Scent Branding

The use of scent was covered nicely in the current Business Week. I have mentioned a number of times our work in the innovation centers installing, testing and measuring the effect of using scent in retail. It's a powerful way to establish context in retail spaces. It works. It is an effective non-conscious trigger. Yet by its very nature it is harder to deliver and control. Particularly intriguing now is the ability to measure scent augmented conditions using neoromarketing biometric measures. Many more posts on scent here.

The article is good because it further outlines a number of current retail applications of scent to define brands in contest. It also describes new programs in using scent as a strong element of design, beyond the fragrance world. Parsons New School for Design in NYC has launched a Masters degree which includes olfaction in design.

Related post by Roger Dooley in his Neuromarketing blog and in Mind Hacks. Also notable is the work by Martin Lindstrom in using branded scent and work by Russell Brumfield. Both of these practitioners have implemented some very persuasive applications in this area.

I continue to follow.