Scent Marketing Blog

An Australian newspaper, News Limited mX, launched a scent offering to its advertisers on Valentines day by applying the scent of rose.
The rose scent is accomplished by adding a scented ink to the standard cyan, magenta and yellow inks, together with black give the paper its colour. The concentration of the scent is less than 5% of the total, therefore the smell doesn’t become too overpowering for readers. The newspaper is hoping to attract various advertisers such as Starbucks, Virgin Mobile, Colgate.

With the world being taken over by wireless gadgets of all kinds, Air Aroma has developed the worlds first wireless scenting solution, Arologic.
Giving the ability to activate a scent, adjust the intensity as well as change the aroma itself, all from a central remote access point.
Keep your sense of smell on high alert in the third quarter of 2008, when Air Aroma releases Arologic upon the world.
www.air-aroma.com

The other day I was in a clothing store that was scenting in their changerooms. Despite the fact I didn’t like the particular sweet scent they were diffusing, I thought this was a great idea. I’m often hot and flustered trying on clothes – a pleasant, soothing scent can work wonders – and make the whole process more easy to tolerate. It made me think about places in my life that could be made so much nicer through the use of scent, turning an average into a more pleasant one.

Near the top of my list are banks! They should think about scenting their customer service areas to create a more relaxing mood while you wait in long lines! But possibly one of the most painful experiences on all of the senses, which I regularly subject myself to, is traveling in taxis. If the taxi itself doesn’t stink, it’s usually the driver – it’s a lose/lose situation. I’m not suggesting we need overly fragranced cabs, just odourless! Now that would certainly stand out in the market. Differentiation has never been so easy.

I have so many questions about scent marketing. Why don’t we see more examples of scent marketing? Or is it that we are simply oblivious to the scent marketing happening in our every day lives? And why does the market seem to be so strongly opposed to this strategy? Is it really some sinister, underground marketing conspiracy that we need to be protected from? Are we simply control freaks – trying to control the way we are marketed to?

No junk mail signs, anti-spam protectors, no telemarketing calls… just how much of the marketing environment can we control? And since when do we get a say about how we are marketed to?

On the issue of ‘personal scent marketing’ (surely that’s what it is when I wear a fragrance?) -  I’m all for making myself smell more attractive by using fragrance. I guess it all depends which fragrance I choose to wear as to how attractive I am to others… it’s a very personal thing.  There are so many perfumes that instantly remind me of friends – and even specific experiences. It’s a powerful pull on memory.  However, I have a friend who works for a big corporate in the US and they’ve been talking about introducing a ‘scent-free’ workplace. Quite frankly, I think that’s the most absurd workplace rule I’ve heard in a long time. Surely it’s just taking things too far!? Does that mean you can’t wear deodorant???  And how on earth do they plan to monitor such a rule? I’d love to hear what other people think about this.

Scent marketing doesn’t have to be complex. Even the most subtle aroma can act as a scent marketing strategy, envoking emotions and triggering memories. One of my favourite restaurants always has a big bunch of lilies at the entrance. Without fail, every time I smell lilies, I think of The Graham in Port Melbourne – and what I’m going to eat next time I’m there!  The last time I went there, they had no lilies…  so it would seem this isn’t part of a greater scent marketing strategy.

I read on Bloomberg recently that the World Economic Forum employed a famous chemist and perfumist - Christophe Laudameil - to create a signature scent to release at the conference to enhance the mood when they were discussing such serious matters. I think the use of scent at events – like weddings, themed parties and the like is really clever and effective, but I’m utterly intrigued by the decision to scent at WEF - such a powerful gathering of world leaders. I’m very interested to understand how scent impacts an event like this. If it’s a pleasant smell, do you even notice? Whereas if it’s a bad smell, you always notice.