of these products say Joann Peck & Jennifer Wiggins.

Source: Joan Peck is Assistant Professor of Marketing, University of Wisconsin-Madison. Jennifer Wiggins is Assistant Professor of Marketing, Kent State University

"Tactile elements of packaging contribute to the overall brand image"

Taking this into consideration, new print technologies are being introduced that provide tactile effects, which encourage consumers to touch.

Some evidence suggests that tactile elements of product packaging can even contribute to the overall brand image of a product.

According to the recent research it is evident that the longer individuals focus on an item, the more likely they are to choose that item and to give it a higher liking rating. If products attract visual attention, consumers are more likely to touch them; and if they touch them, they are even more likely to purchase them.

Source: Joann Peck & Jennifer Wiggins; It Just Feels Good: Customers’ Affective Response to Touch and Its Influence on Persuasion; Source: Aradhna Krishna, Luca Cian, Nilüfer Z. Aydınoglu ; “Sensory Aspects of Package Design”; 2017

„Distinctive packaging is used to attract the customer’s attention”

Given today’s variety of products in retail stores, brand owners need to make sure that their products stand out against competing goods. Consequently, packaging has to first attract the customer’s attention.

According to Joann Peck and Jennifer Wiggins a product package that is interesting to touch may increase sales of the product even if the opportunity to touch does not provide additional product attribute information.

Source: Source: Joann Peck & Jennifer Wiggins; It Just Feels Good: Customers’ Affective Response to Touch and Its Influence on Persuasion; Source: Aradhna Krishna, Luca Cian, Nilüfer Z. Aydınoglu ; “Sensory Aspects of Package Design”; 2017

Tactile sensation increases impulse purchases

Demonstration of the endowment effect

Participants were asked to subjectively grade ownership and value on a 7-point scale

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Insights and market reports

  • PACKAGE DESIGN has evolved into a key marketing tool
  • TACTILE EFFECTS on product packages may increase sales of the product and even contribute to the overall brand image of a product
  • TOUCH may increase impulse and unplanned purchases
  • FEELING an object increases the perceived ownership and leads to greater valuation of the object
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