Australian Bank Banishes Stuffy Atmosphere

National Australia Bank has opened a new branch location featuring free Wi-fi, iPad stations, a children's area and olfactory branding. They are planning to open another four similar locations in the first half of 2012.

Scent, and indeed, most sensory strategies are slow to come to the mostly conservative banking and financial industry, but NAB is one of a few who are proactively improving their customers' sensory experience in their branch locations.

The company worked with designer Warren and Mahoney, who worked with them to do an analysis of the best retailers worldwide and incorporate research on the science of shopping. The idea was that the bank needed to compete effectively not only with other banks but also with other retail stores for the customers' time.

NAB has chosen a Persian lime and grapefruit scent," and was chosen to align with the brand's personality. According to Steve Mott with BetterBuyDesign consulting firm, "only a small number of U.S. banks have the kind of customer-centric retail approach for which a multi-sensory strategy wouldn't feel out of place."

Maybe that is why they are having such trouble...

British Airways to Fly High With Signature Scent

British Airways has announced that it will be using scent branding on its flights to "improve the experience on board [their] aircraft," according to a statement from the airline. In addition to making the flight more enjoyable, the signature scent is meant to stimulate passengers' recollection of their positive experience on BA. The scent is part of British Airways' new marketing campaign, "Making Flying Special."

BA has been interested in scent for a long time. In 2008, their travel site High Life featured an article called Scents of Destination, about wearing personal fragrance in different locations. In fact, since at 1999, British Airways has been scenting its business class lounge at Heathrow Airport with the smell of freshly cut grass and the ocean. BA was also a sponsor of the Fragrance Foundation's 2011 Jasmine Awards. It was only natural for them to take the leap into in cabin scent marketing.

British Airways is not the first airline to use scent on its flights. Singapore Airlines has been doing so for the past 18 years. Their signature scent, Stefan Floridian Waters, is delivered via fragrant hot towels given to passengers as well as in the perfume worn by flight attendants. Along with other components of their strategy, Singapore Airlines' scent marketing has helped them build one of the strongest and most distinctive brands in commercial aviation.

Using Scent in Advertising - Mitsubishi Case Study