They have a way of tracking your reading speed.  Whaaa? Yes, check out the video here.

“Booktrack represents a new chapter in the evolution of storytelling, and an industry “first” in publishing, by creating synchronized soundtracks for e-books that dramatically boost the reader’s imagination and engagement.”

Just like I find it hard to write while there is a lot of noise around me, I enjoy reading in a quiet environment. However, one can’t always make that happen – especially on public transport, for example. Booktracks is targeting the senses in order to put you in a little sound bubble -that immerses you in the world of your book. Sensory Appeal™ is all about taking aim the senses. This wave has ideas that involve textures, colors, tastes and sounds. The Human Truth™ is: “I want a new sensation.”™ Booktracks and their “Hi Def immersive experience” is a great example of this…  one I’d love to try.

I can much better understand people’s excitement over this line up from Lip Smacker:

“Girl Scout Cookie-themed lip balm tubes featuring five famous flavors: Thin Mints, Trefoils, Chocolate Peanut Butter (Tagalongs), Peanut Butter (Do-si-dos), and Coconut Caramel Stripes (Samoas). Finally, a Girl Scout cookie that won’t do a thing to your hips no matter how long it’s on your lips. Available individually or as set ($5). A liquid lip-gloss version will be released next year.”

I know so many people that get excited over Girl Scout Cookies, one would assume the enthusiasm would have to extend to lip balm flavors too. On the other hand, I’m not ashamed to admit I am one of those people who loves sucking the Cheetos flavoring off my fingers, and I have a real hard time getting on board with Cheetos lip balm. Again: errrrrr

I’m thinking sweet flavors are probably the key here.

Anyway, it’s a fun example of Sensory Appeal™. This wave is about targeting the senses with new textures, colors, tastes and sounds.

When we study this wave we always find fun examples of companies that put a new twist on things. Sometimes innovation doesn’t have to be about re-inventing the wheel, it can be about taking something familiar and putting it in a whole new form or function.

My affections aren’t misplaced. There’s a reason why we have seen such a huge influx of data visualization: It makes sense of complicated information and gets our attention.

Well, the cool design peeps at Column Five Media agree with me… they even made a cool vid about it.

Co.Design turned me on to it:  “The Value of Data Visualization makes a compelling case for how infographics exploit visual clues like color, size, and graphic orientation to help us understand complex stories. Naturally, they use infographics to do it.”

I like to put infographics in the Sensory Appeal™ wave. It might not be immediately at home amongst the “cotton candy cocktails” or “scented nail polish” but it is targeting the senses. Making dry data visually appealing may take extra time, a lot of imagination and design savvy, but after watching this I’m sure you’ll agree it’s well worth it.

The Value of Data Visualization from Column Five on Vimeo.

It got me thinking about how this is a cultural phenomenon that is pure Sensory Appeal™. This wave always has slightly kooky stuff in it.  That’s because it’s about switching things up and making something new out of the familiar.  The Human Truth™ is: “I want a new sensation.”™ That’s definitely what the winner of the most creative award at the recent Texas State Fair was going for, because he gave bubble gum a whole new sensation.
Justin Martinez created balls of bubblegum-flavored marshmallows dipped in batter, fried and decorated with icing and powdered sugar.  All the of the top 8 were targeting the senses by re-inventing well-known favorites.  There was Buffalo Chicken in a flapjack,  Deep-Fried Pineapple Upside Down Cake, Deep-Fried Texas Salsa™, El Bananarito,  Fried Autumn Pie,  Hans’ Kraut Ball, and a Walking Taco(?).

Click here to to see intrepid reporter Eric Hanson eat a whole stick of butter dipped in a cinnamon honey batter and deep-fried then coated in a sugary glaze.  Yes, you read that right.  I believe he’s still alive.  Actually, the idea is that the butter melts and soaks your honey pancake-like thingy from the inside…you know, ‘coz the deep frying and sugar glaze just isn’t enough.

The fun of these food innovations is that they are decadent, unexpected and sometimes down right freaky.   It’s perfect for the atmosphere of state fairs… especially since it’s not “PC” to peer at bearded ladies or similar side show freaks of yesteryear.

When you target the senses you quickly pique people’s interests and, if you do it right, leave them dazzled.

These Asian style drinks are much more popular in the Asia Pacific than the USA, but I really think, given the chance they will do great here too.  I mean, bubble tea (we call it boba) has done alright!

I came across this amusing blog about exploring the world of chunky aloe drinks:

“It’s refreshing, mild, light, cooling, and, well, kind of chunky. It’s a little like drinking the world’s most sophisticated and understated green gummy bear. Overall, though, not a bad experience.”

Sensory Appeal™ is all about introducing something unexpected.  As we know, the culinary world loves this Wave because the essence is: “ Targeting the senses with new textures, colors, tastes and sounds.” As America’s QSR’s (quick service restaurants) battle it out for the most innovative summer beverage, perhaps the emerging beverages will be looking to Asia inspiration from their chunky aloe drinks.

That being said, I LOVE the idea of a new spa that has just opened in Madrid, Spain. It’s called: Cosquillarte (the name translates both as Tickle Yourself and Tickle Art) is all about the relaxing, sensual kind of tickling.

“Much like at any other day spa, the treatment takes place in a darkened room, with soothing music playing and a hint of incense tingeing the air. The client disrobes, puts on a pair of crinkly paper panties and lies facedown on the table. And then the tickling — first with fingertips drawn along the body, then a feather — begins. A 30-minute session costs €25 ($35); for an hour, the price is €45 ($60). And with temperatures currently reaching into the 90s in Madrid, she’s working on developing a summer treatment with cold hands.”

Sensory Appeal™ is about targeting the senses.  I remember my mother gently running her fingertips over my face when I couldn’t get to sleep and it would take me to a blissful, serene place.  Here is an example of someone who has decided to turn that feeling into an interesting new business idea that is rethinking the traditional massage.  The Human Truth™ of the Sensory Appeal™ wave is: “When you add a new sensation, it all seems new.”™ I’m sure there are many industries that could benefit from a bit of experimentation with the senses.

“According to Live Science, those who partied when the scents were used were more positive about their experience at the club. They enjoyed the music more, and danced more frequently than people who went to the clubs on unscented nights. It didn’t matter what scent was used as long as there was a good smell in the air, the researchers reported online in the journal Chemosensory Perception.”

The research team from Delft University of Technology in the Netherlands was led by Hendrik Schifferstein -who studies sensory experiences and marketing… (as a side note – is it me, or does it seem like there are much cooler college class options in recent years? )

Anyway, the Sensory Appeal™ wave is about targeting the senses and INTENSIFYING THE EXPERIENCE. I have a feeling marketing to our noses will become increasingly mainstream in the coming years.

You probably would have found me in the Sahara Tent where United Visual Artists (UVA) installed amazing looking “sound sculptures” just inches above the dancing throng.  They were giant LED “panels” that flashed with audio-reactive visuals.  The patterns were actually generated by the music because they had an audio input.
This means “morphing visuals on the spot to coincide with the changing rhythms, tempos, and mood of the music.”

Sweeeeet, duuuude.

The main staged looked amazing too (which I got to see thanks to YouTube and 5 Gum for streaming it live).  The team at UVA created a structure that’s “one part performance platform and one part light and sound sculpture”.

I can attest to great visuals adding to the experience.  I remember seeing Radiohead and just hearing the band live would have been amazing enough but the added “wow factor” of the cutting edge light show, literally brought me to tears at one point.

Sensory Appeal™ is about “targeting the sense with new textures, colors, tastes and sounds.”  Today’s audience wants to be blown away!  Perhaps it’s because movie effects these days are so epic, that we expect the same from our live performance too?  The essence of this wave is about INTENSIFYING THE EXPERIENCE -and that’s just what the modern live concert is achieving.

CHECK OUT SLIDESHOW HERE

Here’s an impressive example of taking interior design into the future. Mr. Beam starts with a stark white living room set up and projects a variety of different looks onto everything in the room.  Different décor at the flick of a switch… one for each day of the week or to match your mood!

In reality it would probably more suited to a feature wall or part of the house that isn’t as “lived in” as the living room because the projections would be a little distracting as they shone in your eyes and turned you into “part of the furniture”.

However I really love the following all the cool ways projection mapping is making things seem brand new.  I can’t wait to see what’s next.

Living Room from Mr.Beam on Vimeo.

Sensory Appeal™ is about make things “seem brand new” and what better way to bring boring data and stats to life than to make it visually stimulating.