Effective branding can generate a robust sense of trust between customers and businesses, ultimately creating a loyal customer fan base, while also improving internal satisfaction amongst employees as a result of them feeling part of a team. This is especially important in experiential marketing, and in the hospitality industry specifically.

How can these experientially-oriented brands differentiate themselves and go above and beyond? Sensory branding. Let’s examine the mechanisms of sensory branding and how they can be applied to hospitality.

Sensory Branding in The Hospitality Industry

What is sensory branding? Also known as sensory mapping, sensory branding is a powerful tool that utilizes the senses of clients in order to instill memorable experiences, create resonance with the brand, and connect on a deeper level with the consumer’s emotions.

 

Undeniably, the hotel industry is constantly evolving, being one of the most important components of the broader service industry with the principal aim of catering to customers seeking overnight accommodation. Within this industry, there are many challenges that must be tackled through the analysis of the most common customer complaints and their interconnection with the senses. Firstly, hotels across the world tend to neglect the importance of providing services that tackle non-visual senses because of the belief that humans are primarily visually dominant. As a result, according to sensory expert Charles Spence, hotel customers have the tendency to complain about foul smell, taste of food and food choices, as well as noise throughout their stay.

 

Hotels are designed and branded with the objective of being appealing to the human eye but frequently omit the fact that olfactory impression is as crucial. Certainly, since smell is closely related to memory and emotion, ensuring that the sense of smell is correctly stimulated is vital in order to positively affect the moods of the clients while ensuring that their experience is immersive.

Hotel brands should consider the importance of developing an olfactory logo and implement signature scents in order to not only create a sense of familiarity for the customers such that it can be compared to the feeling of coming home, but also to beautify the environment and add the aspect of comfortability. Precisely, hotels should leverage the power of the sense of smell to enhance other aspects further such as making the environment look cleaner while stimulating social interaction.

Sensory Branding for Experiential Marketing and Brand Identity

Scents such as lavender and citrus are recommended options to improve quality of sleep and energize clients while choosing natural scents such as flowers and essential oils are a safer option with regards to not overwhelm clients who are more sensitive. Hence, it is recommended for all hotels to experiment with signature fragrances in order for customers to be able to associate a smell with a specific enjoyable emotion, fortifying brand identity.

 

In addition, it is equally relevant to examine the importance of hearing and sound when designing a brand in the hotel industry. According to recent surveys conducted to gather information on customers’ opinions when giving hotel recommendations, 86% mentioned that they would not recommend a hotel if unwanted noises were experienced. The strategic incorporation of sound in the form of music or podcasts can aid customers in recalling the brand and connect on an emotional level.

To this end, its advisable to incorporate harmonious melodies within the hotel such as soothing instrumentals to provide a relaxing experience or perhaps even leverage the power of silence since the outside world is loud and fast-paced. Including material that is soundproof to limit external noises and providing earplugs can be effective in order to ensure that customers can have seamless experience.

Even though there are many ways to enhance the auditory experience of customers, the goal should be to develop a distinct sound logo that encapsulates the essence of the brand such that a memorable sonic identity can improve brand recognition and deepen the emotional connection between the brand and its customers.  Overall, it is important for hotels to take corrective action when needed in order to excel when it comes to the clients’ sense of audition and adopt a unique music style and consistent voice for brand communication in order to create a human-centered relationship and evoke positive brand association.

Sensory Branding meets Gustatory (Taste) Marketing

Lastly, it is important to analyze the importance of gustatory taste when focusing on branding in the hotel industry. A major complaint in set sector emerges from the fact that the food is not aligned with the taste preferences of the customers or that the choices are limited and uninspiring. As a result, it is imperative for hotels to ensure that the products they offer are continuously reflecting levels of excellence as they should attempt to undertake collaborations with culinary partners in order to expand their food and beverage portfolio.

More significantly, hotels should seek to harness the power of social identity through the inclusion of signature dishes, exclusive recipes, brand tasting events and sensory packaging. Taste is deeply cultural, and heavily linked with one’s social identity. As explained by Dr. Matt Johnson in the book, Branding that Means Business, in order to tap into a consumer’s identity, it is important to make consumers feel like they belong in the hotel.

This can be done in a variety of ways. On a gustatory level, for example, this means ensuring that their social identity is recognized, and their culture is displayed through the variety of food options offered. As social creatures, we are naturally drawn to products and brands which share the same identity, and it is key to attempt offering a wide range of high-quality food options that will make consumers feel like they can experience a home-cooked dish.

Additionally, the provision of satisfying meals along with a wholesome culinary experience can lead to higher guest loyalty and increased return probability while creating a positive brand image that can differentiate a hotel brand from other competitors.

 

Final Thoughts on Sensory Branding in The Hotel Industry

Overall, it is clear that sensory branding is a novel and unappreciated technique that is worthwhile for branding specialists to understand, especially in the hotel industry. The combination of multiple sensory elements aids in creating a holistic brand experience that reinforces brand identity and message, further considering the full contextual experience of being human.

As denoted in the True Why Test, consumers are driven towards their deep, emotional needs. Appealing to the human senses allows for the core emotional and personal needs of the consumers to bet met while simultaneously creating a multi-dimensional brand experience that leaves a long-lasting positive impact on the customer.

Especially in experiential marketing, capturing the hearts of the consumers is primordial and customer retention is a continuous challenge. Through the incorporation of sensory branding, the forging of deeper emotional connections between the business and it’s consumers can ultimately allow a brand to thrive in a cut-throat environment with rigorous competition, as the superficial level is surpassed, making the brand advantageously unique.

Photo by Jared Rice via UnSplash

References for Sensory Branding in Experiential Marketing and Hotel Design

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Design, T. (2023, October 29). Enhancing the guest experience: Designing sensory-friendly spaces in hospitality. Understanding sensory sensitivities.

Elphick, D. (2023, September 26). Common guest complaints and how to handle them. Guest Complaints.

Fong, L. H. N., Lei, S. S. I., Chow, C. W. C., & Lam, L. W. (2022, December 20). Sensory marketing in hospitality: A critical synthesis and reflection. International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management.

Jackson, A. (2019, March 11). The impact of scent in hotels | the premium scenting blog. The power of scent.

Johnson, M. A., & Misiaszek, T. (2022). Branding that means business: How to build enduring bonds between brands, consumers and Markets. Public Affairs.

Jones, K. (2023, September 12). Council post: The importance of branding in business. Forbes.

Katalinich, B. (2015, September 23). Sensory storytelling and design for the Senses. Medium.

Lacalle, E. (2021, November 16). 5 most common hotel guest complaints and how to solve them. 5 most common hotel guest complaints and how to solve t... | Mews Blog.

Philip, L. (2023, March). How to... make the Doubletree Cookie Recipe. DoubleTree Cookie.

Sklavos , P. (2020, July 22). How hotels integrate sensory marketing techniques in their strategy - Hotelier Academy. Hotelier Academy - Useful Information & Tips for Hoteliers.

Thomas, S. (2023, October 25). Unlocking the secret behind the Ritz-Carlton’s alluring aroma. Scent Marketing.

Tsukanova, T. (2024, January 12). Hospitality trends 2023 – the future ahead. Hospitality Trends 2023 – the future ahead. https://hospitalityinsights.ehl.edu/hospitality-trends-2023-future