Scent Marketing Success: Step 2 Of 10

Guest AuthorAugust 15, 20081 min

2) Define your brands “Whiff Factor”

In the context of multi-sensory marketing, audio and visual stimuli combined account for 87% of a brand’s communication with the consumer. The next best option is to exploit the olfactory properties of your product. Touch and taste, the remaining two senses, apply to an even lesser degree to most brands and products.

Think about what you already have included in your marketing plan and a scent marketing consultant will be able to explain (and execute) how you can use scent to enhance your:

•    Marketing collateral (business cards, stationary, brochures)
•    Promotional items
•    Promotional events & trade shows
•    Affinity cards/credit cards
•    Gift certificates/redemption programs
•    Print advertising/banners/signage
•    Point of Purchase displays/in-store displays/digital signage
•    Product manufacturing
•    Product packaging
•    Environments (retail space/lobbies/offices/waiting rooms)

If you have a product with a scent (think Starbucks) you may already cover some of those areas but in many cases there is much more left that you can do to maximize consumer impact through scent. If your product does not inherently have a scent a carefully designed signature scent may be a key differentiating opportunity in your category.

I’ll explore how to create a signature scent in step 3 here on BSI.

Contributed to Branding Strategy Insider by: Harald Vogt

The Blake Project Can Help: Accelerate Brand Growth Through Powerful Emotional Connections

Branding Strategy Insider is a service of The Blake Project: A strategic brand consultancy specializing in Brand Research, Brand Strategy, Brand Licensing and Brand Education

FREE Publications And Resources For Marketers

Guest Author

One comment

  • Michelle

    August 22, 2008 at 12:46 am

    I never realized how important scent could be to a marketing strategy. Obviously it is important for products like perfume, but now I see how it could really add to any business; for example, a doctor’s office having a clean, fresh fragrance might increase patients’ confidence in the doctor, while a dingy smell in the waiting room would deter patients. Great advice!

Comments are closed.

Connect With Us