Air Sense News » Retail

bebe Launches New Fragrance Using Prolitec’s In-Store Delivery System

airsense — Fri, 21 Aug 2009 15:47:56 +0000

Retailer uses cutting-edge Air/Q(TM) technology to introduce shoppers to its new signature scent

MILWAUKEE, WI — August 21, 2009 — bebe stores, inc. (Nasdaq: BEBE) has launched its highly anticipated new fragrance in all U.S. bebe stores. Thanks to a partnership with Milwaukee-based Prolitec, the sensuous new “signature” scent now wafts through select areas of bebe’s stores via the Air/Q(TM) Adjustable Room Air Freshener(TM) — a miniaturized and fully programmable version of Prolitec’s ambient-scenting technology, which is already in use at many of the world’s finest hotels, resorts and spas.

“Rather than scenting the entire store, bebe is using Air/Q to scent specific in-store areas, such as those around the luxurious visual displays that introduce the new fragrance,” explained Roger Bensinger, Prolitec’s Executive Vice President of Marketing and Business Development. “This allows bebe to marry its visual marketing efforts with the olfactory experience of the fragrance itself — a very powerful combination.”

“With Prolitec’s innovative scenting machines strategically placed in our stores, clients will experience an immediate emotional connection to the scent,” commented Manny Mashouf, Chairman & CEO, bebe stores, inc. “This is a terrific way to reveal our new undeniably feminine fragrance in a subtle yet sensual mannerand, based on initial results, we are encouraged by the overwhelming response.”The retailer licensed the new fragrance through France’s Inter Parfums, Inc. (Nasdaq GS: IPAR), which collaborates with noted designers such as Francis Kurkdjian to manufacture and distribute prestige perfumes and cosmetics for the likes of Burberry, Paul Smith, S.T. Dupont and Van Cleef & Arpels.

Inter Parfums chose the bebe fragrance for its first-ever foray into automated ambient sampling, said Andy Clarke, President of Inter Parfums USA LLC, Specialty Retail Division. “Ambient scenting is one of the hottest trends in retail, and many companies are keenly interested in new approaches to ambient sampling that are more efficient than, say, paying a person to spray a new perfume on shoppers’ wrists as they walk in the store,” he noted. “At the same time, many retailers do not want any remnant of an in-store fragrance to last on the ready-to-wear clothing they sell. These stores need to be able to control the intensity and range of the automated ambient sampling technology they use to an extraordinary degree. This is precisely what Prolitec’s Air/Q system offers.”

A sleek, five-inch cube handsome enough to be on display but small enough to be hidden away, Air/Q(TM) is the only fully adjustable room air freshener on the market today. Scent intensity levels can be set from ’1′ to ’50,’ to precisely match room sizes and user tastes. The device can also be programmed to start and stop at certain times each day.”

Prolitec’s patented micro-droplet technology delivers a uniform scent impact with an ultra-low quantity of fragrance in the air — less than one molecule in every 1 million. “By combining an ultra-low concentration of fragrance with a ‘smart’ and environmentally sensible delivery system, retailers can communicate to customers with scent as never before,” Bensinger said.

About Prolitec
Prolitec (www.prolitec.com) is a world leader in the development and deployment of innovative air-freshening technologies and solutions for aerobiology, indoor air quality and the use of scent as a medium of communication. Clients include retailers, hotels, casinos and other commercial organizations in the US and around the world.

About bebe
bebe stores, inc. designs, develops and produces a distinctive line of contemporary women’s apparel and accessories, which it markets under the bebe, BEBE SPORT, bbsp and 2b bebe brand names. bebe currently operates 308 stores, of which 211 are bebe stores, 34 are 2b bebe stores, 62 are BEBE SPORT stores and one is a bebe accessories store. These stores are located in the United States, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico and Canada. In addition, there is an online store at www.bebe.com.

About Inter Parfums
Inter Parfums, Inc. develops, manufactures and distributes prestige perfumes and cosmetics as the exclusive worldwide licensee for Burberry, Paul Smith, S.T. Dupont, Christian Lacroix, Quiksilver/Roxy, and Van Cleef & Arpels. The Company also owns Lanvin Perfumes and Nickel S.A., a men’s skin care company. It also produces personal care products for specialty retailers under exclusive agreements with Gap, Banana Republic, New York & Company, Brooks Brothers and as announced above, bebe stores. In addition, Inter Parfums produces and supplies mass market fragrances and fragrance related products. The Company’s products are sold in over 120 countries worldwide.

Tagged: Ambient Scenting, Branding, Marketing, Retail, Trends

Adergy Selects Prolitec as Technology Solution Provider for Scent Marketing & Odor Remediation Services to Supermarkets, C-Stores

airsense — Thu, 26 Mar 2009 16:25:07 +0000

MILWAUKEE, March 25 /PRNewswire/ — Prolitec, Inc. today announced that it has been selected by Adergy, Inc., a value-added reseller of Trusonic digital audio messaging and music services to food retailers, as its technology solution provider for scent marketing and odor remediation services to the supermarket and convenience store industries.

Under the agreement, the Gulf Breeze, Fla.-based Adergy will market Prolitec’s services to the 26 chains it currently serves in 34 states, as well as new accounts in the supermarket and c-store sectors. This will augment the company’s current programs that utilize Trusonic Internet transmission technology to provide retail food clients with in-store music, customized location-specific messaging, and national and local advertising.

Milwaukee-based Prolitec’s technologies will be introduced to the supermarket and c-store sectors through Adergy’s newly formed Adding Sense(R) Division. The relationship may also open new opportunities for Prolitec with certain non-food retailers, adding to its existing scented marketing retail programs.

“After careful consideration of the Prolitec technology advantage over all competing providers in the marketplace, we decided to partner with Prolitec to offer the best sensory marketing solution and the best value to our clients,” said Adergy President John Greenfield. “For those retailers aware of the tremendous power scent brings to strategic brand building, Prolitec’s services provide a key marketing tool in the most competitive retailing environment in decades. With Prolitec’s flexible technologies, scent can be strategically utilized to enhance the appeal of the overall store, key departments or specific products. The opportunities are numerous.”

The Adding Sense Division will also market Prolitec’s odor remediation technologies, with potential applications in the supermarket and c-store sectors including restrooms and trash storage areas.

“We are pleased to be partnering with Adergy to pursue new growth opportunities for our technologies in the fertile supermarket and c-store sectors,” said Roger Bensinger, Executive VP of Marketing at Prolitec. “With this new capability, Adergy effectively becomes the one-stop source for food retailers for digital music and messaging, scented marketing and odor remediation. We see great synergies here.”

While Adergy currently focuses on the supermarket and c-store industries, the company will be exploring opportunities to selectively expand its services to non-food retail sectors through its capacity as a Total Solutions Provider for Trusonic. “Adergy’s potential move into these other retail markets where Trusonic’s superior technology is being deployed could ultimately create additional opportunities for our scent marketing programs in the retail arena,” Bensinger said. Trusonic currently provides in-store music and on-hold messaging to such major retailers as Ace Hardware, Crate & Barrel, Dillard’s, Guitar Center and Jos. A. Bank Clothiers.

About Prolitec

Prolitec (www.prolitec.com) is a world leader in the development and deployment of innovative air-freshening technologies and solutions for aerobiology, indoor air quality and the use of scent as a medium of communication. Clients include retailers, hotels, casinos and other commercial organizations in the US and around the world.

About Adergy

Adergy (www.adergy.net) is a premier Total Solutions Provider of Trusonic Internet transmission technology for music, custom, location-specific messaging and national and local advertising to the supermarket and convenience store industries. It currently services over 26 major retailer and convenience store banners in 34 states–with over 8,000 messages aired each week. The company’s new Adding Sense(C) Division will be a Prolitec Services provider of sensory marketing and odor remediation services.

Supermarket and c-store retailers seeking information on Adergy’s music, scent and odor remediation products should contact: John Greenfield, President, Adergy Inc., at 888-255-1105 or jgreenfield@adergy.net

Tagged: Ambient Scenting, Marketing, Retail, Trends

Perfume kiosk targets individuals by supposed gender

airsense — Thu, 15 Jan 2009 00:34:38 +0000

A French scent marketing company has teamed up with an “audience measurement solutions developer” to make scent marketing a little more personal. They’ve developed a system that uses video technology to determine the apparent gender of a person walking by, then emits the scent deemed appropriate for that person’s gender. Given today’s variety of sex and gender configurations, is sounds problematic, to say the least.

Prolitec Air/Q partners with Serta Mattress to scent stores

airsense — Sun, 20 Jul 2008 19:28:44 +0000

Prolitec has been chosen as the exclusive provider of store scenting for Serta’s American mattress stores. Serta just unveiled a brand new store design concept, intending to appeal to all five senses to create a unique and memorable emotional response for customers. Prolitec’s in-room appliance, the Air/Q 510, will be their preferred appliance, and they’ll be using a fresh, airy, mild fragrance. The other senses will be incorporated as well, with new earth tones and warm lighting for sight, bottled water and snacks for taste, tranquil music for sound, and customers will be encouraged to “touch” the mattresses by lying on them and trying them out. Donna Zett, Chief Innovation Officer for Serta, is aiming to provide more than just a product, but a total lifestyle experience so customers want to come back to the store and tell others about their positive experiences.

Links:

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

Famous UK department store introduces scent marketing

airsense — Tue, 10 Jun 2008 20:55:51 +0000

Harrods, the largest department store in the world, has started using scent in an effort to improve customers’ moods, and hopefully their willingness to spend money. The 4.5-acre London store has lime-and-basil-scented entrances, receipts, and store guides, as well as variety of ambient scents in many of its 300+ different departments. The ladies swimwear area? Coconut oil, of course. Naturally, the garden section smells like freshly mown grass. The luxury accessories section is a bit further afield with the aroma of pomegranate.

ABC tells the story of scent marketing

airsense — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 00:18:55 +0000

ABC did a special on its “Inside Business” program recently about scent marketing. Australian scent marketing company Air Aroma’s founder John van Roemburg is interviewed.

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

Ambient scenting gets sophisticated

airsense — Mon, 05 Nov 2007 23:35:00 +0000

The ambient scenting industry is booming. Retail establishments across the world are continuing to adopt ambient scenting as a way to enhance the customer shopping experience and to increase sales, and it seems to be working. Among recent adopters is Diane Von Furstenberg’s flagship high-fashion clothing store in Manhattan. Ms. Von Furstenburg hired Prolitec to install two scent delivery systems, one delivering scent through the HVAC system and one diffusing scent under a canopy outside the store. Prolitec’s systems take ambient scenting to a new level, not using any harmful propellants, aerosols or alcohols that might cause health problems, and leaving no residue. Read more at DDI.

Air freshener report shines light on health & safety issues

airsense — Fri, 19 Oct 2007 18:46:00 +0000

A recent study by the U.S. National Resources Defense Council has got retailers pulling worrisome air-freshener products from shelves. The study, which examined air fresheners available at a chain retail store, found most products contained varying levels of phthalates, chemicals that may affect hormones and reproductive development. Walgreens, whose products were the subjects of the study, responded quickly by withdrawing the offending products.

“More than anything, our research highlights cracks in our safety system,” said Dr. Gina Solomon, NRDC senior scientist.

Despite the $1.72 billion U.S. air-freshening industry, the US federal goverment doesn’t currently perform any safety tests on air fresheners or provide manufacturers with any safety guidelines. By contrast, the European Union has been banning two types of phthalates in a variety of products since 2004.

Prolitec, a U.S. scenting company that provides much of its product to companies in Europe, says its products contain no phthalates. “Because we’ve known since our inception that phthalates posed potential health risks, we’ve never used them” said Richard Weening, Prolitec’s CEO. “Health issues are a primary concern for us, and we’ve developed our technology and products with safety in mind.”

The NDRC, along with several other groups, has filed a petition to the EPA and the Consumer Product Safety Commission, calling for testing and risk assessment of all air freshener products on the market.