The Overlooked Role of Attention in Sensory Marketing: Bridging Sensation, Perception, and Consumer Behavior

ABSTRACT In exploring how sensation, perception, and attention are conceptualized and assessed, as well as how their impacts on judgment and behavior have been measured in sensory marketing research, we examine the significance of attention and perception, contrasting them with the traditional approach that focuses solely on activating sensations to influence consumer behavior. This highlights a gap in the existing literature, as most studies overlook the interaction among sensation, perception, and attention and how these factors collaboratively affect consumer behavioral outcomes, particularly in a complex multisensory environment. To address this gap, we investigate the impact of attention on the effectiveness of sensory marketing. We begin by discussing the distinct roles of attention and perception, independent of sensation. In the final sections, we provide conceptual recommendations on how researchers can consider the specificities and impacts of attention, present actionable strategies that enhance sensory marketing research, and suggest pathways for future studies in this field.