Scent Marketing – How to Use Fragrance to Enhance Customer Experience and Increase Brand Recognition

Duftmarketing is the use of fragrance to enhance customer experience and increase brand recognition. A well-executed scent marketing strategy forges a deeper connection with customers, encouraging them to stay longer and spend more.

Scent Marketing

We are all familiar with the smells associated with particular brands, be it the woodiness of a Rolls Royce, the floral freshness of a Holiday Inn or the signature scent of a luxury hotel. These olfactory connections are created by scent marketing, a popular trend in the world of retail and brand building.

When a person encounters a certain scent, their brain releases neurotransmitters that recall memories and emotions. These associations are incredibly powerful, especially when they are triggered by multiple senses. Using this knowledge, businesses are able to form an instant connection with consumers through the use of unique and distinctive scents.

The concept is not new: bakeries and perfumeries have been pumping out their signature smells since the beginning of retail. What is different today, however, is the scale of the practice. It is now used by retailers, hotels, casinos and even hospitals to create a distinct customer experience.

Think of it as a more sophisticated version of olfactory branding – where instead of the musty smells of hospital corridors or the body odours of changing rooms in gyms and workplaces, you can now elicit a positive, desirable smell that aligns with your brand image. The impact is immediate and long-lasting: studies show that we can recall a scent with 65 percent accuracy within 12 months.