The Impact of Sensory Branding on Impulsive Buying Behaviour with the Moderating Effect of Gender: A Study on Franchised Fast-Food Outlets in Western Province, Sri Lanka

Abstract

Sensory branding is one of the paramount phenomena that happens in consumer minds and aids marketers in drawing consumer attention to a particular brand only by aiming for five senses. This can result in various consumer buying decisions, including impulsive buying, which is simply engaging in unplanned purchases. As this process is indeed profitable and sustainable for marketers, this concept has become a key marketing strategy across various industries. The franchised fast-food industry is one of the industries that heavily uses sensory branding, especially in their outlets, to boost revenue. Therefore, this research study was focused on investigating the impact of sensory branding on impulsive buying, with special reference to the Western Province, where many franchised fast-food outlets are in Sri Lanka. Nevertheless, the purpose of this study expanded to include investigating the moderating impact of gender on the relationship between sensory branding and impulsive buying in a Sri Lankan context. More than 300 responses gained from a structured questionnaire circulated through online platforms were used to gain insights and testify to the hypothesis. According to the data analysis done through SPSS software, this study concluded that certain sensory aspects such as sight and smell did not significantly impact impulsive buying, while sound, taste, and touch were significant, and the moderation impact of gender was not also significant in the investigated context. Therefore, the study ends with general discussions of limitations and recommendations for future research studies.