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An hour in a hot bath burns off the same calories as a brisk half-hour walk, reveals riveting new book of sensory tips

Have you ever wondered why watch adverts almost always show the time as ten minutes past ten? The reason is that in this position, the hands make it seem as if the clock-face is smiling. 

And, psychologically, you are more likely to feel compelled to buy that watch rather than one with hands set at a ‘grumpy’ 8.20.

Once you know this, you’ll be able to spot other ‘smiles’ and the way they are used to manipulate our behaviour. For example, those smiling upward curves on the Amazon, Argos, Tui and Hasbro brand logos.

Who can blame big business for employing such multi-sensory manipulation to lure us into purchasing their goods?

Top: A hot bath can lull you into better sleep. Not only helps to lower our blood pressure and reduce inflammation, according to research from Loughborough University, it can help to burn calories

Top: A hot bath can lull you into better sleep. Not only helps to lower our blood pressure and reduce inflammation, according to research from Loughborough University, it can help to burn calories

Over the past 25 years, I have worked with many of the world’s largest companies, translating the science of the senses to help promote health and well-being – not to mention profitability. Also, I’m fascinated by the ways we can all use these findings to become more productive.

By spending a little time each day gazing at a screensaver photo of a mountain view on your computer, for instance. Or becoming more competitive at the gym by wearing a superman T-shirt under your kit. Or sleeping better by putting a hot water bottle at your feet rather than clutching it. Or attracting a new partner via a dating website by using as your profile image a photo of yourself holding a guitar.

Just how much power the senses have over us can be scary. However, once we recognise their influence, it’s simple to use them to our advantage. This is called ‘sensehacking’ and once mastered can help improve the quality of our daily lives.

Here is a selection of some of my favourite techniques...

Wine has animal magic

Supermarkets’ wine shelves are often stocked with so-called ‘critter brands’ with label images of animals

Supermarkets’ wine shelves are often stocked with so-called ‘critter brands’ with label images of animals

Supermarkets’ wine shelves – which are visually complex and constantly-changing – are often stocked with so-called ‘critter brands’ with label images of animals (such as a giraffe, toad or pig). 

Although they have nothing to do with the bottle’s content, the idea is that the animals’ presence on the label helps shoppers to remember, and then find once again, the brand that they enjoyed last time.

83 per cent of wine-buyers bought French wine, while 65 per cent of bottles sold while the Bierkeller music was played was German

83 per cent of wine-buyers bought French wine, while 65 per cent of bottles sold while the Bierkeller music was played was German

My favourite ‘musical manipulation’ involves an English supermarket that stocked four types each of both French and German wines, matched for cost and dryness/sweetness. 

For two weeks, French accordion music or German oompah-oompah tunes was played over the loudspeakers, the ethnicity alternating daily.

It was found that 83 per cent of wine-buyers bought French wine when the accordion music was playing, while 65 per cent of bottles sold while the Bierkeller music was played was German.

THE HOME

Also, people in a room with coloured walls tend to be in a better mood than those working in a plain, colourless room.

WORKPLACES

SLEEP

Tricks of the trade: The ‘Smiley’ company logos and the watch face at ten past ten

Tricks of the trade: The ‘Smiley’ company logos and the watch face at ten past ten

TOUCHY-FEELY

Apple staff tilt Macbook Pro computer screens which tempts shoppers to open the screen when in store

Apple staff tilt Macbook Pro computer screens which tempts shoppers to open the screen when in store

More than 80 per cent of shoppers say they’re more likely to choose a product they see and feel over one that they can only look at. 

That’s why Apple staff tilt Macbook Pro computer screens at a 70-degree angle, left. 

This may not be the best viewing angle but it tempts shoppers to open the screen when in store to see it better, making them more likely to purchase one.

SHOPPING

An early example was the red circle on the logo for 7Up drinks. It is functionally subliminal, in the sense that few of us are aware of what it communicates to our minds subconsciously but the colour red and roundness are both associated with sweetness, like the drink itself, and trigger that taste in the shopper’s mind.

SMELLS DELICIOUS

CARS

Blue is the colour for dieting

Invest in heavy cutlery. Weight appears to convey quality and class

Invest in heavy cutlery. Weight appears to convey quality and class

The smell of roasting coffee or citrus seems to make us more likely to help others

The smell of roasting coffee or citrus seems to make us more likely to help others

SPORTING SUCCESS

DATING

© Charles Spence, 2021

Adapted by Louise Atkinson from Sensehacking by Charles Spence, published by Viking on January 14 at £16.99.  

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