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62. Add to the atmosphere
by iKnow
62
ADD TO THE ATMOSPHERE
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We tend to think that a great atmosphere is down to a mixture of indefi nable things that just magically fi t together to create a fortunate situation. It’s the people, the lighting, the music ... but you can’t make it happen. The scientists would argue otherwise.
The idea Professor Charles Spence is a neursoscientist who runs the Crossmodal Research Laboratory at Oxford University’s Department of Experimental Psychology. His work explores the way our senses react with each other to infl uence the way we think, and shows that we are infl uenced in different ways from the rational ones we’re aware of.
For example, he has shown that if underarm deodorant external packaging is rough, we think that the deodorant itself feels uncomfortable. If the same deodorant has smooth packaging, we believe it feels fi ne. We think we prefer one crisp to another because of the taste, but the most important element turns out to be the crunch it makes as we bite it.
We’ve all heard about the theory about how brewing coffee when potential buyers come round can make it easier to sell your house, and how supermarkets use the synthetic fragrance of freshly baked bread to attract people into their shops.
Professor Spence’s work also includes the effect of adding
different sensory experiences to create pleasant sensations within a shopping centre. To summarise and simplfy, he has discovered that there’s a balance; you can add a certain number of sensory stimuli, including music, lighting and scent, and people will be attracted into a shop or a mall and stay longer. If you overdo it, they all leave.
In practice • Multinationals are commissioning Professor Spence’s department and similar scientifi c institutions to research the perfect combination of scent, sound, light, touch, taste and other senses that aren’t usually mentioned, to build their brands’ ideal ambiance. • Notice when you go somewhere that feels just right. Stop and analyse what it’s they are doing. Experiment with your own space. • If you do add a sensory stimulus, choose something that complements your brand.
