Positioning a brand on the market means, first of all, building and establishing its unique, distinctive brand identity: that special blend of associations which describe a brand to consumers and make it immediately recognisable to them.
Building a clear, consistent brand identity means actively influencing how people perceive your brand, and shaping its reputation through a sophisticated messaging strategy. Generally, the concept of brand identity tends to be associated purely with a brand’s visual aspects. But it also encompasses all the emotional and sensory elements that leverage other channels, in addition to sight, to connect with the customer’s subconscious.
Other elements that go into shaping a brand’s unique personality include the psychological traits you choose to associate with it; these include brand values, vision and tone of voice, to name a few. Then there’s the mixture of tactile, aural or olfactory aspects that add to its character.
This brings us to using fragrance as a marketing tool. More and more brands are experimenting with this strategy by tapping into the secrets of scent marketing or, better still, designing their own bespoke scent logo.
More than visual: a brand identity is built on emotions
The sense of smell is one of the most powerful, yet least-used communication channels. We’re made of emotions; we live our lives seeking out emotions, and we make decisions based on emotions. So, resonating on that level is vital to achieving a truly persuasive, immersive communication strategy.
The world of sensory marketing includes the benefits of olfactory branding, a process that leads to the design of a custom signature scent that can convey every hidden facet of the brand, in a completely invisible way. If you want your brand identity to be built on emotions above all else, this is the path to go down.
Creating your olfactory signature: here’s what to expect
Devising a scent logo is a real adventure. So, once you’ve decided to work with Scent Company, how does the magic happen?
Defining your brand attributes
Your scent logo is a non-verbal statement about your brand personality; to convey that personality effectively, you must first understand it in detail. Which exact characteristics of your brand would you like to get across to your customers? Our process starts with in-depth research into your business, to pinpoint the defining features of your brand identity. A scent marketing consultant will use this analysis to transform those features into an airy concoction of sensory perceptions.
What do you want your customers to feel?
You can use scent to target the innermost areas of the brain, arousing new emotions or releasing memories hidden deep in the subconscious. As you create your brand identity, try asking yourself: what do you want your customers to feel, once they come into contact with your brand?
Combinations of fragrance notes can recreate any kind of mood. Some conjure up energy, dynamism and freshness; others, a luxurious, refined elegance that soothes the senses. One olfactory pyramid might create a sense of relaxation, while another might spur us on to embrace new ideals, with passion and productivity. An olfactory logo can enrich your brand with a whole range of positive associations all at once.
How will your olfactory logo be used?
When planning a signature scent, it’s advisable to bear in mind how it will be used in the future – the possibilities are many and varied. Perhaps you want to create a particular atmosphere in a store or conference room. You might need to scent large areas such as a spa or a shopping mall; or combine olfactory stimuli with other sensory perceptions, as in the Food and Beverage industry or event marketing, where several senses are stimulated at once.
You could also use your scent logo as part of special fragrance collections to give your guests or customers as a complimentary souvenir of their immersive experience: candles, fragrance diffusers, body creams, eau de toilette and so on. Every combination of scent notes will be suitable for specific uses to different degrees; a Scent consultant can point you towards the best choices on a case-by-case basis.
Raw ingredients, chosen with care
For a truly successful olfactory branding project, the focus must be on certified high-quality fragrances, without compromise. As we know, low-quality perfumes can negatively impact the senses if too strong or, in the worst cases, cause irritation. It doesn’t stop there: in the long term, uncertified fragrances can damage textiles, construction materials and furnishings in the places where they are diffused.
As such, it’s best to work only with partners who are capable of supplying high-quality essences distilled from the finest raw materials, with appropriate manufacturing processes. Scent Company’s Master Perfumers use more than 2000 fragrance notes to formulate high-impact olfactory logos. All of our scents are strictly hypoallergenic. They come with an MSDS safety sheet registered with the Italian Health Ministry, and are compliant with VOC and IFRA regulations.
What’s the best way to scent a space?
When your goal is to use your olfactory signature to scent an indoor space (shops, hotels, offices, showrooms and so on), it’s important to carefully research the best system to diffuse a steady, even mist of fragrance.
Designing optimised scent diffusion systems is part and parcel of Scent company’s olfactory branding services. We use innovative technologies and specialist technical consultants to analyse the individual characteristics of your space, so that we can identify the most suitable fragrance diffusers for your environment.
Continuity and assistance, wherever you are in the world
Your olfactory branding project might be local, or it could be an invisible thread connecting your international locations, wherever your brand has offices, branches or retail stores. Either way, it’s important to work with a partner who has close links with your geographical area, while being able to guarantee a service with global reach.
One thing that makes our service special is that we have a network of distributors around the world. Their inside knowledge of local markets enable them to deliver dual benefits. On the one hand, your project will be seamlessly contextualised to the local culture, market features and environmental factors – all of which can influence brand perception.
On the other, they guarantee tangible continuity for your project, with a service that stays by your side, from the installation and constant monitoring of aroma delivery systems, to managing refills and technical maintenance. Thanks to our active, 24/7 presence and our remote control technologies, you can rest assured that your branding strategy is running smoothly, wherever your olfactory logo is being diffused.
Do you want to make your brand a truly immersive experience that moves your customers’ emotions? Get in touch with a Scent consultant and take your first step into a new era of sensory marketing.
