The hottest development in marketing over the last few years has been neuro-marketing as well as sensory branding, where a brand appeals to all five senses instead of just one (eye) which all brands used to aim. Soon, marketing will be using terminologies like share of senses (instead of the now dated share of voice and share of mind).  

Is there any real life practical proofs that already exist?

Ever wondered why restaurants always play more soothing and melodious tunes whereas fast food chains place more upbeat music? That’s because research shows that if music can slow down our heart beat, we can actually eat more.

Lets talk about one of those four previously unexplored senses: the nose. How important is that small little organ?

1. 75% of our emotions are generated from what we smell
2. 80% of what we taste is because of what we smell
3. Research shows that by increasing the pleasant aroma around it, the consumers spending in a Las Vegas slot machine increased by 44%

All of a sudden the snooty wine tasters and food critics who complain about a “hint” of woody smell or slight “burst” of citrus flavor; starting  to make sense (pun intended). Not only that, the perfume brands of this world really go beyond traditional storytelling and try to create fragrances and a smell profile that will transport the consumer to a particular state of mind connected to a hidden corner of a brain neuron or a memory.

Here’s whats so important about nose. Nose is the only sensory organ which can directly evoke feelings among us without those emotions being filtered by brain. No other organ or sense has that direct unfiltered link. Therefore if you want to evoke a certain emotion or imagery from exposure to your brand, where you want the rational like price, color and shape to play a reduced role, triggering a smell is probably the quickest route to that!

No wonder Singapore Airlines use a distinctive perfume inside its aircraft which they wanted to patent. No wonder when you think of Rolls Royce; you think of that wonderful classic car smell of mahogany+leather+ motor oil (Which Rolls Royce sprays through a diffuser underneath the car in the factory). No wonder Starbucks at one point stopped serving eggs in the breakfast because it interfered with the strong aroma of coffee.

And the latest to join the smell wagon is Pepsi. According to a new patent filed by the soft drink manufacturer, PepsiCo Inc. is looking to develop a “scent capsule” under the cap of its plastic bottles so that each time the bottle is unsealed, a refreshing smell wafts over as you consume the sugary goodness.