Ethical Consumption in the Online Environment: New Directions Through Multisensory Marketing

摘要

Previous studies support the efficacy of multisensory market-ing for diverse traditional retail settings. Despite its multiple advantages as described in the literature, little is yet known about its applicability for the online environment. The online environment presents challenges in adopting multisensory marketing techniques, owing to technical limitations and the lack of physical connection. Despite this, the importance of online and multimedia channels cannot be overlooked. This particularly applies for ethical brands, which need to identify new ways to achieve consumer attention and ultimately, busi-ness growth. Whilst previous research primarily focused on increasing ethical consumption in a rational, information-laden manner (e.g., provision of ethical labels, ethical product information), multisensory marketing may open new direc-tions through involving consumers more emotionally, and therefore offering significant growth opportunities.