Scent marketing is the strategic use of pleasant odours to influence consumer behaviour. And while this may seem like a relatively recent innovation, it actually dates back centuries. Scent has long been used to entice customers to buy.
Join Scent.ology on a walk through the history of scent usage and olfactory branding as a marketing tool.
Masking Unpleasant Odours
In the earliest days of rudimentary marketing practices, pleasant scents were used to mask the unpleasant ones. Merchants were all too aware of unpleasant smells like body odour, less-than-fresh food, and poor sanitation in marketplaces.
They would often burn aromatic herbs and spices to create a more pleasing shopping experience for their customers. This practice laid the foundation for something that would eventually become a powerful marketing tool.
Fragrances in the Industrial Revolution
The Industrial Revolution was a time of great innovation. Advancements in chemistry led to the discovery and development of synthetic fragrances. This innovation enabled the mass production of perfumes and colognes and made them accessible to a wider audience.
Soon, these new fragrances were being incorporated into other products, like soap and household cleaning products. At this stage, scent marketing was about the discovery that customers would prefer a product with a pleasing smell to one with a bland or non-existent fragrance. Customers would also pick a product with a familiar fragrance over one that was unknown.
Scent Delivery New and Improved
In the twentieth century, scent delivery became more sophisticated with the innovation of diffusers. These handy devices deliver precise amounts of fragrance, allowing for control over the intensity and distribution of a scent in a specific environment. Retail shops, hotels, and other commercial spaces began to recognise the power of scent to create pleasant experiences and influence customer behaviour.
Scent.ology’s Role In The Digital Age
Today, scent marking has become a signature of the digital age. Technological advances in scent distribution mean that businesses can explore different ways to interact with their customers (and potential customers) through scent.
As this marketing tool grows in popularity, we can expect to see it being used in more sophisticated, personalised and innovative ways in the future.
Contact Scent.ology today to find out how to harness this powerful tool in your marketing campaign. As a pioneering scent branding and marketing company, we pride ourselves on crafting olfactory identities that leave a lasting impression.