In today’s hyper-competitive marketplace, brands are constantly searching for new ways to connect with their audience beyond the usual visuals and sounds. One often overlooked but highly effective strategy is scent marketing, the use of carefully chosen fragrances to influence emotions, trigger memories, and build lasting brand loyalty.

Why scent matters

Our sense of smell has a direct pathway to the parts of the brain linked with memory and emotion. This is why a whiff of freshly baked bread can instantly transport you back to childhood or the scent of a perfume can remind you of someone special. For brands, this powerful connection offers an opportunity to leave a deeper, more emotional imprint on customers.

Scent and Nostalgia

Nostalgia is a marketing superpower. When a fragrance reminds someone of a happy time or cherished memory, it creates an instant emotional bond. Imagine a coffee shop filling its space with the aroma of roasted beans and vanilla, it doesn’t just smell good; it feels like home. By tapping into nostalgia, brands can trigger positive associations that go beyond the product itself.

How Brands are using scent marketing

1. Retail Spaces: Luxury brands often infuse their stores with signature scents to enhance the shopping experience and make the environment more memorable.

2. Hospitality: Hotels create signature fragrances so that every guest associates that scent with relaxation and comfort. Some even sell their scents as candles or diffusers, letting guests bring the experience home.

3. Automotive: Car brands use “new car smell” strategically to reinforce the sense of freshness and exclusivity in their vehicles.

4. Bakeries & Cafés: The aroma of freshly ground coffee or baked goods naturally draws customers in and creates a sense of comfort. For cafés and bakeries, that warm, familiar scent becomes part of their identity that makes people linger longer, triggers feelings of coziness, and builds emotional loyalty that keeps them coming back.

Driving loyalty through scents

Consistency is key. When a brand uses the same fragrance across stores, packaging, or even products, it creates a sensory signature. Over time, this scent becomes instantly recognizable, just like a logo or jingle. Customers who encounter that fragrance are reminded of the brand, sparking familiarity and loyalty.

How your brand can leverage scent marketing

• Identify your Brand Personality: Is your brand playful, luxurious, or calming? Your fragrance should reflect that.

• Test & Refine: Not every scent resonates with every audience. Start small, test, and adjust based on feedback.

• Stay Consistent: Use your chosen scent across multiple touchpoints; retail, packaging, events, and even digital mailers with scent strips.

• Evoke emotion, not just pleasantness: Don’t just choose a “nice” smell, choose one that tells a story or triggers the feeling you want associated with your brand.

The Future of Scent Marketing

As customer experiences become increasingly multisensory, scent will play a bigger role in shaping brand perception. From personalized scents powered by AI to packaging that releases fragrance upon opening, the opportunities are endless. Brands that embrace this will not only stand out but will also anchor themselves in their customers’ memories.

At Thompsn Forge, we believe branding is more than what people see, it’s what they feel, hear, and even smell. By leveraging scent marketing, brands can turn fleeting interactions into lasting emotional connections.