Memorability in Consumer Sensory Experiences
"No sooner had the warm liquid mixed with the crumbs touched my palate than a shudder ran through me and I stopped, intent upon the extraordinary thing that was happening to me…" — Marcel Proust, In Search of Lost Time
When talking about the importance of sensory, inevitably this Proust quote is cited. It hits the nail on the head. With this single bite of a madeleine dipped in tea, Proust captures what many of us instinctively know: sensory experiences—taste, smell, texture—have a unique power to unlock vivid memories. These moments are sticky, often transporting us across time and context in ways no other stimulus can.
For brands, product developers, and researchers, this phenomenon of memorability isn’t just a literary curiosity. It’s a measurable, actionable property of consumer experience that can determine loyalty, preference, and habit. Why do some flavors or scents linger in memory while others disappear? And more importantly: how can we study and design for memorability?
Why Sensory Memories Stand Out
From a neuroscience perspective, sensory memories are powerful because they are multimodal and emotionally encoded.
Smell and taste connect directly to the limbic system (particularly the amygdala and hippocampus) regions involved in emotion and memory (Herz, 2016). Psychologist Rachel Herz tells us, based on decades of research, that odor-evoked memories are especially powerful. Compared to other senses, smells linked to personal memories tend to be more vivid and emotional, lifting mood, lowering stress, and influencing physiology. This explains why a scent can suddenly transport us back to childhood.
Texture and sound create distinctive signatures in working memory that can be linked to pleasure or discomfort (Spence & Shankar, 2010). Research has shown that even subtle changes in sound can alter texture perception. For instance, Zampini & Spence (2004) found that potato chips were rated as crisper and fresher when their crunch was played back louder and with higher frequencies. As Spence & Shankar note in their review, these auditory and tactile cues don’t just influence perception in the moment, they form distinctive sensory traces that can stick in memory, shaping future expectations of pleasure or discomfort.
Cross-modal reinforcement (when multiple senses align) strengthens encoding. When the brain receives congruent inputs across senses (like taste with smell, or texture with sound), those experiences are not only perceived more intensely but also remembered more vividly. As Spence (2019) notes, multisensory integration enhances both the immediate experience and its memorability, helping to explain why certain product encounters “stick.”
The brain essentially “tags” these moments as important because they carry emotional weight, surprise, or novelty, which are three key drivers of memorability (Kensinger, 2009).
A Behavioral Science Lens on Memorability
Behavioral science gives us several lenses for understanding why some sensory experiences linger while others fade. One well-known principle is the peak–end rule, which suggests that people remember the most intense part of an experience and the way it ends (Kahneman, 2000). This means a single moment of delight (or discomfort) can disproportionately shape how a product is remembered.
Memorability is also driven by novelty and distinctiveness. When a sensory cue feels unusual or stands apart from what we expect, it is prioritized during memory encoding (Hunt & Worthen, 2006). Think of a flavor twist or a surprising texture that makes a product feel “different” enough to stick.
Through associative learning, scents pick up meanings the way words do: by repeated pairing with contexts. Give the very same odor a different label and people will literally experience it differently. Classic work from De Araujo et al. (2005) shows that an isovaleric-acid odor is judged far more pleasant when called “cheddar cheese” than when called “body odor,” with corresponding changes in olfactory brain responses. Over time, pairings between odors and tastes also reshape what we perceive. Odors can come to “smell sweet” after being consistently experienced with sweet flavors, a hallmark of learned association rather than a fixed physiological property (Stevenson et al, 1998). More generally, verbal context can shift odor pleasantness and quality, reinforcing that much of a scent’s meaning is constructed from experience and culture, not hard-wired biology.
Finally, emotion acts as the glue that binds sensory events into long-term memory. Experiences that trigger strong positive or negative emotions are far more likely to be recalled vividly (back to Kensinger, 2009). Whether it’s the comforting aroma of home cooking or an off-putting texture that ruins a snack, the emotional charge cements the memory.
Study Designs for Measuring Memorability
When it comes to measuring memorability, researchers and brands have a range of approaches, each offering a different lens on what “sticks.” One of the most straightforward techniques described in sensory methods handbooks (Lawless & Heymann, 2010) is to compare immediate versus delayed recall. Here, participants are asked to remember product attributes or experiences right after tasting, smelling, or using a product, and then again after a delay. The difference between the two helps researchers see which impressions fade quickly and which endure. For example, a flavor note that is remembered hours later may be more important for brand differentiation than one that disappears within minutes. Closely related are recognition tasks, which take a slightly different angle. Instead of asking people to freely recall, recognition tests present consumers with a mix of familiar and novel stimuli (flavors, scents, sounds, or textures) and ask whether they have encountered them before. This simple paradigm mirrors the reality of consumer choice: at the shelf, shoppers aren’t recalling from scratch but deciding, “Do I know this brand? Does it match what I trust or expect?” In this way, recognition tasks connect laboratory testing with real-world buying decisions, helping identify which sensory cues are distinctive enough to be recognized and remembered.
More subtle tools come from behavioral science, particularly implicit measures that tap into memory traces without asking consumers directly. The classic Implicit Association Test (IAT) (Greenwald et al., 1998) measures the speed of pairing concepts (like linking a flavor to words like “fresh” or “indulgent”). Faster associations suggest stronger or more automatic links in memory, a semantic connection. But while powerful, the original Greenwald IAT can feel academic and heavy for applied research. In consumer contexts, simpler reaction-time approaches are often more practical. For example, Implicit Response Time (IRT) methods present one word or image at a time and record how quickly a consumer accepts or rejects the association. Similarly, Go/No-Go Association Tasks (GNATs) streamline the IAT design into a quicker format: consumers press a button when a product matches a concept, and withhold when it doesn’t. These adaptations reduce cognitive load, work better on mobile devices, and integrate more seamlessly into market research settings. Recent work in sensory science has highlighted the value of these tools for uncovering subtle, memory-based associations that explicit surveys might miss (M Weerawarna NRP et al., 2023). For example, implicit methods can reveal whether a fragrance feels “luxurious” or a texture feels “natural,” even when consumers don’t consciously articulate those impressions.
Neuroscience methods provide a physiological window into memorability. When consumers encounter a product, packaging, or ad, it’s not just their conscious mind at work. Autonomic nervous system (ANS) responses like skin conductance, heart-rate variability (HRV), and pupil dilation reflect real shifts in arousal and attention derived from physiological response. These physiological spikes aren’t random: they correlate to emotional memory systems in the brain, making it more likely that the event will be consolidated into long-term memory (Phelps, 2006). In fact, studies show that ANS measures collected during ad viewing can predict which ads people later recall (Guixeres et al., 2017), and reviews of marketing physiology consistently find that heart rate and skin conductance mark the moments that “stick” (Baldo, 2022). EEG adds another layer by providing a direct window into the brain’s electrical activity. Decades of neuroscience research show that patterns of EEG activity (especially in the frontal lobes) can index “subsequent memory effects”: where differences in brain signals occur at the moment of encoding and predict whether an item will later be remembered or forgotten. For example, increased theta and gamma power during exposure often correlates with successful encoding, while certain frontal asymmetry patterns signal emotional engagement that boosts memorability. In applied consumer neuroscience, EEG has been used to forecast which commercials or product experiences people will later recall, providing a neural measure of “memory strength” in real time. Together with eye-tracking, which reveals which elements draw the most focus in the moment, these methods highlight that memorability is both a cognitive and a physiological process: the cues that make our hearts race, our skin respond, and our neurons fire are often the ones we remember most vividly.
Finally, because memory isn’t just about single moments but about habits, longitudinal studies track how repeat use shapes routines. These approaches show how sensory experiences, once encoded, can quietly guide ongoing behavior and choice over time (Verplanken & Aarts, 1999). Habit disruption studies reveal just how sticky these sensory routines can be. Labrecque et al. (2016) introduced consumers to a new laundry product and tracked behavior over four weeks. Even when participants had positive intentions to use the new product, many slipped back into their established habits. The familiar sensory-context of their laundry routine (the familiar scents, textures, even the sounds) proved so powerful that it often overrode the novelty of the new option.
Together, these studies remind us that memorability isn’t only about what stands out in the moment. It’s about what gets repeated, embedded, and sometimes defended against change. From the snacks we grow up with to the products we reach for automatically, sensory memories become habits, and habits become the backbone of consumer behavior.
Implications for Brands
For brands, the science of memorability exposes a simple but powerful truth: it’s not enough to be different. Memorability comes from creating sensory moments that are both emotionally meaningful and contextually relevant to become truly sticky. This means aligning product experiences with the consumer’s emotional expectations, cultural context, and habitual routines.
One approach is to design signature textures that become part of a brand’s identity. Research shows that tactile cues can form distinctive memory traces, influencing both product perception and recall (Krishna & Morrin, 2008). Consider how the velvety feel of Dove soap or the satisfying crunch of a KitKat bar is not just pleasant. It’s a sensory signature that instantly cues the brand. (Sidebar: how do you eat your KitKat bar? I like to eat mine by layers, first eating the chocolate off and then peeling off the individual wafer layers. Which may sound strange, but I actually found out that an old colleague of mine also ate them that way. Anyway…)
Another strategy is to cultivate sensory rituals (maybe like my KitKat eating strategy). Rituals amplify memorability because they structure consumer experiences and enhance perceived value (Vohs et al., 2013). The snap of a chocolate bar, the crisp crack of opening a soda can, or the swirl of perfume mist are not incidental. They are rehearsed, repeatable actions that deepen our emotional engagement with products. Apple, for example, has long invested in the tactile and auditory “ritual” of unboxing, knowing that these multisensory cues leave lasting impressions.
Finally, brands should not overlook the importance of the “end note.” The lingering aftertaste of a beverage, the dry-down of a fragrance, or the feel of a skincare product hours after application can disproportionately shape memory, thanks to that peak–end rule. A great first impression can be undone by an unpleasant aftertaste or sticky residue, whereas a carefully designed finish can cement loyalty.
When these elements align (distinctiveness, ritual, and a positive closing moment) they create more than just fleeting impressions or pleasantness. They build memory traces that drive future choices, reminding consumers not just of the product, but of the way it made them feel. In other words, memorability is brand equity in sensory form.
Closing Thoughts
In consumer research, we often focus on liking, but memorability may be just as important—if not more so—for long-term impact. Neuroscience reminds us that memory is shaped by novelty, emotion, and multisensory integration. Behavioral science gives us frameworks to predict which moments will stick. And thoughtful study designs—from recall tasks to physiological measures—allow us to capture memorability in action.
This is where outside expertise can make the difference. Concepts like memorability, habit formation, or cross-modal reinforcement are difficult to pin down with traditional surveys alone. My role is to help design research that translates these abstract constructs into measurable outcomes—whether that means building hybrid studies that combine implicit response tasks with physiological measures, designing longitudinal protocols to track habit formation, or applying behavioral frameworks like the peak–end rule to ensure we capture the right moments. By bridging behavioral science, neuroscience, and applied consumer research, I help brands uncover the hidden drivers of what makes an experience truly unforgettable.
Your Madeleine Moment
Ultimately, every brand is, in its own way, searching for its madeleine moment—a sensory spark that embeds itself in memory and draws consumers back, time and again. My job is to help design the studies that reveal where those moments lie and how to make them last.
👉 If you’re curious about how memorability can be measured and built into your consumer research, I’d love to talk.
