Does fragrance marketing really work?

Irish hotels, car dealerships and even gyms are investing in “ambience scenting” in a bid to entice customers but does the way a business smells really increase our spending?

COFFEE shops and bakeries have long tempted customers through the doors nose-first but retailers of less fragrant goods also engage us with scent by investing in “ambience fragrances” that are customised to their business premises and brand identity.

Fragrance designer Raymond Matts is the creative mind behind some of the world’s most successful perfumes, including Clinique Happy, Tommy Girl and Elizabeth Taylor White Diamonds. The former Estée Lauder VP for fragrance development visited Dublin last week on behalf of Ambius, an ambience, landscaping and interiors firm for which he now consults.