Multisensory Marketing Revolution: Discover the Future of Brand Strategy!

In response to ongoing global challenges, consumers are increasingly turning to products and experiences that offer joy and amusement. Innovative marketing campaigns that engage multiple senses are becoming crucial in enhancing these positive emotions, thereby uplifting the spirits of their target audiences.

By 2027, the pursuit of joy will serve not only as a method to overcome global stress but as a vital strategy to envision a world that is more motivating, inclusive, and validating for everyone. Following our earlier predictions of Awe in 2024, Imagination in 2025, and Glimmers in 2026, Strategic Joy is set to arise in 2027. This trend will see both consumers and companies embracing playful activities to foster self-discovery, connections, inspiration, and inclusivity.

Gretchen Rubin, a specialist in the study of happiness, remarked: “After enduring several difficult years, there’s a worldwide shortage of happiness. We crave experiences that make us smile and laugh, and brands have the opportunity to facilitate these experiences.”

Continue reading to understand why joy is becoming an essential emotion for helping consumers manage their present situations, and how top brands are embedding joy and humor into their marketing and product strategies to boost customer loyalty, revenue, and brand engagement.

Rising consumer need: joy as a critical emotion

Across various sectors, from hospitality to food, businesses are designing products and services that can deliver joyful experiences to their customers.

Research by Sprout Social indicates that 57% of U.S. consumers are likely to spend more with a brand they feel emotionally connected to.

Why is multisensory marketing on the rise?

Around the world, 65% of consumers expect brands to impress and excite them with innovative campaigns, while 49% are more inclined to purchase from brands that evoke joy (VML).

A study in 2024 on the effects of sensory branding on Chinese consumers revealed that five sensory elements significantly influence brand experience, enhancing brand attachment and customer satisfaction (Corporate Reputation Review).

Traditionally, marketers have focused on visual and auditory stimuli to grab consumer attention. However, the importance of multisensory experiences is growing, with predictions of increased reliance on sensory marketing over the next 25 years (Saïd Business School, University of Oxford).

It is crucial for brands to create marketing strategies that stimulate multiple senses to evoke awe, forge memorable experiences, and deepen consumer relationships through sensory engagement.

What’s next in multisensory marketing?

In today’s digital-first environment, physical experiences that engage the senses are becoming vital for brands. Real-world activations that provide Glimmers—small, unexpected moments of joy such as tactile packaging, interactive installations, or elements of surprise and delight—are essential in helping consumers manage stress and burnout.

Real-life experiences that promote playfulness, surprise, and joy, like Jacquemus’ surreal pop-ups or Coperni’s LAN party show, create a sense of community and connection. These sensory marketing initiatives leverage nostalgia, humor, and cultural references, involving consumers directly in the brand narrative and creating strong emotional ties.

Experiential retail not only increases store visits and enhances consumer engagement and spending but also builds loyalty by creating unforgettable and impactful connections.