Four Decades of Sensory Marketing: A Hybrid Review and Future Research Agenda

Abstract

Sensory marketing has garnered significant attention from researchers due to its ability to effectively influence consumer behavior at a subconscious level. However, existing reviews are constrained by either limited scope or methodology, often focusing on specific senses, or domains, or using solely quantitative or qualitative methods. This offers an opportunity to comprehensively synthesize the existing literature and provide direction for future research. Building on this, the present study examines 535 articles assembled, arranged, and assessed using the SPAR-4-SLR protocol for a thorough review of sensory marketing literature spanning four decades (1984–2023). The review employs both quantitative and qualitative methods to summarize the diverse research and provide detailed insights from the existing body of literature. The quantitative approach, utilizing keyword co-occurrence analysis identifies five thematic clusters—sensory cues as communication strategy, sensory experiences in technologically advanced era, taste perception and food consumption, visual perception, and olfactory perception. Furthermore, the qualitative review technique, utilizing the Theory, Context, Characteristics, and Methodology (TCCM) framework reveals prevalent theories and primary research contexts, along with distinctive characteristics and methodologies. Based on these analyses suggestions for potential areas of future research have been stated.