Sensory Branding: Possibly The
Most Effective Marketing Tool Yet?

FROM XTREME RETAIL WEBSITE (www.xr23.com)

The aroma of fresh-baked cookies wafts from the kitchen during an open house, but the oven isn't on. The smell of cinnamon rolls emanates from a patisserie - long after the day's baking has ceased. A whiff of baby powder floats above a store's baby department - even though it is not a product they sell. Welcome to the new frontier of marketing. Sensory branding has arrived... and it smells great.

The scent industry, which accounts for $14 billion in global sales each year, is booming. Our sense of smell is handled by the same part of the brain that processes memory, so scent often triggers an emotional response, which, in turn, positively impacts scented sales. Since scent is the closest sense linked to memory, people recall smell with up to 64% accuracy after one year. Harnessing this power, and using it to gain consumer attention for products outside of the perfume and potpourri industry, is the goal of an emerging, sense-driven movement.

Turning retail and other individual environments into hubs for memorable shopping experiences is the goal of ScentAir, a pioneer in aroma marketing. ScentAir develops both the scents that are released and the devices that release them. Their ScentWave system, designed specifically for retail operations, uses motion detection, dry-air techniques and easy to install fragrance cartridges to convey a pleasing, scent-inspired experience in a variety of settings. From retail locales like Bloomingdales, to entertainment centers like Walt Disney World, ScentAir technology is changing how businesses connect with consumers.

"Our reactions to aroma are almost primal and they happen immediately," says ScentAir CEO David Van Epps. "Scent technology helps distinguish businesses and connect with customers in a way that is not possible without it."

According to Van Epps, ScentAir research studies show that scent drives category sales in impressive ways. Chocolate scent tests at a vending machine in Santa Barbara drove chocolate sales up 60%, and overall sales up 15%, says Van Epps. Hard Rock Hotel in Orlando utilized ScentAir's services by installing a waffle cone-scented ScentWave system near a hard-to-find ice cream parlor in the hotel basement. Sales soared 50%. Van Epps refers to this type of installation as an "aroma billboard."

Additional company research takes sound into consideration. A study conducted by Washington State University marketing professor Eric Spangenberg on the interactive effects of ambient scent and music in a retail setting found that the combination of scent and music significantly affected sales and product perception. Working off of this theory, ScentAir partnered with Muzak (the leading provider of auditory branding) to deliver a full service, sensory experience. The end result is what Van Epps calls "sensory branding" - using the essence of multiple senses to build and communicate a brand.

"This is the type of extreme retailing that really makes a company stand out," he says.

The ScentAir method is to use technology to enable something that should or could already be in the space - not to create misleading branding. Authenticity is an important goal in the design, so that businesses can stay true to their message without deceiving their customers. With their partners, ScentAir can create a complete sensory package, customized for any environment. Macy's, Sony, and ExxonMobil have all benefited. Even Hollywood has taken advantage of the sense-driven marketing approach. Most recently, ScentAir technology filled the premiere of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory with the delicious aroma of, you guessed it... chocolate.

"We are really beginning to understand the impact that scent has on our brains and our mood, and because of that, the sense industry is starting to explode. Our philosophy is simple," says Van Epps. "Life should smell better."

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.