Why marketers need to create a stink

Did you know that smell is the sense most connected to memory? It’s something that has intrigued marketers for some time. But until recently it has been seen more as a gimmick than a serious marketing tool. However, it’s increasingly being viewed as an effective way to create more immersive brand experiences, thanks to developments in scent technology.

Scent marketing has already been used with some success in packaging and in the automotive sector. Samsung, for example, has created a particularly distinctive and comforting smell that is emitted when someone opens the box that holds their new phone. Meanwhile, car manufacturers have used the technique to develop the ‘new car’ smell – so when you get into a new car for the first time, that wonderful aroma is likely to be less about the interior materials, and more a scent that has been specifically crafted for the experience.

Aroma therapy

One of the most well known examples is fashion retailer Abercombie and Fitch, which scents its stores with a particularly strong, exotic aroma. Although it isn’t to everyone’s taste, it certainly differentiates the brand.

We used smell successfully last year as a key part of the launch of a new luxury jet for Bombardier. It was used to replicate the aroma passengers would encounter within the new plane, as part of a life-size immersive experience.

The aim in these cases is to engender a unique positive feeling among consumers when they encounter certain brands in certain situations, which they will then associate with the brands in the future, deepening engagement and generating trust and loyalty. I’m interested in how it could be used not just to deepen an experience, but to actually influence behaviour.

I discussed this recently with creative technologies company, Nock. Among other things, it’s a scent technologist. Nock has an in-house ‘nose’ that curates various scents, building a range of smells for companies to choose from.

Making scents

For example, if you were doing a promotion around Wimbledon, and wanted a smell that would help connect people more deeply to the event, Nock can supply relevant scents, such as the odour of tennis balls – seriously, it has four different ones to choose from.

Likewise, if you were replicating a domestic scene on a trade show stand, you could buy scents such as freshly brewed coffee, or cooking smells to add authenticity and interest.

And yes, certain smells are known to heighten certain responses. Here’s how a few common scents can affect your target audience, courtesy of Nock:

Talcum powder – safe, secure, nostalgic

Peppermint or citrus – more alert

Lavender, vanilla, chamomile – relaxed

Apple and cucumber – perceive the room to be bigger

Floral – increasing browse time

This ‘science of scent’ has so much potential within live event marketing to encourage visitors to be more receptive and open to engagement. The technique could also be used beyond the live event in the follow-up process, for example by sending out a post-show mailer carrying the same scent as the exhibition stand or product launch to encourage opening and response.

Using the same fragrance in satellite events, or the reception areas of the business premises of companies will trigger the attendee memory once again, reinforcing a feeling of familiarity, comfort and trust.

Scent marketing certainly has more than a whiff of experiential potential!

By Jane Baker, Commercial Director at 2Heads