Lecture 4 – Perception and attention
a) Perception vs Sensation
Perception: Process through which information in the form of stimuli in the environment is selected,
organised, and interpreted through sense organs
Translation of raw data into meaning
Unconscious
Biased
Subjective
Involves making sense of the sensations that we experience
Sensation: Very initial stages of the perceptual process
Sensory information is detected by a sensory receptor
Sensory marketing: A business uses many different senses to create a positive impression for a
brand. Appealing to multiple senses and sensory cues helps in winning a customer’s attention and
trust by appealing to each of the five senses
Sight (visual attention) = 80% of human perception (Levine, 2000)
o BUT culture
E.g., colours have different meanings depending on the cultures
Touch
o The more customers interact by touching products, the more likely they are to
purchase and spend more
o ‘Endowment effect’ – We value things more highly when we own them (touching
increases perception of ownership)
o Activates other sense and brings forward memories
Sound
o Affect people’s feelings, memories, and behaviours
o Music = Common marketing practice
E.g., Upbeat music Compliance
o Important role in designing brand names
o Intention – change people’s mood to encourage purchase
Smell
o Direct link to the brain’s limbic system (long-term memory and emotions)
o Build powerful brand experiences which form brand associations
Taste
o Preferences are highly specific to individuals and cultures
o Flavour is the composite perception, only partly built from taste
Texture
Temperature
Presentation
Expectations from consumers’ knowledge of the brand
o Hyper palatability: Design products with flavours that further stimulate the appetite
a) Perception vs Sensation
Perception: Process through which information in the form of stimuli in the environment is selected,
organised, and interpreted through sense organs
Translation of raw data into meaning
Unconscious
Biased
Subjective
Involves making sense of the sensations that we experience
Sensation: Very initial stages of the perceptual process
Sensory information is detected by a sensory receptor
Sensory marketing: A business uses many different senses to create a positive impression for a
brand. Appealing to multiple senses and sensory cues helps in winning a customer’s attention and
trust by appealing to each of the five senses
Sight (visual attention) = 80% of human perception (Levine, 2000)
o BUT culture
E.g., colours have different meanings depending on the cultures
Touch
o The more customers interact by touching products, the more likely they are to
purchase and spend more
o ‘Endowment effect’ – We value things more highly when we own them (touching
increases perception of ownership)
o Activates other sense and brings forward memories
Sound
o Affect people’s feelings, memories, and behaviours
o Music = Common marketing practice
E.g., Upbeat music Compliance
o Important role in designing brand names
o Intention – change people’s mood to encourage purchase
Smell
o Direct link to the brain’s limbic system (long-term memory and emotions)
o Build powerful brand experiences which form brand associations
Taste
o Preferences are highly specific to individuals and cultures
o Flavour is the composite perception, only partly built from taste
Texture
Temperature
Presentation
Expectations from consumers’ knowledge of the brand
o Hyper palatability: Design products with flavours that further stimulate the appetite
