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What is sensory research and why you need it
The 5 senses of the sensory experience
Sensory research is a scientific research methodology that uses the principles of experimental design and statistical analysis of the human senses. The five human senses are a valuable element to consider. The human brain receives information through them and compares it to earlier experiences. Finally, purchase decisions are a combination of ratio and emotion, whereby the latter has become more and more important in an era of information overload:
Olfactometric (sense of smell)
Humans have about a thousand different olfactory receptors. The association of particular scents with specific memories and experiences is an important aspect to consider when doing business. It is, for instance, possible to have a smell experience now and recall the scent later. For example, remembering the smell in a restaurant or a particular shop, which may lead customers to recognize a specific brand without seeing the logo.
Gustatory (sense of taste)
The concept of taste is often more related to the customer’s whole sensory experience, as the perceived taste usually comprises scent, sound, design, and texture, besides the actual taste. Therefore, it is crucial to match the product to consumers’ preferences concerning food and beverage.
Haptic (sense of touch)
The tactile sense contributes to building a form sense, which helps remember and relive how something feels through only looking at it. Thus, brands can create an image around the product or service. That can be, for example, textiles or skincare products but also the material of any device may be perceived differently.
Optic (sense of vision)
Sight is a powerful human sense. It helps decide when buying a product, which means creating brand awareness and identity with distinguishing characteristics through visualization help customers recognize a brand and clarify the goods and services. That can be, for instance, a logo or color or light that distinguishes your brand from other players.
Acoustic (sense of hearing)
Customers react with feelings to music and voices. Businesses, therefore, can use this opportunity to create a signature sound that characterizes and strengthens its brand. That can be the ‘click’-sound when you close the door of cars or the music in the POS influencing customers’ buying behavior.
The result of reactions of one or more of the human senses to the so-called “stimuli” (elements triggering the reaction) is called sensory experience.
Sensory market research is crucial if you want to understand your chinese market since product adaptation is particularly necessary for China. Companies that come to China with a product or concept directly imported from their home markets are rarely very successful. In China, taste preferences, perceptions, and acceptance of designs or colors are different. Language use and branding are also understood, perceived, and accepted in a variety of ways. Chinese culture is unlike that of any other country, and product localization (for most products) is crucial. Thus, sensory research in China is an effective and efficient tool which allows Daxue Consulting to aid companies in understanding the preferences of the Chinese consumer which facilitates and speeds up decision-making processes and develop highly liked products. Thus, increasing customer satisfaction, which in turn impacts their buying behavior.
A China based sensory Market research agency
Daxens is a subsiduary of Daxue Consulting. It was created as a unit specializing and doubling down efforts on sensory research in the following fields:
- Food
- Beverages
- Cosmetics
- Haircare
- Skincare
- Make-up
- Perfumes and deodorants
- Packaging
Our methodologies involve:
- Face-to-face
- Ethnographic research
- In vivo testing: within shower, bathrooms, sports facilities, during lunch and diner, etc.
- Focus groups
- App-based feed-back and information collection
Our story
Daxue Consulting was created in late 2009 on the campus of Peking University (# 1 university in China for business and social sciences, #2 for engineers), in the business school Guanghua Business school (光华管理学院, # 1 business school in China).
The French MBA candidate Matthieu David-Experton and the Chinese undergrad candidate Zheng Jingwen decided at that time to duplicate the model of junior enterprise in China, picking the name Daxue, which is conveying 2 significations in Chinese: in modern Chinese, Daxue means University but in old Chinese, the word Daxue was referring to one of the 4 books founding Confucianism.
Sensory research is a scientific research methodology that uses the principles of experimental design and statistical analysis of the human senses. The five human senses are a valuable element to consider. The human brain receives information through them and compares it to earlier experiences. Finally, purchase decisions are a combination of ratio and emotion, whereby the latter has become more and more important in an era of information overload.
They worked with us
