The Five Senses of Your Brand: Touch

The last couple weeks, I’ve started to explore the idea of applying the “5 Senses of Your Brand” to every event and activation you plan. To some degree, the last couple were easy. You plan gorgeous decor and setups, a phenomenal menu and music or sounds to heighten or mellow the mood.

But what about touch? How do you incorporate texture and invite your guests to experience this sense?  The most obvious choice would be utilizing different linens, napkins and chair covers—satin, pintuck, chantung. One may think that there is no difference between a cotton/poly tablecloth and napkin and one with a more interesting feel, but even a properly washed and ‘used’ cotton napkin has a different feel than a brand-new, starchy and hard-to-fold napkin. There’s an elegance that comes with a satin or pintuck linen, and when paired with a cotton linen on the buffet, these linens add depth and interest to what your guests see as well.

Linens are obvious, though. Unless you have a venue like the Please Touch Museum, what else can you do to ensure your guests are invited to touch and experience aspects of your event, to help create memories?

If you use a rental company for your linens, you could look into different textures of flatware (bamboo or wood handles are an unexpected touch) for a subtle change, or even etched glassware.

What about having your guests’ touch be part of the event? I’ve seen events where guests use finger painting to create a unique and special commemoration of the occasion, and even interactive components that have guests guided by a laser to co-create an image with a trained artist and company. Another idea would be to ask a question of your guests and have them put pen to paper (or mirror, or chalkboard wall, etc) to answer it. Boom. Instant memory!

For guests who may be visually impaired, touch becomes important in certain aspects of your event. Today, almost all event venues have considerations for the visually impaired, but be sure to ask the questions before you sign a contract, especially if you have guests who will need this consideration.

What elements of touch were incorporated into a recent event that left you wowed?