Posts Tagged Marketing
Abercrombie & Fitch partners with Prolitec for in-store scenting
This just in from retail giant Abercrombie & Fitch.
Abercrombie & Fitch (NYSE: ANF) announced today that it has concluded an agreement with scent technology and media company Prolitec Inc. to provide scent ambiance services for its retail locations. An Abercrombie spokesperson said, “Prolitec is the technology leader in the use of scent in public spaces. We are pleased to partner with them as our provider of in-store scent.”
“Prolitec is proud to support Abercrombie & Fitch, given their commitment to a multi-sensory store experience,” said Prolitec Vice President Roger Bensinger.
Prolitec is a privately-held technology-enabled services company specializing in indoor air quality and scent as a medium of communications. Prolitec serves clients throughout the US and globally.
Abercrombie & Fitch operates over 1000 retail locations in the US and around the world with five brands: Abercrombie & Fitch, abercrombie, Hollister Co., RUEHL, and Gilly Hicks.
Add comment September 18, 2008
Gamblers spend more in scented casinos
New research about scent marketing seem to be popping up all over. Salon.com’s recent piece about scent marketing mentions some interesting studies I hadn’t heard about. In one study, a floral scent was dispersed in a specific area of a casino over the course of a weekend. Gamblers in that area of the casino spent 45% more money that weekend, when other areas of the casino saw the same spending as usual. Yes, 45% more money. Incredible. In another study, a lily-of-the-valley scent was correlated with shoppers having more positive attitudes about pajamas (and buying more). But the scent of sea mist didn’t have such an affect.
Find out more things you didn’t know at salon.com
Add comment September 17, 2008
New book explores consumer mindset
Consumer expert Michael Solomon dissects and illuminates the inner workings and desires of people who buy stuff in his latest book, “The Truth About What Customers Want.” Available soon from FT Press, the book looks at how customers respond to scent, as well as other facets of what and why people purchase. It looks like an important addition to the library of any good marketing firm.
Add comment September 3, 2008
Will scent ever truly make it to the internet?
Did you know that back during the dot-com boom, an Oakland, CA-based company called DigiScents created a USB-connected scent synthesizer called the iSmell? Hooked up to a computer or gaming console, it was supposed to enable scented email, web pages, and games using essential oils and an internal fan. The buzz was so big that it was featured on the cover of Wired magazine. Sadly, lacking the venture capital to move beyond the prototype iSmell machine, DigiScents shut down after two years, and the iSmell was never to be.
Since the failure of DigiScents, Korean technology experts have predicted that internet-delivered scent will be commonplace by 2015. Tokyo, Japan-based NTT Communications has been forging ahead with its own attempts. In 2006 NTT release the USB-connected Aroma Geur device, which syncs scent with what’s playing on the radio, via internet-sent instructions from the radio station. More recently, NTT’s working with the internet-based ability to send scents from your phone, as well as a more sophisticated, internet-controlled fragrance dispenser, currently being used in conjunction with NTT’s scent-emitting signage.
Thanks to CNN for their interesting article about scent marketing and the quest to bring fragrance to the internet, which is what inspired this post.
Add comment August 29, 2008
NTT releases scent-emitting signage to the public
After over 9 months of testing, Japanese telecommunications company NTT has finally made their scent-emitting digital signage available for commercial use outside Japan. The signage is paired with a network-based fragrance communication system: scents emitted are programmed via the internet to correspond with the sound and video display on the sign. The scent-emitting system is available starting at US$1,400.
In trials last year, a cosmetics company said the scent-emitting signs attracted twice as much attention as the non-scented signs, and an ice cream shop increased its sales by 30% with a sign that emitted the scent of vanilla ice cream.
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Add comment August 29, 2008
Scented laptop gets ready for market
Check out the latest special-edition notebook offering from Taiwan-based company Asus. It’s 13.3″ and scented in aromas like “floral blossom,” “morning dew” and “musky black.” The lifespan of the scent apparently depends upon computer usage, which is perhaps a reflection of the fact that the scent is released by the heat of the machine. Details about the scent technology being used in the notebook aren’t being disclosed.
Read more at Asus.com
Add comment August 22, 2008
Hotel chain extends its brand scent to the skies
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.
Read more at MarketWatch.
Add comment August 19, 2008
