The Unlawyer

Times are tough all over for all sorts of businesses, like retailing for instance. Some store chains, however, are not taking it sitting down and are adopting new techniques to attract business, like adding scent to the store environment:

“”Strategic scents have been proven to increase the shopper’s dwelling time by as much as 40 percent in a retail environment,” affirms C. Russell Brumfield, author of Whiff! The Revolution of Scent Communication in the Information Age. The book reveals dozens of studies conducted on the effects of scent on the consumer. “The science shows that specific scents can increase sales from 20 to over 90 percent in some studies,” states Brumfield. “Since the economy started to tail-spin in recent months, we’ve heard from some very big companies wanting to adopt scent strategies”"

It’s a known fact that certain scents encourage shoppers to spend money, and supermarkets for example now take full advantage of this phenomenon by placing an open bakery or a stand selling roasted chicken, complete with working rotisserie, by the entrance, in the hopes that the mouth-watering aromas make shoppers go hungry while cruising the aisles in order to increase their propensity to buy, or so certain studies say.

There are other factors at work that explain why supermarket bakeries, or mall-based bakeries for that matter, are rolling in the dough:

“The scent of cinnamon bread baking, the sight of a freshly baked pie, a bite of decadent chocolate cake, or a glimmer of glaze on a doughnut all stimulate our senses.

“Essentially comfort foods, bakery goods remind us of the pleasures of childhood, a less complicated, stress-free time of life. For that reason, no matter what the current trends, we seek bakery goods here, there and everywhere. American consumers may be clamoring for wellness foods, but they aren’t ready to give up their indulgent bakery treats just yet. A 2002 poll by Madison, Wis.-based International Dairy*Deli*Bakery Association (IDDBA) found that 29 percent of shoppers felt they spent more money at in-store bakeries in the past year. Another 53 percent felt their spending was about the same, and only 11 percent spent less. In fact, in-store bakery sales rose 2.1 percent for the year ending August 11, 2002, compared with 2001 sales for the same period, according to Information Resources Inc.”

Interesting, but how does a retailer take advantage of scent marketing? Apparently it is as easy as buying a scent machine and infusing the air with enticing smells. Branding Strategy Insider has an entire series of articles called Scent Marketing Success that helps explain how it works.

One important insight regarding the use of scents:

“Pam Scholder Ellen, an associate professor of marketing at Georgia State University, has studied consumers’ reaction to scents. The most consistent result, she says, is that they don’t like scents that don’t fit with their expectations, such as suntan lotion that smells like pine rather than coconut.”

Moving on.

Some retail brands will no doubt ramp up their marketing efforts with new advertising materials that may feature thin female models presenting the merchandise. Unfortunately, it may not work: Skinny models don’t necessarily sell more products.

“Advertising that uses super-thin models does not make women more likely to buy products than ads featuring women who are of a more healthy weight, according to research by an Australian academic.”

Put another way:

“[Australian psychologist Philippa] Diedrichs found that images of really-really-thin models (you know, those supermodel type models that look like they haven’t eaten anything but jell-o and flavored water in three months) as seen in television ads and other such advertisements do not encourage young women to buy products they are selling.

“In fact, such ultra-thin (anorexic looking) models actually discourage most adult female consumers from buying such products.”

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Returning to scents, some observers in Israel are debating the ethics of scent marketing:

“In addition to any adverse physical effects, smells have been proven to trigger psychological responses as well. While pleasant smells can certainly be used to mask less-than-pleasant odors in shops – like plastic packaging or even cat urine – is it ethical? Does a bank or a clothing shop have any right to play with our senses?”