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[Michaelangelica]

Mind Control -- Through Your Nose
Within a broader movement known as "full-sensory branding," the practice of scent marketing -- using specially formulated fragrances to make you buy unrelated products and services -- is on the rise. Smell, it is said, has an unrivaled power to evoke emotion, and this power can be harnessed to boost sales.

Hundreds of companies already set your mood with piped-in aromas, in everything from real estate show rooms to shoe stores. Advertising Age named the practice one of the top 10 trends to watch in 2007. ScentAir, a producer of aroma-marketing systems, stated their business quadrupled between 2005 and 2006.

But why use scent?

Because companies have realized that to stay competitive, and be successful in an advertisement-crammed world where consumers are bombarded with sights and sounds, other avenues must be tapped. "Fragrance is the only thing left," says Harald Vogt, founder of the Scent Marketing Institute. "You cannot turn off your nose. You have to breathe."

So, with between $50 million to $80 million being spent on scent marketing in 2006 alone, does it really work?

Mind Control -- Through Your Nose - Articles
New York Times September 9, 2007