Smell + Sound = SMOUND

Like so many discoveries, the possible link between our senses of smell and sound came to Dr. Daniel Wesson purely by accident.
Read more

If You Wanna Know If He Loves You So…It’s In His Armpit

The smell of a man’s sweat differs according to what mood he is in and women can pick up on changes that indicate attraction, according to the latest “stinky t-shirt” research. Read more

Scent Marketing Seminars & Certifications

Did you know that he Scent Marketing Institute offers 1 to 3 day seminars and, in the near future, will add certification programs for professionals who want to deepen their understanding and expertise in the use of scent?
Read more

The Use of Scents to Influence Consumers

There is perhaps no more compelling proof of the effectiveness of scent marketing than the ongoing controversy over whether the practice gives marketers an unfair edge by working, in effect, too well.

In The Use of Scents to Influence Consumers: The Sense of Using Scents to Make Cents, published in the Journal of Business Ethics, authors Kevin D Bradford and Debra M Desrochers analyze the ethical issues associated with scent marketing, arguing that the practice raises troubling issues because of the subliminal, unobserved, and “unstoppable” nature of the sense of smell.

“Since the sense of smell cannot be turned off and it prompts immediate, emotional responses, marketers are becoming aware of its usefulness in communicating with consumers. Consequently, over the last few years consumers have been increasingly influenced by ambient scents, which are defined as general odors that do not emanate from a product but are present as part of the retail environment. The goal of this article is to create awareness of the ethical issues in the scent marketing industry. In particular, we illuminate areas of concern regarding the use of scents to persuade, and its potential to make consumers vulnerable to marketing communications. Since this is a new frontier for marketers, we begin with an explanation of what makes the sense of smell different from other senses. We then provide a description of how scents are used in marketing, past research on the power of scents, and the theoretical basis for, and uses of scents to influence consumers. This brings us to the discussion of the ethical considerations regarding the use of this sense. We close with several future research ideas that would provide more evidence of how the sense of smell can, and should be used by marketers.”

Celine?-$35. Britney?-$45. You?-Priceless!

You don’t have to be a chemist - or a celebrity - to create your very own signature scent from scratch. The Alkindus Distiller is a snazzy looking contraption that extracts essential oils from plant leaves of your choice. The still has a copper frame and a cucurbit, condensing pot, and a glass cooling cup. The cucurbit holds the liquid to be distilled and is heated by the oil lamp. As the liquid boils, oil vapor is produced and moves from the cucurbit through the swan-neck tube and, once it reaches the water-filled condensing pot, is cooled and converted into a concentrated distillate.

The device will set you back about $200, but the endless possibilities and sheer mad-scientist fun of plucking, blending, and bottling every smelly plant in your garden make the investment seem pretty sweet!

Olfactory Fact #228: Vanilla Soothes Savage Beasts Too!

A study at Tubingen University in Germany showed that vanilla scent reduced the startle-reflex in both humans and animals - significant because the calming effect on animals suggests that vanilla contains a more essential relaxation property than the positive childhood association credited for its soothing effect on humans.

Avatar: A Multisensory Smash!

It’s Smell-O-Vision Deluxe! Despite more than doubled ticket prices, the CJ-CGV theater chain in Korea is selling out showings of its 4D version of James Cameron’s Avatar. Incorporating moving seats, weather simulation, special lighting effects and olfactory enhancement including the smell of explosives, the Avatar 4D Experience has been so successful that the chain has added another three similarly equipped theaters.

The success of the multisensory Avatar experience has not been lost on Hollywood, which is planning a US-Korea joint venture to complete ten 4D Ride films this year.

Traditions Make Long Standing Brands

Where rights are about joining the club, and rituals are about belonging to the club, traditions are more about the rules of the club. Tradition is about attitude, culture, ethics, opinion, legend, even myth. Tradition of a brand doesn’t have to really have a basis, other than it is a tradition that is respected. Politics is a good example. Why is one person a Democrat? Very likely he came from a long line of Democrats, and even though he votes a straight ticket, he may not be able to articulate his reasons very well, because he is a Democrat out of tradition. Another man might be a Chevy man. He has always bought Chevrolets, and his father was a Chevy man. These people do exist, but they are slowly becoming extinct.
Read more

Four Years Later, New York Mystery Stench Persists

It’s been over four years since the city of Bay Ridge, New York, spent $6.9 million to connect sewer lines along the Fort Hamilton Parkway in 2006, and more than four years of failed investigations into the mysterious rotten-egg stench which began wafting from the grates. Residents claim that the stink is so bad (some likening it to the smell of decomposing corpses) that it permeates the walls of their homes, and some have even moved away. “If you walk by, you’ll gag — that’s how bad it is,” said Community Board 10 District Manager Josephine Beckmann. Despite repeated counter-stink measures by the Department of Environmental Protection and the Department of Design and Construction — including nylon socks stuffed with pine-scented deodorizer that city workers dropped into the sewers in 2007 — the mystery stench persists.

This month, city officials ponied up the bucks to hire Webster Environmental Associates, which specializes in monitoring air and water flow from sewers, in hopes of finally isolating the source of the smell. “The odor is affecting residents’ quality of life all and despite city agencies’ best efforts, the cause is a mystery,” said Councilman Vince Gentile, who pushed for city funding to hire the inspectors from Webster. “It’s high time that the nuisance is taken care of.”

Heaven-Scent Disaster Relief

New York fragrance brand Bond No. 9 is lending a hand to earthquake victims by spreading the Scent of Peace to Haiti. For every bottle sold, Seeds of Peace - an organization that is dedicated to empowering young leaders from regions of conflict with the leadership skills required to advance reconciliation and coexistence - will receive a portion of the sales.

Winner in the Top 5 Finalists for 2007 Fragrance of the Year FiFi Award for Women’s Nouveau Niche Category, the Scent of Peace fragrance carries notes of bright florals and sweet citrus fruits blended with wood musk that’s packaged in a lilac frosted glass bottle etched with a dove. Not only is Scent of Peace a wonderful gift for a loved one or for yourself, it’s a heaven-scent opportunity to help out our friends in Haiti.

Next Page »