Color lightness as a sensory marketing cue: implications for guest decision-making

Purpose The comfort of sleep-related hotel amenities plays a critical role in shaping guests’ perceptions and booking intentions. Although prior research suggests that color lightness influences perceived comfort, existing studies have primarily focused on manufactured goods. Given the fundamental differences between goods and hospitality services, this study aims to examine how bedding color lightness influences hotel guests’ perceptions and behavioral intentions in the service context. Design/methodology/approach Drawing on Accessibility-Diagnosticity Theory, this research uses one pretest and two experiments to examine the effects of bedding color lightness on perceived comfort, brand image and willingness to pay, as well as the underlying mechanism explaining the relationship between color lightness and willingness to pay. Findings Compared with light-colored bedding, dark-colored bedding significantly enhances perceived comfort, brand image and willingness to pay. Brand image and perceived comfort serially mediate the relationship between color lightness and willingness to pay. Research limitations/implications Color lightness serves as an accessible and diagnostic cue shaping consumer responses. The findings provide practical insights into how hotel businesses can leverage color lightness in bedding design and visual marketing communication to enhance guests’ perceptions and behavioral intentions. Originality/value Prior research in manufacturing contexts suggests a direct association between light colors and perceived comfort. However, this study shows that, in hospitality settings, darker colors can enhance perceived comfort, as experiential comfort is shaped through brand-level perceptions. Such critical insights highlight how the underlying mechanism of color lightness operates differently in service contexts, reflecting the unique characteristics of hospitality settings.