Smellvertising

Have you ever walked into a store and been overwhelmed by a particular perfume (think Abercrombie & Fitch)? If so, then you’ve experienced scent advertising first-hand. Yes, scent advertising. And this can include everything from perfume samples in magazines to freshly baked cookies in a grocery store. Traditionally, brands tend to capture audiences through sight and sound, but not with “smellvertising”, as some industry experts are calling it. And lately scent advertising has been elevated to an entirely new level.


McCain Foods, a snack food company, has developed an innovative advertising campaign for their “Ready Baked Jackets,” – baked potatoes that cook in just 5 minutes. Their campaign targets hungry customers at bus stops by way of scent. The company has placed artificial potatoes at bus stops around the UK. With the touch of a button, the smell of a freshly baked potato fills the air. McCain is hoping that the smell of its baked potato will resonate in people’s minds (and stomachs), and in turn make them curious enough to pick up a box next time they’re at the grocery store.


Scent is a powerful vehicle. How many times has an aroma replayed a certain memory in your mind? It happens to everyone, and nostalgia can be a commanding sensation. But is the smell of a baked potato while waiting in a crowded, dirty bus stop while you’re running 10 minutes late for your morning meeting really going to make people run out and buy it?


Time Magazine points out that some people may associate the baked potato with these bus stops and not want to purchase it. After all, bus stops don’t exactly induce any warm, fuzzy feelings. Also, McCain is using smellvertising for a product that is not readily available to people at a bus stop. If people are hungry, they might choose a product that is readily available and that can be easily consumed while waiting for the bus.


To use smellvertising successfully, your company should be conscious of the surrounding environment. If the product is not readily available, the impact of the smell may be lost in a consumer’s daily routine If the smellvertisement is placed close to the store or supermarket where the product can be purchased, there is a good chance customers will go purchase the product after they smell it.


So will smellvertising become the next big trend? Well, it’s hard to tell. Without any measureable return, it’s going to be tough for brands to adapt the tactic. Regardless, here are some general pros and cons.

Contributed by: Keena Classen