The Swede Smell of Success

Earlier this year, with an eye toward capturing the attention of visually-overloaded consumers, a Swedish fashion label turned to smell to create a strong brand image and increase sales. The Odeur line, including t-shirts, jeans, and scarfs, is embedded with a clean citrus fragrance designed to last for up to thirteen washes. Petter Hollstrom, managing director of Odeur, believes the distinctive scent will establish consumer loyalty for the brand. “It’s about putting a brand in people’s minds so that they relate to it. The aim is to build a more personal relationship with the consumer.”

Hollstrom is not alone in his thinking. According to the School of Business at Stockholm University, scent marketing is a fast-growing trend in Sweden. In August, laundry detergent company Persil, as part of their “Dirt is Good” campaign, placed sidewalk billboards around the city inviting pedestrians press a button and enjoy a whiff of clean, fresh laundry. More recently, Malmo grocery store ICA supplemented the allure of their fruit stand with a scent dispenser that wafts the enticing aromas of apricot and mango.