Sensory Branding: Key Findings
- Gen Z’s projected $12 trillion spending power by 2030 makes immersive, emotionally resonant branding a business imperative.
- Sensory design works best when it’s purposeful, balanced, and inclusive, not overwhelming or gimmicky.
- Sonic branding and multi-sensory accessibility are emerging as long-term strategies to build equity and trust across industries.
Brands that use music aligned with their identity are 96% more likely to be remembered than those using ill-fitting music or none at all, according to Mastercard.
Musical ad campaigns are 27% more likely to drive significant business effects than non-musical efforts.
When paired with the fact that every $1 invested in user experience can return $100, sonic investment becomes less of a “nice-to-have” and more of a must-have in marketers’ toolkits.
This shift is already playing out beyond consumer-facing industries.
Shannon Langrand, founder of strategy and innovation firm Langrand, points out that B2B organizations are beginning to apply sensory cues in new ways.
Who Is Shannon Langrand?
Shannon Langrand is dedicated to using strategy as a powerful tool to help organizations navigate uncertain futures. Since founding Langrand more than two decades ago, she has worked with senior leaders at Fortune 50 companies, category disruptors, and public sector organizations to find new ways to innovate and solve problems in the face of change. Her unique ability to spark innovation in legacy organizations has helped clients reorient their brand, business strategy, and company culture around new paths to growth.
For brand teams, the takeaway is clear: younger generations of buyers expect experiences that feel just as immersive and emotionally resonant as the consumer brands they trust.
That shift requires rethinking how sensory design shows up across B2B touchpoints.
Experiences Memorable for a New Generation of Buyers
With Gen Z spending power projected to grow to an estimated $12 trillion by 2030, they will have a significant influence on the products manufacturers and retailers sell in the near future.
Their expectations mirror the consumer brands they trust: immersive, story-driven, and emotionally resonant.
That shift is why sensory branding is appearing in unexpected places, from pitch decks that use sound and motion for impact, to the rise of branded podcasts and audio-first content.
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These cues help transform otherwise forgettable B2B touchpoints into meaningful experiences.
“From making marketing materials in pitch presentations and conferences more immersive and memorable to the rise of podcasts, audio content and other interactive experiences, sensory branding is no longer reserved for consumer-facing brands,” Landgran says.
The challenge is figuring out where sensory design matters most.
And nowhere is that clearer than in industries like healthcare, where human-centered experiences can define how a brand is perceived.
Design Healthcare Journeys That Put People First
One of the clearest examples of sensory design in action comes from healthcare.
Patients form impressions of a hospital not just from clinical care, but from every sensory touchpoint along the way: the lighting in a waiting room, the sound in a hallway, even the temperature of a space.
Langrand’s team partnered with a leading hospital system to map the end-to-end patient journey.
By documenting pain points, they identified practical improvements such as biometric palm-scanning for smoother check-ins, better natural lighting, and noise-canceling systems in waiting areas.
“In a healthcare setting, delivering and coordinating patient care is the most important touchpoint, and dictates how a patient feels about the provider’s brand promise,” Langrand says.
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These adjustments may seem small, but together they ladder up to a more empathetic and trustworthy brand experience.
And while healthcare highlights what’s possible, it also underscores a key lesson: not every sense belongs in every brand story.
Know When to Simplify the Sensory Layer
Not every sense fits every brand. In fact, the wrong application can feel distracting or even off-brand.
For most healthcare organizations, taste and smell aren’t relevant to the brand promise. Forcing them into the experience risks gimmickry.
“Sensory branding is all about striking the right balance and creating complementary or supplementary experiences,” Langrand notes.
“Some sensory elements will never align with a brand or product, and forcing them usually results in an off-brand and distracting experience for consumers.”
Once brand teams know which senses to prioritize, the next challenge becomes making them work together without overwhelming the audience.
Treat Multi-Sensory Design Like an Orchestra
Great sensory branding is about harmony. Just as in music, every sensory element needs a distinct role while contributing to the whole.
This means avoiding overstimulation. Too much light, sound, or scent can overwhelm users instead of inspiring them.
Successful brand teams treat sensory design like scoring a performance: subtle shifts, coordinated layers, and a clear purpose.
“Balancing senses across an end-to-end journey or even a single consumer touchpoint is a lot like writing a score for an orchestra. Every engaged sense should have a distinct role and purpose, but also work together in concert,” Langrand explains.
But beyond coordination, brands also need to ensure that sensory design works for everyone, which is where inclusivity comes in.
Build for Inclusivity and Longevity
Inclusive design is inseparable from sensory branding.
A well-designed system engages multiple senses at once, ensuring accessibility even when one channel isn’t available.
“Inclusivity is intrinsic to sensory branding as most sensory-branded experiences engage more than one sense at the same time,” Langrand says.
“From haptics to voice assistants, there are myriad ways to build in inclusivity across a brand identity system, and we anticipate that sensory branding will play an increasing role in ADA compliance guidelines.”
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Meanwhile, sonic branding is emerging as one of the most powerful long-term investments.
Studies show that audio cues paired with visuals drive 77% higher recall and trust compared to visuals alone.
NBC’s three-note chime paired with its peacock logo is a classic example; one that endures because it aligns sound, motion, and identity across channels.
When inclusivity and memorability come together, brands can turn sensory design from a fleeting impression into lasting equity.
The Future of Sensory Branding Is Strategic
Sensory branding is no longer a luxury for consumer goods. It’s becoming a necessity across industries as buyers seek experiences that resonate emotionally, not just rationally.
The winning strategies won’t be the flashiest or most complex. They’ll be the ones that:
- Make everyday touchpoints more memorable and human.
- Balance sensory layers with clarity and purpose.
- Ensure inclusivity so that every audience can engage.
- Use sound and motion strategically to build long-term brand equity.
Brands that embrace this shift will not only stand out. They’ll build deeper trust and loyalty in a noisy, multisensory world.
Sensory Branding FAQs
Why is sensory branding becoming a priority now?
Gen Z’s projected $12 trillion spending power by 2030 and strong ROI data make sensory investment a business necessity.
Is sensory branding only relevant for consumer brands?
No. B2B buyers under 40 now expect immersive, emotionally engaging experiences too.
Which senses are most practical for most brands to focus on?
Sight and sound dominate because they scale across digital and physical touchpoints.
How can brands avoid overwhelming people with too many sensory elements?
Keep each element purposeful, and design so senses enhance clarity, not compete for attention.
What future trends should brand teams prepare for?
Growth in sonic logos, inclusivity-driven design, and immersive virtual experiences.
