Lead By The Nose: It’s Time to Embrace Scent Advertising

One of the most potent tools of subconscious influence lurks right under our noses, boasting a near-magical ability to conjure up desire for distant products and open up our wallets. Yes, marketers should consider a foray into the fragrant world of scent advertising.

One of the latest scent-marketing stunts to go viral has been brands releasing scented face masks – Hormel and Jack in the Box debuted sets featuring the aromas of Black Label Bacon and The Unchicken Sandwich respectively, a development The Washington Post drolly noted as a sign of the times. Here’s why research says it’s a brilliant move

 

Printed Scents Hit Close To Home

The 2020 research paper Designed to S(m)ell demonstrated that, upon smelling scented print ads, subjects rate the advertised products as feeling physically closer, a testament to scents’ ability to convey the “essence” of a product in a visceral way. This scent-proximity phenomenon confers a sense of ownership, which those familiar with the endowment effect won’t be surprised to learn influenced a higher willingness to pay in the individuals exposed to scented ads. Even more wildly, it was found that ads with distinctively unpleasant smells can still boost the appeal of the product they’re advertising; in research, the liking induced by the scent-proximity effect was apparent in medical tincture ads that reeked of turpentine as well as fish-scented ads for prank candles. So if you’re hawking something a little more on the pungent side, don’t be afraid to stink it up a little.

There are a few critical guardrails to get the maximum effect out of your printed aroma initiatives.

First, the scent has to match the advertised product. Vanilla scented ads help sell candles, cookies, lotion, and other goods that commonly smell of vanilla – marketing Easter candies with floral scents instead of chocolate, not so much. The benefits of that scent has on product evaluation mostly evaporate when paired with an unrelated object.

Second, keep your scented marketing away from the real deal. One interesting discovery from the study is that having the product itself nearby actually reduces the proximity effect of scented ads. It turns out that smelling literal molecules of the product in your nose is a more intimate product experience than seeing it, even at a short distance. Thus, scented advertisements are best kept separate from their tangible counterparts – such as having a scented product display for an item only available online, or elsewhere in the store.

 

Ambient Aromas Amp Up Sales

If you’re debating whether it’s worth adding fragrance to a retail environment, the science says it’s better to err on the side of piping it in. A meta-study of 671 effects from ambient scent experiments concluded that the presence of an ambient scent leads to a 3% increase in spending in the average setting, sliding up to a 23% increase in the most favorable conditions. On the other nostril, the very worst scent alignment can result in a 17% spending drop, so thoughtfulness in selecting your aroma profile is key. Very similar results were found for lingering time in stores with ambient scents as well, which translates to extra time to eke out a few marginal sales dollars. It validates a fair bit of the work done by brands such as Hyatt, whose signature blueberry-vanilla aroma “Seamless” has improved memorability for guests, and Dunkin’s “Flavor Radio” activation which wreathed Seoul bus riders with coffee smells during its radio ads to drive a 16% traffic increase. The research in the Journal of Marketing paper The Cool Scent of Power established that warm scents (e.g. cinnamon, vanilla) make people feel more crowded and consequently likelier to seek distinction with prestige purchases, multi-item buys, and higher overall spending associated with “cooler” psychological states, making warmth a good north star if profit is the target. Conversely, cool scents – like peppermint during holiday sales –  might amplify the desire for warmer, more communally focused brands.A few important rules of thumb can help shape any ambient scent approaches. In terms of “where”, research indicates that service businesses benefit most from scents, as environment plays a greater role given their primarily intangible exchange. Companies whose clientele is skewed slightly more female should weigh using scents as well since scents exhibit a slightly greater impact on women. The final consideration is a matter of blending – scents and in-store music have to play nice. Combining slow-tempo music with a lively odor like citrus actually causes spending to drop by 40%, so it’s vital to ensure that the DJ and the SJ (Smell Jockey) share a common playlist.

 

Show-and-Smell

Not every campaign is at liberty to physically expose consumers to scents, but powerful results can still be achieved with nary a drop of fragrance. Look to the mischievous “Farting Fruit” campaign of Newell Brands’ Mr. Sketch scented markers, which increased brand awareness by 122% and quadrupled market share by playing to the sensory curiosity kindled in us by new smells. Or Airwick’s tearjerker, the “Home is in the air” campaign, which showcased a family’s journey to send the signature smells of home to their deployed father, while also delivering standout growth in a crowded category. Hitting the right olfactory button can be as simple as creating an evocative product label; one experiment proved that just including “olfactory congruent” language on food packages images, words, and sounds – like vanilla flower or cinnamon roll – sharply increases taste perception during consumption and desirability after the fact.

 

At this point, the accumulated body of knowledge makes it clear that for brands who pass the consumer smell test, the sky’s the limit.

 

Photo by Mark Olsen on Unsplash