Scent marketing is often mistaken as a modern phenomenon, but it has been around for a while. Since the dawn of man, fragrances have played a very important role in helping us determine good from bad and signalling safety or danger.
Let us take a look at how our sense of smell works and why it is so powerful.
The Olfactory System And The Brain
Every time you smell something, a complicated set of processes occur between your nose and your brain, the effects of which can be intoxicating and which can deeply impact your mood, your emotions and your decision-making capability.
Millions of sensory neurons are located at the back of the nose in the olfactory epithelium, a strip of tissue containing receptors. The receptors in this tissue bind odour molecules and unlock the information inside so that your brain can interpret them as smells. What we interpret as a single smell is often actually a complex combination of numerous different odour molecules interacting with several different receptors, causing a complex and intricate code of the neural variety that results in our brains being able to interpret the smell as a specific identifiable thing.
Smells are interpreted through a portion of the brain called the olfactory bulb, which is situated near the front of the brain and distributes information to the rest of the body. Smells and odours are directly processed en route to the limbic system, which includes the amygdala and the hippocampus, which directly relate to memory and emotions.
Memory And Emotion
It is for this reason that olfactory information plays a big role in impacting emotions and memories. Memories, emotions and smells are intricately intertwined and, therefore, should be treated as though they are mutually inclusive.
Because of the way smells are processed by our brains, our sense of smell can be incredibly evocative and have a large impact on a person’s behaviour.
For centuries, individuals, businesses and even entire kingdoms – such as that of Cleopatra, for example – have used the olfactory sense to gain a significant advantage in the hearts and minds of people.
In modern times, olfactory branding or scent marketing is an advanced science that is well-researched and has been proven many times over to have a demonstrable impact on consumer behaviour. Pleasant smells can have a significant effect on the way customers perceive a brand, a shop or any other space with which the smell can be associated.
It is for this reason that we believe that scent diffusion technology, when combined with well-researched and carefully concocted aroma blends, can achieve significantly positive effects when it comes to customers and sales success.
At Scent.ology, we use scent marketing tactics to deeply impact the hearts and minds of customers and clients. Through the use of our fragrance oils and diffusers in South Africa, we can ensure that your home or business stands out and is remembered fondly. Contact us today for more information and to place your order.
