Join Curion and Reckitt at ACHEMS 2025 for a deep dive into emotions product research
Not all product success stories begin with “liking.” At ACHEMS 2025, Curion’s Neeta Yousaf and Reckitt’s Stephen Lillford will share how emotions product research (both implicit and explicit) is being used as a strategic tool to go beyond traditional KPIs and deliver deeper consumer insights.
Their presentation, “How Reckitt Leverages Emotions to Better Understand the Consumer,” explores the spectrum of emotional measurement tools available today, from word lists and rating scales to biometric signals and Implicit Reaction Time (IRT) and how Reckitt has used them to build a more human-centered product research program.
This session offers real-world insights into building research frameworks that bridge science with strategy and ultimately improve product experiences for consumers.
The connection between emotions and sensory science
"We know that 95% of purchasing decisions happen below the surface of conscious awareness. That means most traditional research barely scratches what's really driving behavior. Because we help clients create products that truly connect to their consumers, we have to get underneath the obvious and tap into the emotional unspoken desires and the gut reactions and turn those into sensory experiences that feel instantly “right” to consumers."
At the core, our emotional connections are shaped through the senses. Scent, color, texture, and packaging all act as powerful triggers, influencing perception, mood, memory, and behavior. For example, scent is closely linked to emotional memory, with studies showing that people recall smells with 65% accuracy after a year, significantly higher than visual recall. Also, texture impacts how effective a product feels, with lighter, fast-absorbing formulations linked to energizing emotions, and heavier textures associated with comfort and relaxation.
There is a clear distinction between emotions (immediate, physical responses to stimuli) and feelings, which are shaped by how the brain interprets those emotions. Understanding both is essential for designing emotionally aligned product experiences.
Emotional design isn’t a new concept, but advances in neuroscience and sensory science are making it possible to measure emotional response more accurately and apply those insights to formulation, branding, and packaging. By identifying the emotional states consumers seek, and mapping how sensory inputs support or disrupt those states, brands can create products that truly connect.
Event Presentation Details
Here’s what you’ll learn:
- How emotional KPIs go deeper than liking to capture what truly drives consumer decisions.
- The comparative power of implicit and explicit measures, and how they reveal different aspects of the consumer journey.
- Why and how Reckitt shifted its product research focus toward emotional resonance, and what it takes to make that organizational change.
The Association for Chemoreception Sciences (ACHEMS) is the leading professional society dedicated to advancing scientific research on smell, taste, chemesthesis, and related disciplines. Its mission is to promote innovative breakthroughs in chemosensory science, foster professional growth, and make scientific knowledge accessible and actionable for public well-being.
ACHEMS connects academic, industry, and government researchers to drive forward the science that informs how we understand and interact with the chemical world around us.
Curion specializes in delivering impactful insights to the world’s top CPG companies, helping them develop winning, repeatedly purchased products. Curion’s deep data-driven product insights, sensory expertise, and state-of-the-art consumer centers enable them to uncover responses to critical client objectives. With over five decades of experience in the product testing industry, Curion is dedicated to guiding clients with their proprietary XP Xperience Performance platform, connecting brands to consumers at every step.
An innovator in the industry, Curion recently developed a groundbreaking benchmarking product testing method, the Curion Score™, which has become a trusted and sought after tool within the industry. As one of the largest product and consumer insights companies in the U.S., Curion has built a reputation for excellence and trust among the world’s leading consumer brands. Curion’s commitment to innovation and expertise, coupled with a passion for delivering actionable insights, makes Curion a valuable partner for companies looking to develop and launch successful products.
