It All Makes Scents to US Retailers, Hotel Chains and Even the Military

By Jocelyne Zablit
Agence France Presse
November 17, 2006

From the soothing aroma of mom's apple pie to the reek of vomit or dinosaur dung, US marketers have sniffed out a new way to push their wares --fragrance.

Real estate agents are using it to sell homes, retailers are using it to entice customers, and the US military is using it for wargames.

"Any place that really cares about a customer's experience is looking into this," said David Van Epps, chief executive officer of ScentAir, one of several firms that design aromas for retail settings or special events.

"Of all the things that influence your mood and emotion and memory, fragrance is the powerhouse, more so than any of our other senses," he told AFP.

His company's clients include Sony, the Starwood Hotels chain that owns Westin and Sheraton hotels, Bloomingdale's department store, museums and US military contractors.

Sony sought out ScentAir last year for an aroma to woo female shoppers that may shy away from spending too much time at its electronics stores.

We worked with them for six months and came up with a scent that has notes of mandarin origin, vanilla and cedar," Van Epps said. "It all blends together to create a very harmonious fragrance."

Sony now spritzes the scent at its stores nationwide and even in its shopping bags in hope that customers will begin identifying the smell with the brand.

Van Epps said his company has so far catalogued nearly 1,500 aromas, including "dinosaur breath and dinosaur dung", which were created for a museum exhibit, "vomit", which was used by a theme park for a Halloween event, and "open sewers", which is used in combat training to desensitize soldiers who may face unpleasant situations.

ScentAir has also worked with the military to create the smell of airplane fuel, burning electrical wires and gunpowder for simulation training.

Real estate companies and home builders for their part seek out soothing and welcoming scents such as vanilla, apple pie or chocolate chip cookies to create a homey atmosphere for prospective buyers.

Custom blends cost between 5,000 and 25,000 dollars. Retailers are then usually charged 100 dollars a month for the small device that diffuses the aroma and for refills.

Van Epps said his company's scents have proven such a hit in the last two years that customers can now buy them off the rack.

Mary-Ellen Lapsansky, executive director of the New York-based Fragrance Foundation, said the market for environmental fragrance has really taken off in the last two years and is set to grow even further.

She said some companies, for example, pump peppermint scent into the workspace to energize employees. Vanilla scent has proven to be a soothing aroma and cherry scent, according to one study, makes people happy.

"It has been proven scientifically that fragrance does have an effect on one's mood," Lapsansky told AFP. "Stores that have used scent feel that consumers were inclined to linger longer in the aisles and therefore to purchase.

"So I guess it's whatever it takes."

ScentAir Technologies Inc, founded in 2000, is the leading provider of aroma marketing solutions for brands and retailers. ScentAir enables businesses to create a unique in-store experience by engaging memory and emotions through patented scent delivery systems. Proven to enhance the appeal of any environment, these pioneering scent machines can be customized to reflect even the most challenging environment or brand. ScentAir is a privately held company located in Charlotte, NC.

For additional information contact Murray Dameron at 704-504-2320.