The Latest Neuromarketing Insights made actionable

"Do I really need that much toilet paper?"

If you’ve ever shopped at a big-box warehouse, you’ve probably questioned whether you’ll actually use up those jumbo packs of toilet paper, deodorant, or air freshener. The sheer volume can make single-item purchases at a local store seem more practical. But a recent study suggests that a simple shift in bulk pricing could make buying in bulk feel like the smarter option.

As convenience and bulk shopping grow in popularity, understanding what drives our buying choices is crucial. This new research uncovers a surprising insight that could transform how brands price multipacks to make them more appealing.

Think about the Ferrero Rocher chocolates. Almost everyone recognizes the shiny gold foil that wraps the chocolate. This packaging doesn’t just wrap the chocolates, it makes it look luxurious and special. Unwrapping the small round, rocky-like chocolate, creates a sensory experience even before you take the first bite and taste all the layers of flavor of this small chocolate. Personally, as a chocolate lover, just writing about it has me craving one right now!

Recently, I was at the well-known Dutch supermarket, Albert Heijn, using the self-scan kiosk to pay for my daily groceries. As I tapped my credit card against the terminal, no sound came from the device. Confused, I thought my payment hadn’t gone through, so I tried again. It suddenly dawned on me that the payment might now be deducted twice. Thankfully, this wasn’t the case. The next day, I made another grocery purchase, and this time, the terminal made a sound. I immediately realized how comforting that simple beep was—it reassured me that my payment had gone through. And I’m not alone in this experience. Research has shown that the beeping sounds from the cash register, signaling that the payment was received, significantly boost customer satisfaction (Reynolds‐McIlnay & Morrin, 2019).

Picture this: You're wrapping up an online shopping session, with the mouse hovering over the checkout button. Suddenly, you notice a little green leaf next to one of the delivery options. "Huh," you think, "that's new." Without much thought, you select it and complete your purchase. Congratulations! You've just been "nudged" into making a more sustainable choice. But how did that happen, and why should marketers care?

Think about Netflix’s "Ta-Dum," NBC’s iconic Chimes, McDonald's "I’m Lovin’ It" Jingle, or T-Mobile’s catchy tune at the end of commercials. Chances are, you can hear each of these sounds in your head just by reading their names.  

Consumers are constantly bombarded with ads and cutting through the noise has never been more challenging. But what if the key to cutting through the noise isn’t in what you see, but in what you hear - sound itself? Enter Sonic branding.