Where does product attachment come from? The effects of sight, hearing, and smell in the automobile market

Abstract

Sensory marketing is advantageous because it can help reduce the amount invested to yield such a high effect. However, the existing literature in this area is limited to services (restaurants, hotels, retail, tourism, etc.) and foods for which it is easy to have sensitive sensory experiences. This study aimed to clarify the influence of sensory stimuli on attachment in the Japanese and American automobile markets. An online survey was distributed through a Japanese research company to 1,000 car owners in their 20s to 60s (500 people from each country). The results of applying structural modeling to the survey data confirm the significant effect of sight (β = 0.336, p-value < 0.000), which consists of styling and colors in the exterior and interior, and hearing (β = 0.379, p-value < 0.000), which consists of driving sound, door sound, and startup sound. In contrast, the results indicate no effect of smell (β = –0.031, p-value = 0.663). In addition, comparing the two countries, sight (β = 0.721, p-value < 0.000) was effective in Japan, and hearing (β = 0.741, p-value < 0.000) was effective in the United States. Practitioners should comprehensively evaluate sensory stimuli, understand their priorities, and deliver sensory experiences in multiple functions. This consistent embodiment can strengthen the consumer’s attachment to the product. AcknowledgmentThis work was supported by Japan Society for the Promotion of Science KAKENHI Grant Number JP23K12567.

Keywords

• brand management
• five senses
• product concept
• sensory marketing
• user experience