Knowing how to exploit all five senses becomes a critical factor in distinguishing one's brand or product in a world where sight is the most stimulated sense. The use of multi-sensory packaging can prove crucial in creating a consumer experience that genuinely involves the consumer, to the point of influencing their purchasing choices.
We interact with the world around us through our senses, and consumer products are no exception. In this context, packaging can be seen as a multisensory tool capable of creating this experience as it represents the "point of contact" through which the consumer interacts with the product and the brand.
Many brands and packaging designers to "emotionally involving the consumer" are increasingly oriented to experiment, leveraging on different sensory stimuli. Scents, sounds, tastes, colours, shapes, tactile effects become helpful elements to be exploited to capture the consumer's attention and to make your product and brand remembered.
These are packaging that tries to stimulate multiple senses simultaneously to hit the consumer, invite him to have an approach with it, and participate no longer exclusively through a detached observation of the product.
The packaging is the first point of contact with which the user can directly influence his senses; through specific characteristics, they can impress themselves on its "sensorial memory".
If well exploited, the senses help excite the user by creating a sort of bond with him, which is fundamental since it is well known that most purchases take place on an emotional and non-rational basis. The more the consumer feels involved, the more he will remain in some way linked to the experience lived with the product and, therefore, with the brand.
If sight and touch are already widely exploited in packaging, hearing, smell and taste represent the future of multi-sensory packaging. The sense of sight is first struck when the user is faced with packaging. The packaging attracts the consumer's attention through attractive and captivating shapes and colours and leads him to "grab" that product rather than another. At this point, touch comes into play, and in this case, the material used and the processes chosen play a crucial role.
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Even the opening of the package itself can turn into an experience for the user, becoming a "gesture" very often able to win over consumers. At this stage, we must not forget the importance of the sound "emitted" by the product when it is opened, discarded or poured because it too participates in the sensory experience provided by the multi-sensory packaging.
Historically, this sense has not been considered essential for interacting with a product's packaging, but numerous researches show that sound makes a significant difference. It represents a way to differentiate yourself in a market so competitive and full of visual stimuli. If your product gives more "sound satisfaction" in opening it than another, it will have more reasons to purchase. The volume and tone of the opening sound of the package can change the experience and perception of product quality. For this reason, several brands are starting to explore more and more alternative solutions to improve the shopping experiences of their products.
The smell is another powerful and evocative sense because it can awaken memories and emotions through a particular smell. In this context, a new generation of scented inks is spreading. We are talking about the "Scratch and Sniff" labels, or "scratch and sniff", and the type of printing for which the consumer can scratch or rub paper or paper. 'label and then smell it and feel the perfume or smell that is given off by it.
Scratch and Sniff labels are used to inspire consumers to try products. For a brand, it means offering its audience a multisensory and interactive packaging experience, as well as a preview of what is being offered. The Scratch and Sniff print is created by microscopic perfume capsules developed within a solution then applied to the print. When these capsules are rubbed, they break and release the chosen fragrance.
With the addition of these touch-activated technologies, packaging in the food sector can be made alternative and original and in cosmetics or room fragrances.
The multi-sensory packaging, original and creative packaging is characterized by something extra capable of making it different and unique. In this multisensory and interactive direction, designers express all their "creativity". Good multi-sensory packaging contains as many senses as possible simultaneously, which attracts attention with sight, and then convinces with touch, gives satisfaction to the hearing during opening and concludes with a small surprise for the sense of smell.
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