Ever notice that people are drawn to the smell of a bakery with fresh bread, a coffee shop with the aroma of roasting beans, or chinese food from the restaurant down the street. With smell-vertising we have a network of smell producing outlets near large populations of people that lure customers into your establishment during working hours with smells that are familiar and attractive to them by using distinctive smells found in your establishment to trigger memories related to returning. Large chains successfully use our smell-vertising systems effectively in cities to attract and maintain a large and comitted client base who have no idea they are being advertised to as they walk the streets to be hit with smells like - cinnamon buns (Cinnibon), ground coffee (Starbucks), and ground beef (McDonalds). With the right distinctive smell campaign you too can be a leader in critical target markets!
-- dhousman, Oct 09 2004

One of many articles on improving sales through the use of aroma http://retailindust...c/02/uc_tjreid1.htm
(Scroll down to "Pleasent Aromas".) This one's talking about selling Nike shoes, but as noted, a great many stores already use scents to advertise their presence and get cutomers to spend more. [DrCurry, Oct 10 2004]

Back in the dark ages, I worked at the Target snack bar. When things were slow and I was bored, I'd pop a batch of popcorn. That ususally boosted business considerably.

I recall reading somewhere that a Disneyland shop (a candy shop maybe?) pumps out (vanilla?) scent through vents in the storefront to attract customers.
-- half, Oct 10 2004


//I recall reading somewhere that a Disneyland shop (a candy shop maybe?) pumps out (vanilla?) scent through vents in the storefront to attract customers.//
Sounds like a call to field research to me ...
-- Letsbuildafort, Oct 10 2004


British supermarkets do this, with freshly baked bread being one of the scents they waft out towards incoming shoppers.
-- Aristotle, Oct 10 2004


Using scents is a well-established commercial ploy in the United States. Nothing new here.
-- DrCurry, Oct 10 2004


This seems to be quite baked. I recall "Zillions: Consumer Reports for Kids," had an article on this very subject some years ago. That said, I'm not sure how they implement this. I have yet to see tanks of "Eau de New Car" hooked into the car dealers' ventilation systems.
-- nick_n_uit, Oct 10 2004


Certain smells like baked beans and bread are supposed to help sell your home more easily.
-- 2 fries shy of a happy meal, Oct 11 2004


Lovely article, Curry. It makes me think I now know everything to avoid the claws of consumism.
-- Pericles, Oct 11 2004



random, halfbakery