Have you ever found yourself entering a store because it smelled really good? Or bought something because the scent reminded you of a fond memory? If you answer yes, you are not alone. You have been targeted by scent marketing.
If you have ever entered a Zara Home store, you would smell the same scent of jasmine, in each store all around the world. Likewise, Abercrombie & Fitch uses its own men’s fragrance called “Fierce”.
Nescafé Australia used 4D technology to diffuse a coffee smell in the cinema while showing an advertisement for its new Nescafé 43 Blend. The concept emphasizes the link between the smell and memories. In the ad, a father remembers his daughter’s childhood while he makes her a cup of coffee as she, now an adult, looks on.
Here is the advertisement:
And here is some of the consumer feedback received:
Scent marketing is not only used in retail. It can be used in a wide range of sectors like banking, hotels, consumer products, automobiles and even mobile network operators. The famous hotel chain Ritz Carlton prefers to use scents that match the region. They have selected the exotic resin Oud for their hotel in Doha, while in Kyoto the chain uses lemon, cardamom, cedar and jasmine, and in Washington it uses the scent of cherry blossoms. Likewise, Ford worked with a specialized sensory company and a perfumer to develop a unique scent for their brand Lincoln, which they hoped would heighten the feeling of luxury and prestige.
Scents and memories
One of the reasons why marketers are using scents for their brands is that there is strong connection between the sense of smell and memories. According to research done by Brown University, the human brain links odors and memories. While smells can trigger positive memories, it can also trigger negative memories. That is why it is important to choose the right scent to represent a given brand. The good news is that people can identify at least a trillion different smells.
Increase in sales
The main reason why scent marketing is used more and more is that it seems to be boosting sales. According to research done by Washington State University, the simple smell of orange has helped shoppers to spend 20% more in a home store in St.Gallen.
Sources:
http://www.adnews.com.au/adnews/nescafe-banks-on-4d-cinema-to-evoke-memories-in-australian-first
https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/brain-babble/201501/smells-ring-bells-how-smell-triggers-memories-and-emotions
http://www.brainfacts.org/sensing-thinking-behaving/senses-and-perception/articles/2015/making-sense-of-scents-smell-and-the-brain/
https://news.wsu.edu/2012/11/26/wsu-researchers-tie-simple-scent-to-increased-retail-sales/
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2015-09-18/scent-branding-101-why-do-fancy-hotels-use-such-powerful-fragances-
http://adage.com/article/cmo-strategy/smell-money-marketers-sell-scent/296084/
Photo credit: monicore, via Pixabay, CC0 Public Domain
