Transform Your Brand's Image by Engaging the Senses

Chapter 1: Understanding Brand Perception

"Whatever happened to that place?" Julia inquired as her colleagues debated their lunch options for Friday. "I used to enjoy it there, but it seems to have gone downhill."

"I noticed a sign on my way home the other day that said it's 'under new management,'" Bill mentioned. "Maybe we should give it another shot?"

And that's exactly what they did.

Julia, Bill, and two other coworkers returned to the restaurant that Friday filled with hope that the previous issues were behind them. However, it didn’t take long for the memory of their last negative experience to resurface, overshadowing the new management's efforts to win them back with an updated menu, better quality ingredients, and improved service. When the check came, they all left feeling disappointed.

"Are we forever branded by our past?" the new manager, Pierre, lamented, looking despondent. "Maybe this place has a curse, and we should consider changing the name or moving! I'm at a loss for how to improve our reputation and regain customer trust."

Despite the numerous "Under New Management" signs that are produced annually, they rarely succeed in fully altering a customer’s memory and perception of a poorly received establishment.

"But if not a sign, then," Pierre asked, desperate for answers, "what can we do to change a customer's mind?"

"A remarkable experience that is more significant, better, and more memorable than the past image currently occupying their thoughts," I suggested.

Facts vs. Perceptions

Many business owners mistakenly believe that "quality" and "service" are the only critical elements for customers. However, both are highly subjective and can vary greatly from person to person. Some customers prefer frequent refills of their water, while others want to enjoy their conversations uninterrupted. Some desire low lighting and soft music, while others crave a vibrant atmosphere. Preferences for food can range from rich, buttery flavors to simple, clean tastes.

What truly matters to customers is their perception of "quality" and "service." However, guiding these perceptions in the right direction is a complex challenge for many businesses.

Restaurateurs, along with retail managers, museum directors, mall owners, office developers, and anyone in charge of a venue, must refine their skills in "perception management" and "perception design."

So, how can business leaders influence what people think or how they perceive their brand? It all begins with the senses!

Chapter 2: The Role of Sensory Experiences

Many companies mistakenly attempt to influence customer perceptions by appealing to their rational minds, relying on facts and statistics. However, this approach often fails to create lasting impressions or alter existing perceptions.

As beings driven by our senses, the ideas and concepts we form in our minds are first introduced through our sensory experiences. While our senses and perceptions are distinct, they work together to help us interpret and understand the world around us.

Our senses play a crucial role in evaluating situations and gathering information about our environment. Our brains are adept at filtering out unnecessary details to focus only on what is most relevant—such as changes or significant elements—making it exhausting to absorb everything we encounter.

Unfortunately, many of the improvements Pierre implemented in his restaurant went unnoticed by his customers. While it can be disheartening, this lack of awareness is common in my field, where I assist businesses in gaining and maintaining attention.

Although our senses lay the groundwork, it is our perceptions that organize and categorize these sensations in our minds. Thus, to effectively influence a customer's perception, one must start by engaging their senses.

Thinking with Our Senses

Businesses often overlook the sensory aspects of communication, yet our thoughts and interactions are filled with sensory language and metaphors. For example, we might describe someone as "slick," "hard as a rock," or "thick-headed." Such sensory language helps us convey complex ideas quickly and aids in recalling characteristics and attitudes.

Consider a person or brand you feel positively or negatively about. You likely use sensory-based descriptors without hesitation, and you share these qualities with others in similar terms.

During our strategy sessions with Whole Foods in the early 2000s, non-customers described the brand as "fluffy," "crunchy," "earthy," and "hippy." One particularly colorful comment referred to Whole Foods patrons as "bean stringing, bark-eating, Birkenstock-wearing liberals from Berkeley." While we disagreed with this characterization, the vivid imagery stuck with us and highlighted the importance of how sensory perceptions shape brand identity.

Making Your Brand Tangible

Most established companies yearn for a chance to reset their image and rectify past mistakes. But how can they achieve a fresh start?

One effective strategy we employ with clients is to help them articulate their brand using iconic and symbolic sensory language. By identifying this unique sensory vocabulary, we can manifest those qualities in their environment to reinforce the perceptions we wish to emphasize while diminishing the negative ones.

The goal is to create clear icons and symbols of the brand that the public can easily visualize and recognize within seconds. This quick recognition is crucial in experiential design to capture consumer interest.

For example, during our work with Nabisco, parents often described the company's cookie and cracker products as "slick," "zoomy," and even "sugar poison for kids." This perception was largely shaped by media, advertisements, and packaging, which solidified negative associations in customers' minds.

Despite Nabisco's efforts to remove unhealthy ingredients from their products, they struggled to gain recognition for these improvements and eliminate the negative stereotypes attached to their brand. The media's loud proclamations against unhealthy snacks were far more memorable than any positive changes the company made.

Through customer interviews, we discovered that even health-conscious individuals had fond memories of Nabisco products like Oreos and Nilla Wafers but wanted to enjoy them in moderation. We explored where and when these customers enjoyed their snacks, leading us to realize that the ideal setting for these products wasn’t a flashy, cartoonish environment but rather a nostalgic, wholesome one we termed "kitchen table wisdom." This space was rich with sensory cues—like kitchen tables, cookie jars, and gingham tablecloths—that evoked positive memories.

By recreating this concept, dubbed "Mom's Kitchen," we saw sales soar by 18% to 36% in various locations. Remarkably, we didn’t change the product, pricing, service levels, or packaging—only the environment and sensory triggers.

The success of the Mom's Kitchen concept not only boosted Nabisco's sales but also enhanced customer engagement and increased overall traffic in the cookie and cracker aisle.

Conclusion

Whether you manage a grocery store, restaurant, museum, or any other venue, if you aim to reshape your brand's perception, begin by appealing to the senses.

If you found this article insightful, feel free to share it with friends and colleagues, and stay tuned for more weekly insights, principles, and case studies on consumer attention and perception.

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