By: Deepti Verma Chhabria Co-Founder & Director, Aerome
When was the last time you stopped to smell the flowers at a nearby shop? Or walk a little slow around a bakery, basking in the glorious aroma of freshly baked bread or cinnamon buns? While you may not recall the precise moment, a mere mention of these delectable aromas can transport you back in time to when you saw some pretty flowers or spent time at a quaint café. And that’s because, for us humans, the sense of smell is one of the strongest anchors; a scent can transcend into our psyches and teleport us back in time. Thus, it hardly comes as a surprise when a growing number of brands are leveraging smell or “scent marketing” to curate multi-sensory experiences for their customers.
The Interplay of Scent & Human Psychology
The power of scent emerges as a little-known and yet plausible force to be reckoned with while influencing human psychology & buying behaviors.
Various reputed studies talk at length about the influence of scent on human psychology. Research done by Sense of Smell Institute discovered that people remember smells with 65% accuracy, even after a year. For reference, people could only recall 50% of visuals following a gap of 3 months. Research from Rockefeller University supports the same argument, claiming that people can recall 35% of what they smelt vs. only 5% of what they saw. And that’s understandable – while we live in the era of information overload, where we view tons of information via content on social media apps, TV, banners, etc – a sense of smell allows us to pause time for a little bit longer, and truly engage with the environment around us.
To that end, today’s leading brands are openly embracing scent marketing to not only influence buying decisions but also establish long associations with their customers. Nike did a study that revealed that “scented environments” led to an incredible 84% increase in “buying intent”. That’s the power of “olfactory branding” and brands, ranging from retail outlets to airlines, hospitality, automotive, and more, are all here to make the most of this future of branding & marketing.
Industry-Wide Scope of Scent Marketing
As the competition intensifies, brands today are leaving no stone unturned to grab attention and build long-lasting ties with customers. Here’s how brands from diverse industries are gearing up to leverage scent marketing for profitability and long-lasting brand associations.
- RETAIL: Scented environments are leading to customers spending more time and buying more at retail outlets. Stores like Nike, and Abercrombie & Fitch already swear by the same. Furthermore, today’s leading retail stores, shopping malls, etc are increasingly investing in ambient scenting to provide an avant-garde multi-sensory immersive experience to their prospects and consumers.
- HOSPITALITY: A growing number of hotel chains are utilizing signature scents to establish exclusivity and add a touch of rich luxury to the overall experience.
- AUTOMOTIVE: A trend not limited to only high-end luxury cars, more automotive brands today are going after distinctive fragrances to create a unique experience.
- HEALTHCARE: Tasteful ambient scenting can uplift the environment and make it more conducive for healing and rejuvenation. Thus, it hardly is a surprise when leading hospitals or healthcare providers opt for ambient scenting to make their patients feel more relaxed and comfortable.
- OFFICE SPACES & REAL ESTAE: Scents have been accredited for boosting workspace productivity. Notes of peppermint or citrus can make people feel fresh, energized, and ready to “zone in”. At the same time, scents of vanilla or cedarwood create a distinctive homely feeling. Leading players in the real estate segment are increasingly investing in ambient scenting to boost sales & overall customer gratification.
What’s Next: The Future of Scent Marketing
As the stakes rise and more brands begin to invest in scent marketing, the entire paradigm is going to evolve and undergo massive transformation. We are already witnessing a push towards sustainability in ambient scenting, crafting fragrances that are eco-friendly, biodegradable, and non-toxic. Furthermore, we also expect to see the advent of AI-driven scent systems and smart diffusion technology. While the advent of AI will certainly help create personalized customer experiences, scent marketing is also expected to be widely used in curating truly bespoke Augmented Reality & Virtual Reality experiences.
Thus, the writing on the wall is clear: scent marketing is here to stay and redefine the future of branding and marketing. As brands compete for customers’ loyalty and mindshare, the most memorable branding experiences will not only be “seen” or “heard” but also “felt”. Join the bandwagon and craft a truly unique scent for your brand!