Short answer
Designers should focus on creating holistic brand experiences that appeal to multiple senses, emotions, and encourage active participation, rather than relying solely on informational or intellectual appeals.
- Field
- Innovation & Markets
- Source
- Advances in economics, business and management research/Advances in Economics, Business and Management Research (2022)
- Method
- Quantitative research using a survey-based approach.
- Evidence
- Moderate effect
Starbucks' customer satisfaction is significantly enhanced by engaging customers through sensory, emotional, action-oriented, and associative marketing experiences. This innovation & markets research insight is drawn from a 2022 study published in Advances in economics, business and management research/Advances in Economics, Business and Management Research. Using Quantitative research using a survey-based approach., researchers explored how this design variable affects real-world outcomes. The key design takeaway: Designers should focus on creating holistic brand experiences that appeal to multiple senses, emotions, and encourage active participation, rather than relying solely on informational or intellectual appeals.
Sensory, Emotional, Action, and Associative Experiences Drive Starbucks Customer Satisfaction
Starbucks' customer satisfaction is significantly enhanced by engaging customers through sensory, emotional, action-oriented, and associative marketing experiences.
Advances in economics, business and management research/Advances in Economics, Business and Management Research · 2022
Key Findings
- 01Sensory experience positively affects customer satisfaction.
- 02Emotional experience positively affects customer satisfaction.
- 03Action experience positively affects customer satisfaction.
- 04Association experience positively affects customer satisfaction.
- 05Thinking experience did not show a significant effect on customer satisfaction.
Application
Design takeaway
Designers should focus on creating holistic brand experiences that appeal to multiple senses, emotions, and encourage active participation, rather than relying solely on informational or intellectual appeals.
How to apply
When designing retail environments, product packaging, or service protocols, consider how each element can contribute to sensory appeal, emotional connection, and opportunities for customer action and association.
Project actions
- 01When researching a product or service, consider how it engages different senses (sight, sound, smell, taste, touch).
- 02Think about the emotional journey a user goes through and how to enhance positive feelings.
- 03Design for interaction and participation, not just passive consumption.
Method & Evidence
Variables
Strengths & Limitations
Strengths
- +Focuses on a specific, well-known brand (Starbucks) for concrete analysis.
- +Builds on established theories of experiential marketing.
Limitations
The study was conducted on a single brand, so results might differ for other types of businesses. The 'thinking' aspect might be more relevant in different contexts.
Reliability & validity
The study's reliability would depend on the consistency of the measurement scale used and the rigor of the data analysis. Validity would be supported if the scale accurately measures the intended constructs (experiential dimensions and customer satisfaction) and if the findings align with broader marketing theories.
Think critically
How might the 'thinking experience' be more relevant for products or services that are highly technical or require significant decision-making, and how could a design project address this?
Design Principles
"Customer satisfaction is maximized through multi-sensory, emotionally resonant, and participatory brand experiences."
This research highlights that a multi-faceted approach to experiential marketing, beyond just cognitive engagement, is crucial for building customer loyalty and satisfaction. Designers and marketers can leverage these insights to create more impactful brand interactions that resonate deeply with consumers.
What This Means for Your Design
Making customers feel good through their senses, emotions, actions, and connections to the brand makes them happier with Starbucks, but just making them think isn't as important.
How to use in your project
- 1.Use the findings to justify design choices that aim to enhance sensory, emotional, action, or associative experiences for your target user.
- 2.If your design project involves a service or retail aspect, consider how to measure and improve customer satisfaction based on these experiential dimensions.
Add to My Project
Quick Cite
Paragraph starter
This research indicates that customer satisfaction is significantly influenced by sensory, emotional, action, and associative experiences, with a lesser impact from cognitive ('thinking') experiences. This suggests that design interventions should focus on creating multi-sensory, emotionally resonant, and participatory brand interactions to foster higher levels of customer satisfaction.
Source
Advances in economics, business and management research/Advances in Economics, Business and Management Research
How the Five Dimensions of Experiential Marketing Affect Customer Satisfaction: Focused on Starbucks
journal · 2022
View sourceQuestions About This Research
- What does the research say about sensory, emotional, action, and associative experiences drive starbucks customer satisfaction?
- Designers should focus on creating holistic brand experiences that appeal to multiple senses, emotions, and encourage active participation, rather than relying solely on informational or intellectual appeals. Evidence: Advances in economics, business and management research/Advances in Economics, Business and Management Research (2022).
- Why does "Sensory, Emotional, Action, and Associative Experiences Drive Starbucks Customer Satisfaction" matter for design?
- This research highlights that a multi-faceted approach to experiential marketing, beyond just cognitive engagement, is crucial for building customer loyalty and satisfaction. Designers and marketers can leverage these insights to create more impactful brand interactions that resonate deeply with consumers.
- How can designers apply this research?
- Designers should focus on creating holistic brand experiences that appeal to multiple senses, emotions, and encourage active participation, rather than relying solely on informational or intellectual appeals.
- What were the main findings?
- Sensory experience positively affects customer satisfaction.. Emotional experience positively affects customer satisfaction.. Action experience positively affects customer satisfaction.. Association experience positively affects customer satisfaction.
- What research method was used?
- Quantitative research using a survey-based approach..
- How strong is the evidence?
- Evidence strength is rated Moderate effect, based on a 2022 journal from Advances in economics, business and management research/Advances in Economics, Business and Management Research.
- What should I do differently in my next project?
- When designing retail environments, product packaging, or service protocols, consider how each element can contribute to sensory appeal, emotional connection, and opportunities for customer action and association.
- What are the limitations?
- The study's focus on a single brand (Starbucks) may limit generalizability to other industries or market segments. The 'thinking experience' dimension's lack of significant impact might be specific to the context or measurement used.