Power of Scent Marketing to Influence Consumer Behavior
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.17010/ijom/2018/v48/i9/131439Keywords:
Scent Marketing
, Mood, Consumer Behavior, RetailPaper Submission Date
, April 13, 2018, Paper sent back for Revision, July 10, Paper Acceptance Date, August 10, 2018Abstract
The smell of food cooking in the kitchen can invoke numerous thoughts of good experiences while enjoying that food. This same effect is used by scent marketers to emotionally connect with customers in case of other products besides food. Hence, the current paper attempted to study previous literature relating to the use of scent marketing as well as cited certain instances where this technique is being applied. In the present study, previous articles and papers were reviewed and analyzed to get a grip of what is the present knowledge in this area and what more can be done in the future. It was found that for the past two decades, marketers have been trying to find the relationship between the use of different kinds of scents and their effects in varied environments. It was seen that when an ambient scent was congruent with the environment, it had a significantly positive impact on the behavior of the customers present. Similarly, the approach-avoidance behavior of customers was influenced by manipulating their moods with the use of scents. Thus, it can be said that the products are no longer judged only by their inherent quality, it is also the quality of the environment in which they are purchased that appeals to the customers. The study is novel in its approach of viewing behavioral responses to scent and use of technology in scenting the environment. The study also provided certain propositions which can be tested in future research studies.Downloads
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
References
Ackerman, D. (1990). A natural history of the senses. New York : Random House.
Adams, C., Doucé, L., Janssens, W., Vanrie, J., & Petermans, A. (2014). Tasting the smell: Effects of ambient scent on scent experts' evaluations of (in)congruent food products. Food Quality and Preference, 38, 92-97. DOI : http://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodqual.2014.05.007/
Aggleton, J.P., & Waskett, L. (1999). The ability of odours to serve as state-dependent cues for real-world memories: Can Viking smells aid the recall of Viking experiences ? The British Journal of Psychology, 90(1), 1-7. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1348/000712699161170/
Alex, N. J., & Menon, P. (2018). Influence of ambient perfumes on consumer spending behaviour: A study among apparel shoppers in an Indian setting. Indian Journal of Marketing, 48(1), 61-74. DOI: https://doi.org/10.17010/ijom/2018/v48/i1/120736/
Anand, S. (2018, May 9). Sensory branding in India. Asia Business Law Journal. Retrieved from https://www.vantageasia.com/sensory-branding-in-india/
Azeema, N., Jayaraman, K., & Kiumarsi, S. (2016). Factors influencing the purchase decision of perfumes with habit as a mediating variable: An empirical study in Malaysia. Indian Journal of Marketing, 46(7), 7-22. DOI: https://doi.org/10.17010/ijom/2016/v46/i7/97124/
Bevers, S. (2013, March 13). 10 weird sensory marketing tricks companies use on us. Listverse. Retrieved from http://listverse.com/2013/03/13/10-weird-sensory-marketingtrickscompanies-use-on-us/
Bone, P. F., & Ellen, P. S. (1999). Scents in the marketplace: Explaining a fraction of olfaction.
Journal of Retailing, 75(2), 243-262. DOI : https://doi.org/10.1016/S0022-4359(99)00007-X/
Bone, P. F., & Jantrania, S. (1992). Olfaction as a cue for product quality. Marketing Letters, 3 (3), 289-296. DOI : https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00994136/
Bouzaabia, R. (2014). The effect of ambient scents on consumer responses: Consumer type and his accompaniment state as moderating variables. International Journal of Marketing Studies, 6(1), 155-167. DOI : http://doi.org/10.5539/ijms.v6n1p155/
Bradford, K. D., & Desrochers, D. M. (2009). The use of scents to influence consumers : The sense of using scents to make cents. Journal of Business Ethics, 90 (2), 141-153. DOI : https://doi.org/10.1007/s10551-010-0377-5/
Castellanos, K. M., Hudson, J. A., Haviland-Jones, J., & Wilson, P. J. (2010). Does exposure to ambient odors influence the emotional content of memories ? The American Journal of Psychology, 123(3), 269-279. DOI: http://doi.org/10.5406/amerjpsyc.123.3.0269/
Chakravarty, S. M. (2015). Sensory branding: Branding with the senses. In S. Sarma & S.
Singh (eds.), Cases on branding strategies and product development: Successes and pitfalls (pp. 327-365). Pennsylvania, United States: IGI Global.
Chaturvedi, R. K. (2013). Modeling store characteristics as antecedents of impulse purchase.
Indian Journal of Marketing, 43(2), 27-36. DOI: http://doi.org/10.17010/ijom/2013/v43/i2/34049/
Chebat, J. C., & Michon, R. (2003). Impact of ambient odors on mall shoppers' emotions, cognition, and spending A test of competitive causal theories. Journal of Business Research, 56 (7), 529-539. DOI : http://doi.org/10.1016/S0148-2963(01)00247-8/
Cirrincione, A., Estes, Z., & Caru, A. (2014). The effect of ambient scent on the experience of art: Not as good as it smells. Psychology & Marketing, 31(8), 615-627. DOI : https://doi.org/10.1002/mar.20722/
Cross, S. N., Lin, M. H., & Childers, T. L. (2015). Sensory identity: The impact of olfaction on consumption. In A. E. Thyroff, J. B. Murray, & R. W. Belk (eds.), Consumer culture theory (pp. 331-347). United Kingdom: Emerald Group Publishing Limited.
Doucé, L., Janssens, W., Swinnen, G., & Van Cleempoel, K. (2014). Influencing consumer reactions towards a tidy versus a messy store using pleasant ambient scents. Journal of Environmental Psychology, 40, 351-358. doi : http://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvp.2014.09.002/
Doucé, L., Poels, K., Janssens, W., & Backer, C. D. (2013). Smelling the books: The effect of chocolate scent on purchase-related behavior in a bookstore. Journal of Environmental Psychology, 36, 65-69. DOI : http://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvp.2013.07.006/
Emsenhuber, B. (2009). Scent marketing: Subliminal advertising messages, GI Jahrestagung, 154, 3894-3903. doi= http://doi.org/10.1.1.160.7150/
Gagarina, A., & PikturnienÄ—, I. (2015). The effect of ambient scent type and intensiveness on decision making heuristics. Procedia-Social and Behavioral Sciences, 213, 20th International Scientific Conference "Economics and Management-2015 (ICEM-2015)", 605609. DOI : http://doi.org/10.1016/j.sbspro.2015.11.457
Garg, A. K., & Atwaru, Y. M. (2017). Interaction between demographic profile of shoppers, their behaviour, and mall factors : Evidences from a shopping mall in South Africa. Indian Journal of Marketing, 47(11), 7-23. DOI: 10.17010/ijom/2017/v47/i11/119293
Goldkuhl, L., & Styve, M. (2007). Sensing the scent of service success. European Journal of Marketing, 41(11), 1297-1305. DOI : http://doi.org/10.1108/03090560710821189
Guéguen, N., & Petr, C. (2006). Odors and consumer behavior in a restaurant. International Journal of Hospitality Management, 25(2), 335-339. DOI : http://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijhm.2005.04.007
Gulas, C. S., & Bloch, P. H. (1995). Right under our noses: Ambient scent and consumer responses. Journal of Business and Psychology, 10 (1), 87- 98. DOI : https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02249272
Herz, R. (2007). The scent of desire: Discovering our enigmatic sense of smell. New York : Harper Collins.
Herz, R. S., & von Clef, J. (2001). The influence of verbal labeling on the perception of odors: Evidence for olfactory illusions ? Perception, 30 (3), 381-392. doi : http://doi.org/10.1068/p3179
Jacob, C., Stefan, J., & Guéguen, N. (2014). Ambient scent and consumer behavior : A field study in a florist' s retail shop. The International Review of Retail, Distribution and Consumer Research, 24(1), 116-120. doi : http://doi.org/10.1080/09593969.2013.821418
Kim, R. (2015). Development and emotional evaluation of scented clothing using microcapsules. Procedia Manufacturing, 3, 6th International Conference on Applied Human Factors and Ergonomics (AHFE 2015) and the Affiliated Conferences, AHFE 2015, 558-565. doi : http://doi.org/10.1016/j.promfg.2015.07.266
Knasko, S. C., Gilbert, A. N., & Sabini, J. (1990). Emotional state, physical well-being, and performance in the presence of feigned ambient odor. Journal of Applied Social Psychology, 20(16), 1345-1357. doi : https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1559-1816.1990.tb01476.x
Knasko, S.C. (1995). Pleasant odors and congruency: Effects on approach behavior. Chemical Senses, 20(5), 479-487.
De Lange, M. A., Debets, L. W., Ruitenburg, K., & Holland, R. W. (2012). Making less of a mess: Scent exposure as a tool for behavioral change. Social Influence, 7(2), 37- 41. DOI : http://doi.org/10.1080/15534510.2012.659509
Leenders, M. A. A. M., Smidts, A., & El, A. (2016). Ambient scent as a mood inducer in supermarkets: The role of scent intensity and time-pressure of shoppers. Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services. DOI : http://doi.org/10.1016/j.jretconser.2016.05.007
Lindstrom, M. (2005). Brand sense: How to build powerful brands through touch, taste, smell, sight & sound. London : Kogan Page Publishers.
Lunardo, R. (2012). Negative effects of ambient scents on consumers' skepticism about retailer' s motives. Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, 19(2), 179-185. doi : http://doi.org/10.1016/j.jretconser.2011.11.007
Mitchell, D. J., Kahn, B. E., & Knasko, S. C. (1995). There's something in the air: effects of congruent or incongruent ambient odor on consumer decision making. Journal of Consumer Research, 22(2), 229-238. doi : https://www.jstor.org/stable/2489814
Morrin, M., & Ratneshwar, S. (2003). Does it make sense to use scents to enhance brand memory ? Journal of Marketing Research, 40(1), 10-25. Retrieved from
https://www.jstor.org/stable/30038832
Nassauer, S. (2014, May 20). Using scent as a marketing tool, stores hope it--and shopperswill linger. The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved from http://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424052702303468704579573953132979382
Orvis, G. (2016, August 11). The science of smell: How retailers can use scent marketing to influence shoppers. Shopify Blogs. Retrieved from https://www.shopify.in/retail/thescienceof-smell-how-retailers-can-use-scent-marketing-to-make-more-sales
Parsons, A. G. (2009). Use of scent in a naturally odourless store. International Journal of Retail & Distribution Management, 37(5), 440-452. doi : http://doi.org/10.1108/09590550910954928
Rimkute, J., Moraes, C., & Ferreira, C. (2016). The effect of scent on consumer behaviour.
International Journal of Consumer Studies, 40(1), 24-34. doi : https://doi.org/10.1111/ijcs.12206
Roxanaa, O., & Ioan, P. (2013). The effects of ambient scent on consumer behavior: A review of the literature. Annals of the University of Oradea, Economic Science Series, 22 (1), 17971806.
Schab, F. R. (1990). Odors and the remembrance of things past. Journal of Experimental Psychology : Learning, Memory, and Cognition, 16(4), 648-655. doi : http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/0278-7393.16.4.648
Shah, G. (2014, January 29). J & J ad: Marketers wake up to the draw of sensory branding.
Live Mint. Retrieved from https://www.livemint.com/Consumer/NtEi0DzZtrx6qL7ZpXC0CP/JJ-ad-Marketers-wake-uptothe-draw-of-sensorybranding.html?utm_source=scroll & utm_ medium=referral& utm_campaign=scroll
Shukla, T. (2007). Experiential marketing: The new paradigm. Indian Journal of Marketing, 37 (4), 10-12
Spangenberg, E. R., Crowley, A. E., & Henderson, P. W. (1996). Improving the store environment: Do olfactory cues affect evaluations and behaviors ? The Journal of Marketing, 60 (2), 67-80. DOI : http://dx.doi.org/10.2307/1251931
Swanson, P. D. (2014). Legal briefs : The power of smell. Seattle Business Magazine, October 2014. Retrieved from http://seattlebusinessmag.com/article/legal-briefs-power-smell
Teller, C., & Dennis, C. (2012). The effect of ambient scent on consumers' perception, emotions and behaviour: A critical review. Journal of Marketing Management, 28(1/2), 1436. doi : http://doi.org/10.1080/0267257X.2011.560719
Toncar, M., & Fetscherin, M. (2012). A study of visual puffery in fragrance advertising.
European Journal of Marketing, 46(1/2), 52-72. doi : http://doi.org/10.1108/03090561211189239
Van Toller, S. (1988). Emotion and the brain. In S. V. Toller & G. H. Dodd (eds.), Perfumery (pp. 121-143). Netherlands: Springer.
Vinitzky, G., & Mazursky, D. (2011). The effects of cognitive thinking style and ambient scent on online consumer approach behavior, experience approach behavior, and search motivation. Psychology & Marketing, 28(5), 496-519. doi : https://doi.org/10.1002/mar.20398
Wijk, R. A. de., & Zijlstra, S. M. (2012). Differential effects of exposure to ambient vanilla and citrus aromas on mood, arousal and food choice. Flavour, 24(1), 1-7. doi : https://doi.org/10.1186/2044-7248-1-24
Yadav, K. (2010, January 25). Scent of success. Financial Express. Retrieved fromhttps://www.financialexpress.com/archive/scent-of-success/570952/
Yun, O. W., & Yazdanifard, R. (2013). Correlation between ambient scent and the brand positioning within consumers' unconscious self. Global Journal of Commerce and Management Perspective, 2 (6), 12-15.
