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Ambius to scent U.S. Omni Hotels and Resorts

airsense — Sat, 19 Dec 2009 17:47:10 +0000

BUFFALO GROVE, IL, Dec 17, 2009 (MARKETWIRE) — Ambius, an industry leader in creating customized, inspirational scents, has signed an agreement with Omni Hotels & Resorts to use the Ambius Microfresh ambient scent program at its properties across the U.S. Omni, renowned for its unique luxury portfolio in leading business gateway cities and resorts locales and for their award-winning service, will be utilizing a variety of Ambius scents in hotel lobbies and other areas of the properties to help create memorable experiences for their guests.

Ambient experiences can play an important role in attracting and retaining repeat customers in numerous settings. Of the five senses, smell is often considered the most powerful trigger of emotions and memories. With Ambius’s state-of-the art Microfresh program, Omni will be able to have each hotel choose a particular scent which is in keeping with the authentic, locally oriented design and decor of the property to further deliver an ambience which captures the true essence of the destination.

“Omni has become recognized in the hospitality industry for using an innovative, sensory approach to ensure we create an engaging, comfortable environment for our guests,” said Stephen Rosenstock, senior vice president for brand standards for Omni Hotels & Resorts. “Ambius is perfectly positioned to provide the products and services we are seeking as we evolve the program by customizing the scents in our properties based on the particular ambience we are looking to achieve for each.”

“Our ambient scenting system results in a holistic, inspiring and memorable atmosphere which complements and reinforces Omni’s mission to exceed the expectations of guests. We’re extremely pleased to partner with like-minded companies who have discovered the role that scent can play in creating a unique experience,” said Jeff Mariola, Ambius divisional managing director.

About Ambius

Ambius offers a full spectrum of services to enhance the interior space for the hospitality, healthcare, retail, and commercial industries. From ambient scenting to interior landscaping, holiday decor, decorative wall art and fresh fruit and flower deliveries to businesses in 18 countries in Europe, North America, South Africa and the Asia-Pacific region. Ambius is a division of Rentokil Initial plc /quotes/comstock/23s!e:rto (UK:RTO 114.12, -3.50, -2.96%) . For more information, visit the new Ambius website at www.ambius.com

Media Contact:
Nancy Tamosaitis-Thompson
Vorticom, Inc.
212.532.2208

Tagged: Ambient Scenting, Branding, Hotels, Marketing, People and Companies, Trends

Hotel chain extends its brand scent to the skies

airsense — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 16:37:56 +0000

Westin Hotels & Resorts has partnered with United Airlines to provide a package of Westin-branded bedding and amenities to United passengers who fly first and business class. Westin’s signature “White Tea” scent is served to customers in the form of a scented towelette, along with the music selection Westin features in its hotel lobbies, the Westin-branded “Heavenly Bed” products, and a cocktail inspired by the Westin-branded “SuperFoods” program. Basically, minus the mattresses and showers, it’s a hotel in the air.

Prolitec launches computer-controlled scent delivery system

airsense — Thu, 19 Jun 2008 23:01:50 +0000

Prolitec has announced a new fully adjustable, computer-controlled, commercial scent-delivery system. Dubbed the Air/Q 510, the appliance serves spaces from 200 to 30,000 cubic feet, and uses a single board computer. Whereas most commercial ambient scenting systems have 3 or 4 settings, the Air/Q 510 has 50 precise settings, allowing the user the flexibility necessary to accommodate any room size or scent level. The system uses Prolitec’s micro-diffusion technology, which makes a scent impact with just a tiny scent concentration.

Designed for hotel lobbies, malls, retail stores and other public spaces, the Air-Q 510 can be installed in a track lighting system, an HVAC system, or mounted on the wall. It’s available in black and eggshell, or by special order in any custom color or texture.

Links: Prolitec

Travelodge offers rooms with choice of scent

airsense — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 23:20:24 +0000

The UK press is reporting that Travelodge, the budget hotel chain, has started offering rooms with a variety of available scents” Guests can choose from scents of chocolate, freshly cut grass, or the sea, which will be dispersed in their rooms at night. The scent options were chosen based on a survey of guests at Travelodge Birmingham Fort Dunlop. Also available at some of the hotels are “ReminiScents,” which are scented sheets that can be placed inside pillow cases, available in the scents listed above, as well as baby powder and apple pie.

Links: Easier Travel, Telegraph, TimesOnline, Travelodge UK

ScentWorld Expo hits NYC this summer

airsense — Sat, 29 Mar 2008 00:57:00 +0000

It’s about time. The non-wearable scenting industry finally got its very own conference. Sponsored by New York’s Scent Marketing Institute, SCENTworld Conference & Expo is the first-ever conference focused solely on the use of scent in marketing, branding, and ambiance. The conference has four seminar tracks: one for ad execs and creative directors, one for scent developers, one for commercial real estate pros, and one for scent marketing professionals. There’s also a full-day program called “Scent Marketing University,” industry-related exhibits, and plenty of opportunities for networking.

SCENTworld takes place June 29 – July 1 at the Marriott Marquis Times Square in Manhattan, NYC. Find out more at scentworldexpo.com

Hotels: the science of scenting and unscenting

airsense — Sat, 15 Dec 2007 21:07:00 +0000

During the past couple years, I’ve seen hotels being utilized as a kind of laboratory for sensory branding scientists. It makes sense. Hotels are serving customers 24/7, and mostly for activities that are of a more personal nature. Vacationing customers want a relaxing and special experience, and business travelers need a good night’s sleep. So, to attract and satisfy these customers various needs, hotel design trends are increasingly prioritizing sensory appeal, particularly with fragrance and sound. (See the New York Times article Eau de Hotel.)

Enter the latest twist: Hampton Hotels promoting unscented hotel rooms (see Hotel Chain Unscents Itself). Hampton launched this “Non-Scents” program in response to their own customer survey, which revealed that most customers want their rooms to smell like nothing but fresh air. The program is co-created by Proctor & Gamble’s Febreze “Linen & Sky brand,” which leads one to believe the rooms aren’t scent-free, they’re just scented like “fresh air.” I’ve written them to ask for further details. This isn’t the first hotel-room un-scenting program: recall the advent of “Pure Rooms” last spring — an effort to serve customers with allergies (see Hotels Go Hypoallergenic).

Hampton’s survey begs the question: Do the customers that voted for unscented rooms enjoy the scented public spaces?

How are people reading this in terms of trends?

I’d like to know more about how companies using scent determine the success of the scent — is there a mechanism for customer feedback? Is it based on the “feedback” of sales numbers?

–Max

Hotel chain unscents itself

airsense — Fri, 23 Nov 2007 20:47:00 +0000

The majority of travelers prefer an unscented hotel room, according to a survey completed last month by Hampton Hotels. The hotel chain is taking this to heart, and has joined with Proctor & Gamble in a brand-wide initiative dubbed “Non-Scents.” Non-Scents is promoting rooms that smell like nothing but fresh air. Hampton has “nonscented” all of its 145,000 hotel rooms. More at Hotel Interactive

Hungry? Try a scent dinner

airsense — Wed, 21 Nov 2007 22:39:00 +0000

New York Times perfume critic Chandler Burr has been touring Rosewood luxury hotels this year, teaming with their executive chefs to create “scent dinners.” Each course of the dinner is paired not just with wine, but also with scent strips to be sniffed at various points during the meal. Burr serves as curator and host of the dinners, which cost $200 each. (See a recent dinner review in the Dallas News)

–Max

Hotel scent branding on the rise

airsense — Wed, 13 Jun 2007 23:20:00 +0000

Scent branding in hotels is on the rise. Numerous hotel chains across the US, including Westin, Omni, Marriott, Hyatt and others are scenting their public spaces in an effort to create sensory-based brand identities. According to a report in Hotel and Motel Management, midmarket hotels such as the Courtyard Marriott are also investigating the possibilities of this type of sensory branding. Popular methods of delivery include the hotels’ HVAC systems and strategically placed scent machines. Regarding guests with scent sensitivities, a Westin executive is reported to have received only two comments from sensitive guests, both of whom thought they’d have a problem, but didn’t. Read more at Hotel and Motel Management and the Atlanta Journal Constitution.

Hotels go hypoallergenic

airsense — Mon, 23 Apr 2007 23:11:00 +0000

In an effort to serve customers with allergies, several U.S. hotels are trying heavily treated, hypoallergenic rooms called “Pure Rooms.”. The rooms undergo lengthly ozone-shock treatments and the surfaces are misted with antimicrobial agents. Tea tree oil, a well-known antiseptic and disinfectant, is pumped through the heating and cooling systems. Pure Rooms can be found at various Marriot, Wyndham, Hilton Doubletree, and other hotels. Additionally, other types of environmentally-friendly hotel rooms are becoming increasingly popular. The trend is likely to continue: a Connecticut legislator is proposing a bill that would require hotels to offer allergy-friendly rooms. To learn more, see The New York Times.