Mastering Sensory Marketing in a Digital World

By Emily Airey, Marketing Executive at Force24

 

 

Human attention is a valuable resource, and brands are constantly searching for new ways to capture it to engage consumers and secure loyalty. One powerful approach, which is gaining momentum in digital environments, is sensory marketing. Traditionally rooted in physical retail experiences, sensory marketing involves appealing to the five senses to influence perception and behaviour.  But as some consumer journeys can migrate to be fully online, the question becomes: how can brands master sensory marketing in the digital world?

My interest in this subject originally stemmed from how marketing psychologically conditions consumer behaviour, particularly the subconscious patterns that influence purchasing decisions.

I became especially intrigued by the role of sensory marketing, the ways in which brands subtly guide consumer behaviour through sensory cues. This fascination led me to specialise further, focusing my master’s dissertation on sensory marketing, specifically exploring the “Need for Touch” scale, a concept first introduced by Peck and Childers (2003). Their work is a strong starting point for anyone interested in the intersection of sensory stimuli and consumer response.

I then expanded my research into the digital space, examining how sensory principles could be translated through technologies like haptics and ultra-haptics. This shift opened up new questions about how brands can create tangible, emotional experiences in increasingly intangible environments, an area I continue to explore today.

Understanding Sensory Marketing

Let’s start with a bit of background: sensory marketing is the strategic use of sensory stimuli – visual, auditory, tactile, olfactory, and gustatory – to shape consumer experiences and emotions. In physical retail, this might be the choice to give a bakery an open setting so that the scent of fresh bread draws you into a bakery, the tactile experience of high-end packaging, or ambient music subtly encouraging you to linger in a clothing store.

The value of sensory marketing in physical spaces is well-documented. It enhances brand recall, increases dwell time, and boosts emotional connection. But translating these rich, multi-sensory experiences into the digital environment has long been seen as a challenge. However, that’s changing, with digital tools, behavioural data, and automated marketing solutions making it possible to simulate and evoke sensory engagement online.

 

Visual Dominance, Colour Psychology & F-Pattern Scanning

In the digital realm, sight is the dominant sense. Design, colour, layout, and motion are often the first, and sometimes only, elements users interact with. That’s why visual strategy is the cornerstone of effective sensory marketing online.

Colour psychology plays a central role in emotional impact:

• Red creates urgency and draws attention which is perfect for flash sales or promotions.
• Blue builds trust, commonly used in tech and finance.
• Green suggests calm, freshness, or sustainability, ideal for wellness or eco brands.

But it’s not just down to colour. How content is visually structured matters enormously. Studies using eye-tracking technology show that users scan websites, emails and other digital content in a predictable F-pattern:

• A horizontal scan across the top (typically the headline or nav bar)
• A shorter horizontal scan just below
• Followed by a vertical scan down the left side

This pattern reveals where the eyes naturally land and where users are most likely to engage with key content.

To align with F-pattern scanning:

• Position headlines, CTAs, and product images within these “hot zones”
• Use bold subheadings, bullet points, and visual breaks to capture attention
• Integrate movement (such as subtle animations) to guide the eye

When visual elements are deliberately aligned with how users naturally consume content, brands can create interfaces that don’t just look good, they feel intuitive. It’s not about overwhelming the senses but subtly directing them.

 

Sound in Digital Marketing

Sound is a powerful tool for setting tone, mood, and recall. In the digital environment, audio is delivered through formats like:

• Brand videos with voiceovers or background music
• Sonic logos (short, memorable sound cues like Netflix’s “ta-dum”)
• Podcasts or voice-enabled experiences

Audio strengthens emotional resonance and builds memory faster than visual alone. Upbeat music energises users; calm tones reassure them; a consistent audio identity reinforces brand familiarity.

Touch Simulation: Haptics & Intuitive Web Design

While screens can’t replicate physical touch, haptics and tactile-inspired design elements create a sense of texture and feedback. On mobile devices, subtle vibrations signal interaction, like a buzz when a user completes a form or receives a notification.

Even more impactful is implied touch, delivered through visual design:

• Soft edges and shadowing can suggest warmth or luxury.
• Crisp, geometric shapes may convey modernity and precision.
• Responsive interfaces (drag-and-drop, hover effects) give users a sense of control.

Utilising these elements bridges the sensory gap between digital and physical, making interactions feel more natural and immersive, even when there’s nothing tangible to touch. It’s designed that users don’t just see, they feel.

 

Descriptive Stimulation: Implied Smell and Taste

Smell and taste are difficult to recreate digitally, but language and imagery can stimulate these senses indirectly.

A coffee brand might describe its product as “earthy with notes of dark chocolate and toasted hazelnut,” while showing a steamy close-up image of a freshly poured cup. These cues activate the brain’s sensory centres, producing emotional and even physical responses.

 

The Role of Automation in Sensory Marketing

Automation and digital sensory marketing are closely connected, working together to create more personalised, emotionally engaging experiences across digital channels. While sensory marketing traditionally relies on stimulating the senses, such as sight, sound, and touch, automation makes it possible to deliver these cues intelligently and at scale.

Personalised emails, websites, and social media content can automatically adapt their visuals, sounds, or layout based on user preferences, behaviours, or demographics, subtly reinforcing brand identity and emotional resonance. Automation also allows for real-time responses to user actions, such as triggering immersive video content or haptic feedback on mobile devices when a user engages with certain elements.

In doing so, it helps simulate the physicality that digital often lacks, especially through tools like haptics and ultra-haptics. Furthermore, automation ensures a consistent sensory journey across touchpoints, linking the tone and feel of an email to the look and sound of a landing page or app interface. This creates a seamless brand experience that feels intuitive and personalised.

Take Apple, for example. Their marketing doesn’t announce itself. It glides in, whispers luxury, and makes you want something you didn’t know you needed.

Apple shows how sensory marketing, when paired with automation, can guide, persuade, and convert without the consumer ever realising they’ve been marketed to. No flashing banners, no overlong descriptions. Just instinctive clicks, seamless journeys, and that familiar thought: “Wow, that just felt… right.”

A Masterclass in Digital Sensory Marketing

Lets stick with Apple as a case study for now.

Apple is a benchmark brand when it comes to translating sensory cues into digital experiences. Its visual identity – clean, minimalist, and precise- runs seamlessly across every channel, from product pages and emails to app design. High-resolution imagery, generous white space, and subtle colour palettes work together to evoke a sense of luxury, focus, and simplicity.

Sound plays an equally powerful role. Apple’s product videos use cinematic music and refined audio cues to heighten emotion, while iconic sounds like the Mac startup chime and AirPods pairing tone trigger feelings of trust and familiarity. These are small but memorable sonic touchpoints that reinforce the brand’s attention to detail.

Tactile cues are suggested through carefully considered user experiences. Hover effects, smooth animations, and responsive elements on the website mimic the physical experience of interacting with an Apple device. Even in videos, close-up shots and shallow focus simulate texture and material.

Rather than overwhelming users with technical specs, Apple relies on emotionally charged storytelling. Phrases like “Feels like magic” invite users to imagine the experience, not just the product.

Behind the scenes, Apple’s marketing is finely tuned, personalising email content and App Store recommendations based on user behaviour. It’s digital sensory branding, executed with precision and subtlety.

 

Exploring Emerging Tech: Ultra-Haptics and Digital Scent

Bonus round for those who’ve stuck with us this far.

If sensory marketing has sparked your curiosity, you might be interested in the emerging technologies that could soon elevate your entire marketing approach.

Ultra-haptics, for example, uses ultrasonic waves to project tactile sensations into mid-air, allowing users to “feel” digital buttons or textures without touching a surface. It’s early-stage, but the potential for immersive brand experiences in sectors like retail, travel, and automotive is huge.

Meanwhile, digital scent technology is gaining traction. Devices can now release scent cues in sync with digital content. Imagine browsing a holiday website and catching the scent of sea salt or sunscreen as you explore beach destinations. It sounds futuristic, but it’s a reminder that digital doesn’t have to mean disembodied.

 

Bringing the Senses into the Digital Space

There are so many brands from a variety of industries that are experimenting and innovating in this space. In my research I’ve been on the lookout for those intentionally embracing human psychology and sensory design. Sight, sound and touch all play vital roles in building emotional engagement and lasting loyalty.

Since joining the marketing team at Force24, I’ve been looking at how we automate and opportunities for introducing sensory strategy into every automated journey. From personalised visuals to emotionally resonant content, I’ve been looking at how I can turn data into human experiences.

In a noisy, fast-moving digital world, sensory marketing isn’t just a creative advantage it’s a strategic necessity. And with automation, it’s never been more scalable.