They say the nose knows. And some corporations are starting to get a whiff of the power of scent branding when it comes to their brand strategy.

A relatively new approach within the realm of experiential branding, some companies have wielded the power of scent branding for a long time. The fashion industry has used scent as a brand identifier. Victoria’s Secret has long used fragrance as part of the sensory environment in their stores. Others:

Johnson & Johnson: Recognizable as the clean baby smell because of its baby lotion and baby powder.

Crayola Crayons: Offers a nostalgic trip back to childhood. Unconvinced? Crayola’s smell is ranked 18 among the 20 most recognizable smells in the US.

Memories, imagination, old sentiments and associations are more readily reached through the sense of smell than through any other channel. Humans have the ability to differentiate more than 10,000 odors.

So now you can see why more companies are looking to scents as a way to negotiate through the cluttered advertising/media environment and distinguish their brands from the competition.

What’s the most universal appetizing smell in the world?

Roasted chicken.

Christine Babick is a marketing strategist and linguist specializing in marketing language, website text, “emo copy,” and cause and relationship marketing. More…

Article Tags: Babick | Branding | experiential | marketing | Scent
Filed under: Branding, Experiential Marketing, Marketing Trends