The New Scent of New-Car-Scent

Nissan Motors today announced the development of a new Forest AC air conditioning system, which systematically controls cabin temperature, ventilation, aroma and humidity to create an optimal interior environment. Utilizing a number of advanced technologies, the system is designed to recreate the refreshing climate, fragrance and natural breezes of relaxing forest settings. It was developed based on the results of a joint research study with the Tokyo University of Science on the effects of aroma on human mental activity.

Taking a hint from the pleasant effect of forest air on people, Nissan studied the effects of aromas on human mental activity. The resulting Forest AC system intermittently and alternately furnishes two unique aromas - borneol*1 and leaf alcohol*2 - to alleviate boredom and stimulate the driver’s brain. Borneol combines a compound made from fragrant Kapur wood, lavender and other essential oils to promote calm and focus, while leaf alcohol is found in most plants and is thought to have a calming effect and reduce fatigue. The system utilizes a special interchangeable aroma cartridge (with a one-year life) to produce the forest effect.

Development of the Forest AC was based on results of a joint Nissan research study with Professor Kikunori Shinohara of the Tokyo University of Science, Suwa, Japan. “The relaxed state,” said Professor Shinohara, “is one in which the person calms down from external conditions or the consequences of what he or she has done and achieves mental acuity, resulting in good work.” Test subjects simultaneously exposed to these aromas and controlled ventilation simulating a natural breeze exhibited changes in cerebral blood flow. This, Shinohara says, can create the relaxed state of a person sitting for calligraphy or a tea ceremony - alert and focused, yet with tension relieved.

The Cadillac of Men’s Cologne

Fresh from its controversial cruise through bankruptcy court, General Motors has shifted into the endorphin branding™ era with “Cadillac: The New Fragrance for Men.”

The Cadillac fragrance line - which includes a spray, aftershave lotion, deodorant stick, and hair & body wash - was developed by the Dubai-based Beauty Contact Inc. which announced yesterday that it will launch the fresh grapefruit/camomile/geranium/tarragon/cinnamon line this fall to commemorate the brand’s 100th anniversary.

“Cadillac, the new fragrance for men is part of the recent Cadillac renaissance: Hot new products and redesigns that capture the mantra of life, liberty and the pursuit,” said Beauty Contact director Alwyn Stephen. “Our fragrance is a relevant extension of the Cadillac lifestyle.”

ScentWorld Conference & Expo 2009

Registration is open for the most scentsational event of the season, the ScentWorld Conference & Expo!

We’re expecting over 500 marketers, brand owners, advertising and branding executives from all over the world for this exciting event at the Renaissance Las Vegas Hotel so tarry not! Register before October 1st and take advantage of the 15% early registration discount. Even better–as a Scent Marketing Institute member, your discount will be 25%!

Olfactory Fact #115: The Right Cologne Lures the Right Kind of Woman

Studies show that high-maintenance women are partial to the smell of leather (which conjures images of high fashion and money) while more down-to-earth types tend to prefer sweet citrus scents.

A Whiff of Hope for Hyposmia Victims

It was just last month that the FDA issued a warning to consumers that Zicam nasal cold remedy products might cause a loss of the sense of smell. From hyposmia (a reduced ability to smell) to anosmia (a complete loss of the ability to smell) the condition is difficult-to-impossible to treat, and affects some 20 million people in the United States alone. Read more

Scentator Al Franken, Circa 1976

So, how does a former Saturday Night Live writer make the leap from late-night comedian to state senator (for argument’s sake, we’ll allow that this is actually a leap)? For Al Franken, the answer might lie in an olfactory tip he gleaned from a pal about thirty years earlier: “Don’t worry about your breath and your armpits, Al. It’s your personality that stinks!”

Enter “Heavy Changes Ego Spray,” which “comes in fifteen different personality types including Little Boy, Rock Star, Aggressive, and Petulant.”

Okay, okay. Early-Endorphin-Branding™-in-an-Aerosol-Can may not have really garnered the votes - or even the girl - for Franken, but this clip from the 1976 film Tunnel Vision is still a click-worthy giggle for Franken fans…for the hair alone!

Multisensory Packaging: The Clear Choice

“Large food companies are jumping into the olfactory-packaging field. Soon you will be able to scratch and sniff the outside of a bottle of barbecue sauce to get a whiff of the contents. From cookies and sweets to sauces and soups, scented packaging is in its infancy. It’s truly amazing that the results of millions of dollars of research spent in perfecting flavors and fragrances for food products over the years remains bottled up inside the package upon the store shelf - and only realized once the product is finally purchased and taken home.”
-Whiff! The Revolution of Scent Communication in the Information Age

Enter Transparent Packaging, Inc., a Canadian company which pioneered clear folding carton converting technologies and has now introduced the Clear Scented Box which adds microencapsulated fragrance to packaging graphics.

Transparent Packaging offers an example of a hair care product with a picture of a girl on the bottle, whose hair could be rubbed to reveal the smell of the product. In other words, the packaging is made to smell like the product inside. The aroma experienced by the consumer is just an imitation of what is really in the package, not the product itself.

In today’s sagging economy, this multisensory packaging approach might just provide the edge to separate the winners from the losers on those overcrowded supermarket aisles. Studies show that consumers are 80% more llikely to purchase a product which he/she can both see and smell.

Yankee Candle Freshens Four Points by Sheraton

The Yankee Candle Company announced today that guests of Four Points by Sheraton Hotels will be treated to a new custom-designed signature scent experience developed by Yankee Candle in partnership with the leading global provider of scent delivery solutions for businesses, ScentAir Technologies, Inc.

The new scent, called “Pinwheels in the Breeze,” is evocative of the freshness of the outdoors on a warm spring day. The custom scent will be featured in the lobby and common areas of the over-120 Four Points by Sheraton hotels worldwide. Yankee Candle also has created a custom co-branded candle for guests who want to bring the scent home. This candle is available in all 470 Yankee Candle retail stores across the country, as well as online at the Four Points online store.

“We are pleased to have partnered with Four Points by Sheraton to offer the signature scent, Pinwheels in the Breeze, at all Four Points by Sheraton hotels worldwide,” said Rick Ruffolo, Yankee Candle’s Senior Vice President of Brand, Marketing and Innovation. “The right fragrance is known to have a positive impact on people’s attitude and outlook. Customers tell us how Yankee Candle fragrances help them make their house feel like home. Now, they have the opportunity to experience another comfort of home when they stay with Four Points by Sheraton.”

The launch of the Yankee Candle fragrance marks the first large-scale commercial use of a Yankee Candle fragrance, made possible through ScentAir’s ScentWave scent delivery system. The ScentWave system uses dry-air technology that releases fragrance without sprays, aerosols, or heated oils, creating a subtle scent experience.

“We are proud to help bring the comfort of a Yankee Candle fragrance to guests of Four Points by Sheraton Hotels,” said Tom Conroy, CEO of ScentAir. “Together, Yankee Candle’s fragrance expertise and ScentAir’s high-quality scent delivery solutions create a refreshing scent experience in line with the uncomplicated comfort that Four Points by Sheraton guests expect.”