The nose knows

The nose knows
Scent marketing creates an olfactory in-store experience

By Jessie Bove, Associate Editor
November 01, 2007

Stuart Miles, Dreamstime.com

Studies have shown that smell is the sense closest linked to memory. This powerful connection is evident to anyone who has experienced the instant flood of vivid memories and emotions that can accompany certain scents—and a quick whiff is often all it takes. In fact, memory recall triggered by smell is 10 times more powerful than that triggered by sight, and it is said that 75 percent of emotions we generate on a daily basis are affected by smell. Essentially, scent has the power to impact how we perceive our experiences—and that includes our shopping experiences. A slew of scent marketing companies, such as Air Aroma, DMX, Prolitec, ScentAndrea and ScentAir, are tuned in to this sensory connection and are helping retailers enhance their in-store environments through the power of smell.

Traditional retail marketing usually targets sight, sound and sometimes touch. "Consumers are demonstrating a desire for a more multidimensional shopping experience to include smell," says Mike Demet, national sales manager for Milwaukee-based Prolitec Inc. "When done correctly, inclusion of the appropriate scent can be a powerful influencer during interaction with a brand." Prolitec, which is currently planning scent marketing installations for a high-end women's lingerie brand and a teenage clothing store, installed scent delivery systems in the Diane Von Furstenberg flagship in Manhattan. In hopes of enhancing the customer's overall shopping experience and increasing sales, Diane Von Furstenberg called on Prolitec to diffuse the pure oil of its fine fragrance "D Eau de Parfum" throughout the store, as well as through a direct delivery system installed under the canopy outside. Prolitec, which can also create signature scents, installed two types of delivery systems at the Diane Von Furstenberg store—one that releases scent via the HVAC duct network and one that diffuses directly into a targeted space. Each unit contains replaceable fragrance cartridges and is driven by an onboard computer, which allows for the level of the fragrance diffusion to be adjusted at certain times of the day.

Unlike scent distribution methods that use aerosols or evaporation techniques, the delivery system developed by Prolitec reproduces the actual fragrance in low concentrations, using no heat and transforming the liquids into a plume of dry micron-sized (about 1/50th of a human hair) droplets that behave like a gas and diffuse quickly in the air. The technology does not leave residue on surfaces or clothing, and is said to not aggravate allergies. The Prolitec droplet also is delivered into the air without the use of VOCs (volatile organic compounds) as propellants. Prolitec also offers a delivery system that can be mounted into the track lighting of a store, which allows the appliance to be placed anywhere in the store, not just around the perimeter or inside a display. Additionally, it is powered by the lights every day, allowing the user to turn the appliance on and off with the lights and conserving scent when the store is closed.

Scent marketing company ScentAndrea LLC, Santa Barbara, Calif., used chocolate-scented strips in displays at Verizon Wireless stores for the launch of the phone dubbed "Chocolate." The firm is about to start a test with Albertsons, which will be an academic project with the University of Louisiana, says Carmine Santandrea, CEO of ScentAndrea.

Air Aroma International Pty. Ltd., Melbourne, Australia, recently installed a scent diffusion system in one of Australian fashion label Pilgrim's stores. The system diffuses a custom scent—an earthy, soft and feminine fragrance—using cold air diffusion technology. The programmable Ecoscent diffuser is installed at the storefront and has received such positive customer feedback that Pilgrim plans to roll out the scenting program to more of its stores.

Charlotte, N.C.-based ScentAir Technologies Inc., which diffuses retailer fragrances as well as custom-made scents, has been involved in scent marketing rollouts with several well-known retailers, whose names could not be released at press time since they are still in the testing phases. Retailers experimenting with the scent technology include multiple apparel chains and sportswear and equipment companies. The scent marketing campaigns involve everything from product launches to overall in-store atmospheres.

Ambient scenting can create a positive mood by livening up sales areas, reducing perceived wait times and building brand recall, which translates into future sales, Demet says.