'Scent Marketing'....sniffing out a good idea.

If you have been walking down the high street, or waiting for a bus recently and suddenly felt an overwhelming urge for a bacon roll or a gasping sensation for a cup of coffee, you may have been subject to a new advertising craze - 'Scent Marketing'

The aptly named marketing technique works by allowing Brands to stimulate their potential customers sense of smell to try to lure them into their venue and tempt them to make a purchase. 

Although this may seem like a new-fangled technique, it's actually been around for years, in a more rudimentary form. For years, estate agents have warmed up fresh bread in the oven to create a homely atmosphere, and boutique owners have perfumed the air with flowery (expensive) welcoming scents.

'Mood Media', a company which provide 'smell stimulation' as one of their marketing services has this to say: "The feelings of well being and harmony that are generated from the fragrances we encounter make us react without thinking, subtly altering our perception of time, and majorly influence our experience"."

Some well known companies have been using 'Scent Marketing' as part of their major marketing campaigns, to great success. 

Greggs 'Taste Rescue'

Greggs serves up £1 million campaign including 'smelly bus stops' to promote breakfast and coffee. The bus stops radiate the scent of coffee + freshly cooked bacon.


McCain 'New - Oven baked potato in 5 minutes'

Potato maker McCain has unveiled its latest advert and is set to make commuters' mouths water with its 'scratch and sniff' concept - where the ads literally smell like freshly baked potatoes.




California Milk Processor Board - 'Got milk?'

In 2006, California's Milk Processor Board launched a series of "Got Milk?" billboards in San Francisco's bus shelters. The ads were typical except for their scent -- the sweet smell of chocolate chip cookies.

Wagg - 'Not to be sniffed at'

In a bid to get pooches’ tails wagging, North Yorkshire-based Wagg Foods has developed the first dog food advert that smells of its product’s meaty goodness.

Instead of just food companies using this new marketing technique, I think there are some great opportunities available for other brands. 

Holiday companies could use advertisements that give off the smell of sun tan lotion / coconuts as I know myself whenever I smell anything like that, it always makes me think about setting off! 

Also, maybe the most obvious one, but perfume / aftershave companies could have adverts that smell of the actual product they are trying to sell. Surely if someone can smell what's in the bottle, It's more likely to catch their attention and they are more likely to buy it...

I think if done correctly, 'Scent marketing' can be part of a successful campaign, and if it doesn't directly result in sales, it will at least generate a heck of a lot of PR coverage. 

Have you sniffed out any great 'Scent marketing' campaigns? Let me know!

Thanks for reading,

Melissa x

Follow @_Melissa247