Visual elements in advertising enhance odor perception and purchase intention: The role of mental imagery in multi-sensory marketing.

Sensory marketing is a critical tool for product merchandising. However, there is still a lack of in-depth research on the relationship between sensory elements and the role of sensory elements on consumer perception and behavior, making it difficult for retailers to integrate various sensory elements effectively. This research was conducted to examine the relationship between visual stimuli and odor, and the effects of sensory elements on mental imagery, odor perception, and behavior. Taking aromatic product merchandising as an example, in study 1, odor-related visual elements in advertising were extracted and categorized into two factors: concreteness and decoration elements. In study 2, a laboratory experiment was conducted to uncover differences in the impact of two visual factors on mental imagery. In addition, the facilitating role of mental imagery in enhancing the pleasantness of odor and purchase intention and the partial mediation of pleasantness of odor were also identified. This study holds both theoretical and practical implications in multi-sensory marketing.