For decades, digital communication has been dominated by two senses: sight and hearing. These are the most accessible from a screen and have set the pace for content on social media, online advertising, and video platforms. However, smell and touch, often forgotten in the digital environment, are beginning to attract growing interest for their unique ability to generate lasting memories and deep emotional bonds.
The sense of smell, for example, is directly connected to the limbic system, responsible for emotions and memory. A scent can evoke a sensation or memory with an intensity that few images can match. Although integrating scents into digital experiences still presents significant technical challenges, research and development are already pointing toward c level contact list scent emitters synchronized with digital content. This opens the door to advertising experiences in which scent is not an add-on, but a central narrative element.
At the same time, digital touch is advancing thanks to haptic technology. Beyond the basic vibrations we're accustomed to on mobile devices, we're exploring surfaces capable of simulating textures, interfaces that respond to pressure or the direction of swipe, and even materials that change shape. In the advertising context, this could translate into the ability to "feel" a product before purchasing it or experience a physical sensation associated with a brand.
The key to meaningfully integrating these less-explored senses into digital marketing lies in overcoming the current disconnect between the physical and the digital. As sensory devices become more accessible and better integrated into everyday life, it will be possible to design campaigns that engage smell and touch as part of an immersive narrative, not simply as a special effect.
The result will be a more complete experience, where each campaign is not just seen or heard, but experienced through the body. A paradigm shift that places the senses at the center of digital strategy. How do you see it?