Senses stimulate brand connections

Research shows that more than 75% of our emotions can be triggered by smell, and emotional resonance is vital for brand engagement and for creating a strong brand.

Research from the Sense of Smell Institute also shows that scents are recalled with 65% accuracy a year later, while visual recall of images drops 50% after only three months. It is these kinds of statistics that highlight the potential effectiveness of sensory branding.

Businesses, such as Starbucks, Abercrombie and Fitch, and Cinnabon, are beginning to utilise sense of smell to create instant connections between brand and consumer.

OOH agency Posterscope and Havas have recently teamed up on a campaign that uses lemon-scented posters to advertise a new low-alcohol drink called Tennent’s Lemon-T. The advert will be exhibited on the Glasgow Subway Network and along Edinburgh’s Princes Street. The lemon scent is well suited to the lemon flavoured product and the innovative and surprising nature of the posters ties up well with the fun-loving personality that is embodied by many alcohol brands.

Paul Condron, marketing director at Tennent Caledonian says, “Lemon T is all about bringing a refreshing change to consumers, so we thought we should extend this to commuters as well. These panels have proved a big hit and we’ve had many positive comments from commuters about the refreshing new scent in each city. We think it’s a bit more fun than your average advertising campaign and will raise a smile for those passing through the Subway or bus stop on their way to and from work.”