Smell is uniquely connected to the brain in ways that our other senses are not. As a result, our sense of smell can be responsible for as much as 75% of our emotional state and ability to recall experiences.
Well-documented research shows the close link between smell and its influence on memory, emotions, and behaviour. It can be used to the scent marketer’s advantage when rolling out a perfume branding strategy.
Let’s take a brief look at how you can use scent marketing to influence your customers by understanding what goes on in their brains when they smell something.
Emotions
The olfactory system is closely connected to the limbic system. This part of the brain is where emotions are formed and is intricately linked to the formation of memories as well. As a result, smelling something relays information directly into the limbic system and can trigger immediate and highly memorable emotional responses.
The part of the brain responsible for dealing with this information is the amygdala and hippocampus, which process emotional responses on an automatic and even subconscious manner. This makes scent marketing powerful in that it can directly bypass the conscious mind and directly influence the subconscious.
Memory
As mentioned, the sense of smell is particularly powerful in the way that it can trigger memory recall by associating scents with specific experiences. Using smell, it is fairly easy to create a nostalgic and vivid memory closely linked to an emotional experience as well.
The proximity of the olfactory bulb to the brain’s hippocampus means that smell is closely linked to the forming and storing of memories. The connection between the brain’s ability to store memories and process smells can lead to profoundly impactful nostalgic and emotional experiences stemming simply from an aroma.
Behaviour
The impact that smell has on emotions and memories can have a significant influence on a person’s behaviour. A carefully chosen scent may cause the shopper’s subconscious to be activated, which can then trigger memories and feelings that cause them to desire particular items.
Aside from enticing shoppers with pleasing smells that might make them want to buy something in the moment, aromas can also be used to create powerful and positive brand associations. These can lead the customer to develop positive emotional memories about their interaction with your store and the products that you sell. This can enhance the perception of your shop in their minds in the future, making them want to return and linger, thereby boosting your bottom line.
The beauty of all of this is that it is mostly subconscious, and the shopper might not even be fully conscious of why they have such strong positive emotions associated with your particular brand.
Take advantage of the power of perfume branding for your business. Contact us at Scent.ology today to get everything you need for your scent marketing strategy.
