Scent Marketing at Christmas

Scent allows you to create new memories and moments and can enhance a brand’s perception in the eyes of the customer. Scent marketing at Christmas therefore is particularly important for retailers. Get the right in store atmosphere or scent, and it could be very profitable for a business.

Now, we could be like thousands of Companies and publications who’ll just tell you what fragrances are great for Christmas and that’s it – been there, done that and got the t-shirt. At Vectair Systems, we’d like to think we’re a little more creative than that…

So, with Christmas in the air, and our expertise in scent, we consider the stages of scent marketing at Christmas and what fragrance related present(s) would typically suit each stage. You never know, it might provide an idea for that special gift…

There are said to be four main stages of scent marketing; Aroma Billboard Smell, Thematic Smell, Ambient Smells and Signature Smells. Each one has a slightly different focus.

Aroma Billboard Smell 

Think of when you enter a high end hotel chain – they all seem to smell the same don’t they? The scent is bold – the scent can be immediately associated with the brand, like a billboard splash advert (big, bold and instantly you know the brand) – that’s the essence of an ‘Aroma Billboard Smell’ – whether you’re in Las Vegas or London, the scent resonates with the brand and does not change. So, with Scent Marketing at Christmas in mind, we think of a scent that is strong, long lasting and very noticeable – a Bergamot & Sandalwood fragrance springs to mind – it’ll have you wondering where you’ve experienced that scent before…

Thematic Smell

Think of when you go to a spa – you would normally expect the fragrance to be bamboo, herbal, lavender or mint based to relax and reinvigorate the senses. Thematic Smell is all about matching the aroma to the atmosphere. Thinking of buying your loved one a spa break trip or are you a spa looking to set the right tone? A Sea Salt & Bamboo fragrance sets the tone perfectly.

Ambient Smells

Businesses, such as retailers, want to keep customers lingering longer in their stores don’t they? Scent Marketing at Christmas time can be especially rewarding considering how much is spent. Chances are, the longer the linger, the more likely customers let loose on their spending in store. Ambient Smells, or Ambient Scenting, is all about enticing the customer, enhancing the sensory experience. There’s been a real boom in olfactory marketing (scent marketing), especially within retail environments – that’s because it’s known to work. However, it is a selective process – not all scents will work in the same way. For example, an overpowering smell of flowery accords can be a real turn off. An ideal Ambient Scent for a present would be a clean, light and subtle fragrance. For anyone in retail, our Ocean Spray fragrance should do the trick.

Signature Smells

A signature scent can be a brands way of communicating with the customer to either promote their new brand or a particular one off event. Thinking back to everyday life and how that could relate to a unique Christmas present, we all could say something very special with scent this Christmas – and make that signature scent come alive. For example, if somebody is getting married soon and they have a wedding to prepare for, make that day extra memorable with a symbolic scent. It could be one that replicates where a couple met, it could be a scent they both love or it could be a scent they’ve both decided helps to create that special atmosphere on the day. Our VIBE® and VIBE® Plus aircare systems could help make that idea become reality.