Resonating online and offline

In today’s marketplace, the most successful brands are not those that merely sell products, but those that create meaningful experiences across both physical and digital touchpoints. The true value lies in the intersection of these worlds, where ‘phygital’ experiences emerge. As Kotler, Kartajaya, and Setiawan argue in Marketing 5.0: Technology for Humanity (2021), technology is no longer just a tool for efficiency – it is a means of delivering human-centered value. This is the foundation of Digital experience design: the art and science of crafting experiences that blend emotional resonance with digital innovation.

Designing for human emotions and senses

Some companies stand out for their ability to emphasise emotional and experiential design. To exemplify, few companies embody sleek design and digital experience, customer loyalty and connection as well as Apple. Entering an Apple Store feels less like shopping and more like participating in a carefully designed performance where every detail aims to enhance the emotional experience. Customers are encouraged to interact freely with devices in the minimalistically designed stores, while the iconic unboxing ritual extends the emotional journey into the home. (C&C Apple Premium Partner 2025; Supply Chain Game Changer 2025.)

According to Kotler et al. (2021), technology should be designed to ‘enhance, not replace, the human touch’. Apple demonstrates this principle by combining digital sophistication with the tactile joy and visual experience of human-centered design, creating a seamless blend of technology and humanity. As a result, many Apple users are not just loyal customers, but passionate advocates of the brand.

Another excellent example of emotional experience design is Rituals. The brand’s stores are immersive environments where customers experience the five senses of scent, sound, sight, touch and taste simultaneously. A soothing cup of herbal tea awakens the taste buds, gentle music enriches the ambiance, silky samples indulge the skin and nostrils, and the elegant design of packaging and displays delight the eye. Online, these sensory triggers are translated into seasonal campaigns, serene images, captivating lifestyle storytelling, and sustainability pledges. (Ecosystemizer 2025.)

As Kotler et al. (2021) explain, brands that succeed are those that can deliver technology-driven yet emotionally rich experiences. Rituals leverages digital channels to continue the sensory journey of calm, luxury and mindfulness beyond the store, making the brand’s promise phygital, consistent and holistic across the online and offline worlds.

Customer engagement in the age of marketing 5.0

Phygital customer engagement results not only in increased sales and customer loyalty, but also in seamless, personalised and immersive experiences throughout the customer journey (Anwar et al. 2025). Kotler et al. (2021) also stress the importance of customer participation in modern marketing. Rather than being passive receivers of messages, customers are now active co-creators of value. This shift is visible in how retailers such as the Finnish K-Group design their weekly offers. By asking customers to digitally activate certain discounts before using them in-store, K-Group is blending digital empowerment with physical shopping (Kesko 2025). This small but meaningful interaction gives customers a sense of control and involvement, aligning with the principle of using technology to enhance engagement and enjoyment.

In destination marketing, museums and cities have emerged as pioneers in phygital experiences. In many cities, visitors can use integrated augmented reality (AR) to witness historical events unfold in the very places they stand today. One example of this approach is the Culturati project, where Haaga-Helia is a partner. The project aims to develop an inclusive cultural-educational ecosystem using digital technologies to deliver meaningful content for heritage sites and visitors. The Culturati platform offers interactive routes and gamified experiences in Old Porvoo with cultural heritage, art, historic houses and people included, making city exploration more fun and exciting as well as potentially managing visitor flow and supporting sustainable tourism (Ascenção, Lybeck & Horn 2024).

Museums, too, enrich their exhibits by overlaying digital content onto physical artifacts, deepening both the educational and emotional impact. These phygital touches transform ordinary visits into immersive, multi-sensory journeys.

Digital experience design: ensuring emotional awareness in designers

We, the authors, are also passionate about exploring phygital experiences. We encourage our students to discover the rich possibilities of creating resonance both online and offline. In the Digital experience design course at Haaga-Helia, Marketing 5.0 provides both a framework and a challenge for innovation. It calls for a thoughtful balance between high-tech solutions and high-touch human interactions, blending digital tools with in-person and virtual interaction to create immersive and emotional experiences. The challenge is to translate this vision into concrete designs that work in practice.

During the virtual course, students get to search cases of innovative emotional design and sensory storytelling as well as to analyse models of participatory engagement. By prototyping hybrid experiences and testing them with real users, students learn to design not just for functionality, but for feelings. Their aim is to design experiences that evoke emotions, lead to positive user experiences and encourage sustainable consumption. They learn to engage all five senses that link us to our past, make us live in the moment and help us create lasting memories for the future (Rubin 2023). This aligns directly with Kotler et al.’s (2021) argument that technology must serve human needs, creating experiences that are inclusive, empathetic, and emotionally intelligent.

The course corresponds to the mission outlined by Kotler et al. (2021), as it allows students to experiment with real-life experiences and critically assess their effect on customers. This applied focus ensures that the next generation of designers are not only technologically literate but also emotionally aware.

At Haaga-Helia, our graduates build the confidence and competence to thrive in the phygital realm. The ultimate goal is not simply to prepare students to sell products, but to empower them to create experiences that inspire and matter, experiences that make us feel and connect as humans.

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