Formidable formula for fragrances triggers favorable reaction in brain

KNIGHT RIDDER NEWSPAPERS
Do you know what blue smells like? What about cool, hip, modern or friendly?
One company, International Flavors & amp; Fragrances, can tell you.
Known best for the creation of prestigious perfumes and colognes, the company has developed a formidable marketing service in which its experts develop scents that enhance the signature impression of a brand product.
When Samsung wanted to retool its international image, its advertising agency turned to IFF for a smell that appealed to the target customer in key markets around the world, says Alexx Moskvin, the vice president of IFF's brand development agency, Brand Emotions.
The first question was who is the target customer -- the "sweet spot," as Moskvin puts it. What are the values you want to convey?
Results
IFF then did market research on that consumer and the result was the fragrance now being used in major Samsung stores. A Dutch agency asked IFF to help with Foot Locker stores campaign. They wanted to reach "sneaker people" who love the smell of new sneakers. The company captured that smell for in-store sampling.
It's the same idea as when developing the Blue fragrance for Ralph Lauren's men's cologne by the same name. IFF asked key focus groups what reminded them of the color blue. The perfumer ultimately traveled to Caneel Bay in the Virgin Islands and developed a scent reminiscent of the sea.
The perfume company began to explore the idea of expanding fragrance into marketing about three years ago, Moskvin says. The idea is to come up with a scent that integrates with an advertising campaign and has the message the brand or person wants conveyed.
We have long known that smell has a powerful influence on emotion. Everyone has experienced a burst of unexpected feeling at a sudden aroma. Gardenias may remind you of your mother's garden. Fried chicken triggers memory of grandmother's kitchen.
Scent is "very directly connected to the emotional center of the brain," Moskvin says.