Tuesday, March 24, 2015

Scent: Better Branding Right Under Your Nose

We have all known persons who could be identified by a particular smell - hopefully a good one based on perfume or cologne. We have also all felt our emotions stirred by the faint smell that reminds us of someone or something we love. But have you ever thought about the smell of mundane objects such as scotch tape? a pencil? or new shoes? Each smell is unlike anything else and provides clues about subtle ways scent can be used to manage brand identity.

Smell is arguably the strongest of the senses, yet scent is an oft-neglected tool for providing consumers with engaging and emotional experiences. Much research reveals that odor has the potential to evoke our emotions with more potency than any other senses. Your customer's nose is actually a direct link to their memories and emotions awaiting your stimulation. 

According to Gail Vance Civille from Sensory Spectrum in Chatham, New Jersey "Everybody tells you they hate scented products. They lie. People love scented products and will choose them over other products. People will give scented products other positive attributes based solely on their smell. You can give someone two identical paper towels, the only difference being one is scented, and he or she will tell you the scented one is softer."

Fragrances may be one of the oldest marketing techniques around. Open-air vendors have used burning incense to lure passing traffic over to their wares since ancient times. Today many commercial spaces have jumped on the scent bandwagon, experimenting with branded scent, such as the Massachusetts-based Jordan's Furniture, that uses scents such as bubble gum in the children's section and the smell of pine in the country-style section. They reported a substantial increase in sales since scent was brought into their marketing plan. 

With systems available that can restrict a smell to within eighteen inches of the point of sale, including scent in to your strategy can be highly targeted. According to Alan R. Hirsch, founder of the Smell & Taste Treatment and Research Foundation, "If you're looking to increase sales, the best approach is an appeal based on the emotions, and the quickest way to reach the emotions is through smells." Hirsch also said that clients have seen their profits jump as much as 40 percent by using branded scents. 



Contact SEED Branding Studio to find out how to incorporate scent into your brand experience strategy 
305.454.4106 or visit seedbrandingstudio.com today. 

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