How brands use the senses, and how you can, too.
You don’t often hear someone say: “I was drawn to that product because of the way it felt.”
But the truth is: we are.
Every day. The decisions we make: what we buy, what we ignore, what brand we trust, are quietly shaped by sensory experiences: the color of a package, the texture of a label, the background music in a store.
For marketers, these aren’t extras. They’re signals.
In this article, we’ll explore how sight, sound and touch act as invisible triggers in buying behavior, and how you can apply them in practice.
Sight: The Visual Gateway
Color, contrast, shape: these aren’t just design choices.
They’re cognitive cues.
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A recent review of sensory marketing found that visual and auditory stimuli interact in ways that influence consumer emotion, experience and willingness to purchase. (Sagha, 2022) (MDPI)
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For example, one study of 644 food‑brand logos found distinct color‑emotion associations: yellow with happiness, blue with sadness, bright colors with surprise. (Shagyrov & Shamoi, 2024) (arXiv)
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In marketing terms: the shade of your brand blue, the brightness of your hero image, the contrast of your CTA—all guide emotion before logic kicks in.
Application: Use a dominant brand color that aligns emotionally with your promise (e.g., trust, calm, innovation).
Make your CTA clearly contrasting, so it marches the brain’s attention system.
Keep your visuals clean so they support, not overload, the message.
Sound: The Hidden Rhythms of Consumer Choice
We don’t just see a product; our ears join the conversation.
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In an experiment, embedding background music affected soda-purchase willingness—even when viewers weren’t aware of the music’s presence. (Sagha, 2022) (MDPI)
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In the mobile sphere, studies found that vibrotactile (touch+sound) feedback increased purchasing behaviour and perceived reward in digital settings. (Academic JCR, 2023) (OUP Academic)
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The takeaway: sound (or absence of it), rhythm, pace—all emotional cues that prime behaviour.
Application: In your content or ads—even video or interactive pieces—pay attention to soundscape.
Consider pacing, tone, and silence.
Does your landing page load with a chime?
Does your video start with ambient audio?
Small shifts here can translate to significant behavioural changes.
Touch: Haptics, Texture and Trust
When the brain gets a clue from what it feels, the mind interprets more than we realise.
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A review of hand‑feel touch cues found packaging texture influenced emotional response and purchase behaviour. (Pramudya & Seo, 2019) (PMC)
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Research into haptic attributes concluded that product weight and texture affected brand impressions—even when the brand was unknown. (Karangi & Lowe, 2019) (ResearchGate)
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Even in digital realms, tactile-like sensations (via vibration or device feel) affect perceived reward and decision outcomes. (Academic JCR, 2023) (OUP Academic)
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The brain doesn’t treat touch as separate—it integrates: what you feel influences what you think and what you buy.
Application: For physical products: packaging finishes, product weight, texture matter.
For digital: interactive elements, button “click” feedback, mobile vibration cues.
Even for services: think about the feel of onboarding, the handshake (virtual or real), the haptic cues in apps.
Putting the Senses into Strategy
You now know sight, sound and touch matter. But how to apply them without turning into a gimmick?
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Audit your brand’s sensory footprint
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Visual: Brand palette, images, layout
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Sound: Video/audio elements, ambient music, interaction cues
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Touch: Packaging, UI feedback, physical interaction
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Select one sense to emphasise first
Don’t try to overhaul all at once. Pick the one that aligns with your immediate priority (e.g., packaging redesign, landing page revamp, mobile app UI). -
Align sensory cues with emotional + behavioural goals
If you want “trust and calm,” pick cool colors, steady soundscape, smooth textures. If you want “energy and action,” pick bright accents, rhythmic sound, textured interactive elements. -
Test behaviour, not just opinions
Use behavioural metrics: click‑through, scroll depth, product handle time. Then correlate with sensory changes. -
Stay ethical and human‑centred
Sensory cues amplify experience—they don’t manipulate. Clearly represent your brand promise. Respect your audience’s autonomy.
Final Takeaway
Sensory marketing isn’t optional. It’s foundational.
Color, sound and touch speak to our brains first—before we ever articulate a reason.
When marketers design with this in mind, they move from influence to understanding.
At InPsychful Marketing, our goal is to make those invisible triggers visible, to help you design marketing that speaks not just to the brain, but with it.
Ready to explore deeper?
Head over to our blog and dive into the next post on how memory and emotion lock in attention.
References
Karangi, S. W., & Lowe, B. (2019). Haptics and brands: The effect of touch on product evaluation of branded products. Journal of Brand Management, 26(1), 27‑41. https://doi.org/10.1057/s41262‑019‑00154‑4
Pramudya, R. C., & Seo, H.‑S. (2019). Hand‑feel touch cues and their influences on consumer perception and behavior with respect to food products: A review. Foods, 8(7), 259. https://doi.org/10.3390/foods8070259
Sagha, M. A. (2022). The effect of multi‑sensory marketing on consumer behavior. Sustainability, 14(4), 2334. https://doi.org/10.3390/su14042334
Rodríguez‑Ulcuango, O. M., Gómez‑Domínguez, J., & Torres, J. (2025). Sensorial marketing within consumer behavior: A hybrid review and analysis. International Journal of Consumer Studies, 49(1), 35‑54. https://doi.org/10.1111/ijcs.70007