In this talk, I want to demonstrate just how profoundly the environment (be it in the restaurant, in the store, at an experiential event, or in an exhibition space) affects our perception, our judgments, and our behavior. While most people like to think that they wouldn鈥檛 be so easily influenced (or 鈥榝ooled鈥), the evidence from a growing number of well-controlled experiments now tells a very different story.
I want to suggest that there is no neutral environment, after all, even 鈥榯he white cube鈥 delivers a certain kind of atmospheric effect. I will take a look at some of the ways in which galleries and museums are taking these insights on board, as they try to become more 鈥榤ultisensory鈥, and to deliver more on the experiential level. In closing, I will raise a few concerns 鈥 about the 鈥楧isney-fication鈥 of 鈥榚dutainment鈥 and the potential dangers and pitfalls that are associated with 鈥榮ensory marketing鈥 from other areas.
Professor Charles Spence is a world-famous experimental psychologist with a specialization in neuroscience-inspired multisensory design. He has worked with many of the world鈥檚 largest companies across the globe since establishing the Crossmodal Research Laboratory (CRL) at the Department of Experimental Psychology, Oxford University in 1997. Prof. Spence has published over 700 articles and edited or authored, 10 academic volumes including, in 2014, the prize-winning 鈥淭he perfect meal鈥. Much of Prof. Spence鈥檚 recent work has focused on the design of enhanced multisensory food and drink experiences with chefs, baristas, mixologists and the food and beverage industry.