The power of Senses

Creating events, whether cultural, educational, or entertaining, offers a unique opportunity to influence participants’ experiences and emotions. The success of an event is not only based on visual aesthetics or a good program, but also on how effectively it engages all of a person’s senses. Human perceptions—sight, hearing, smell, taste, and touch—form the foundation of our experiences and memories. Activating multiple senses enhances memory and information retention. By engaging different senses, participants can have a richer and more memorable experience.

Research shows that multisensory experiences can increase the memorability of an event’s content by up to 70% compared to events focused on just one sense (Hultén, 2011). This means that customers are more likely to remember the event’s message and values. Involving at least a second sense can lead to significant results. According to a study by the Sense of Smell Institute, people can only recall 50% of visual images after three months, but remarkably, they remember over 65% of what they smelled, even after a year. Certain smells or sounds can evoke past pleasant experiences, creating a strong emotional connection between participants and the event. As a result, participants are more likely to revisit the event or recommend it to others. It’s no secret that many well-known companies around the world have already discovered how important a multisensory approach is for creating customer experiences. Whether it’s branding, a meeting, or a conference, solutions that allow people to engage their senses generate excitement and positive memories. For example, the boot manufacturer Hunter created a multisensory display in a greenhouse in New York, allowing people to experience the Scottish Highlands in a gentle mist with the scent of moss.

Memories are strongly tied to sensations. Visual and auditory cues can be powerful reminders, but smell and taste can evoke particularly intense memories. Flavors are undoubtedly an important aspect of event planning, but even more crucial for me is how the food is presented. The “Taste of Kandinsky” study in Oxford demonstrated that food presentation affects how food tastes. People found the food to taste significantly better, and they were willing to pay more for it. You don’t need to be a Picasso to serve food creatively; even the simplest dishes can be presented in imaginative ways. After all, as the saying goes, we eat first with our eyes.

By influencing various sensory perceptions, it is possible to communicate the goals and messages of an event more effectively. Research shows  that engaging multiple senses enhances the impact of an event and makes it more memorable. This not only increases participant satisfaction but also fosters creativity and interpersonal communication.

Therefore, incorporating senses in event planning has become an important strategy for ensuring the long-term success of events and participantś emotional engagement. In the future we may see the term ” event design” replaced with “experience design”, which is far more valuable and impactful.