Choosing the Right Scent

You wowed them with your sales presentation and convinced them of the effectiveness of scent marketing by showing them the relevant research. Your prices are within budget and the client is ready to implement a scent strategy. One of the key factors in the success of their program is the implementation.

Pleasant - Research has shown that people react positively to scents that they find pleasant, and negatively to unpleasant smells. So, look for smells that are widely accepted as pleasant such as vanilla, citrus, freshly cut grass, linen, ocean and lavender. Think about doing a small “sniff test” to determine if your customers like the suggested scent.

Nostalgic – Because the sense of smell is connected directly to the memory center of the brain, smells evoke certain memories. In a study comparing recall related to the senses, researchers found that smell brought forth the subjects’ strongest memories, more positive emotional association with the memories and earlier memories than either sight or hearing. Nostalgic scents might include pipe tobacco, leather, freshly cut grass, baking bread, and the perfume of a loved one. Nostalgic scents make people feel comfortable and happy.

Gender specific – In a much-cited study on the use of scent to boost retail sales, researchers diffused a vanilla scent in the women’s department of a clothing store and rose maroc into the men’s department. Sales on the scented days almost doubled compared to unscented days, but when the scents were switched, sales actually decreased.

Cultural – Different cultures have different scent preferences, many of them related to the smells of their natural surroundings and foods. For example, Indonesians tend to prefer fragrances with adehydic notes, which are present in spices used in the area’s food. Americans associate musk with sexuality, but in France, it is a common scent in baby products. Cultural differences also affect group’s affinity with fragrance in general. A study by Yankelovich Partners for Heart & Soul found that African American women are more than twice as likely as those of other races to buy fragrance, and 75% of them buy muliple scents to be worn on different occasions. Hispanic women are also big fragrance buyers, as wearing perfume is considered to contribute to both their cleanliness and femininity.[1]

Congruent – In a study of scent use in a grocery store, scents that customers perceived as “going with” the product increased sales (baked bread smell in the bakery section, strawberries in the produce section), but incongruent scents depressed sales.

Intensity – Many marketers consciously choose a low intensity for their scent because they want the effects to be subliminal. A study done in a shopping center with a low intensity citrus scent noted that while the scent was noticed by very few shoppers, the average amount of money spent increase by $55 per person on scented days versus unscented. Others are concerned about triggering backlash such as pickets of Abercrombie & Fitch saying that their scent dispersal was too intense and “unhealthy” for the employees.

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[1] “Marketing Fragrance to Minorities is Lucrative But Not Specialized”, Minority Markets Alert, October 1998