Starbucks want you to wake up and ONLY smell the coffee

Louis Columbus, Cincom

 

Sensory branding and marketing is as simple as the corner bakery cooking their best cinnamon rolls every morning and leaving the front door open for the scent to waft out onto the sidewalk, or as complex as Mercedes Benz getting their distinctively opulent new car interior smell just right across their entire vehicle line.

 

Creating a customer experience that attacks all five senses is unforgettable. The research in this area is worth checking out, as there are lessons to be learned about creating a memorable brand. I’ve been reading Roger Dooley’s blog NeuroMarketing for a while now and it’s been fascinating.

 

Being a huge coffee fan, I read with interest his recent entry on how Starbuck’s decided to quit offering egg and cheese breakfast sandwiches as the smell of heating them deluded that distinctive aroma of fresh coffee brewing. His post, Starbucks Admits Sensory Mistake is worth a quick read, and be sure to follow the links as well for a short education on sensory branding.