What role do aromas play in advertising? Fast food restaurants have been accused of additional aroma enhancers to their products and to their exhaust systems so that they can be smelled for miles around. Bakeries have aromas associated with them, though some bake items throughout the day so that the smell lingers. Other stores are using aromas as marketing or to influence customer behavior. What do you think? Is this effective?
I think that stores do use aromas in order to influence marketing and customer behavior. I believe that it is rather effective. For example, I do not think that stores such as The Body Shop or Bath and Body Works would get the business they do if they did not lure customers there with their fresh smells. Also, stores such as Hollister and Abercrombie entice people through their doors because of the poignant smells of cologne. Our noses are attracted to these smells and thus we find ourselves at these establishments. I think that it is effective in getting people through the doors of stores and thus causes people to purchase merchandise.
Were you aware of this type of marketing? Is it effective? Is this ethical?
I am aware of this type of marketing. I believe that it is effective as a marketing tool. I think that it is ethical. Although it may seem manipulative I think that marketing, as a business, has the right to play on the sense of smell. Just like commercials use propaganda like beautiful people and extravagant vacations to sell their products, stores have the right to entice people through the sense of smell. However, I was not aware that there was so much emphasis on this side of marketing. There is a much wider away of information on this topic than I previously thought.
How does the sense of smell work?
Each time we inhale, air comes up through the nostrils and flows over the bony turbinates which contain millions of olfactory receptor neurons. This is what is known as the olfactory epithelium. There are cilia on the olfactory neurons that contain specialized proteins. These proteins bind odorants, which are specific molecules. When there is the right interaction between these odorant molecules and the receptors, a structural change takes place. This change sends an electrical signal to the brain which the brain interprets as smell.
What is smell loss and what happens when you lose it?
Smell loss is also known as Anosmia and is the complete loss of the sense of smell. If smell is lost, it can have a profound loss on the person’s quality of life. Loss of the sense of smell not only effects the olfactory system, if effects memories and feelings as well. Smell enhances the world around each and every one of us and a loss of smell would take a lot of the excitement and vibrancy out of life.
What do its authors say about the ethical considerations of scents in marketing?
The author infers that there are ethical considerations that need to be strongly considered in terms of scents in marketing. One of the ethical considerations is the idea that retailers are influencing consumer behavior without the consumer’s knowledge and recognition. Also, researchers are using covert persuasion to influence purchasing, which the author does not consider to be right. Another ethical consideration is providing marketing stimuli to scent marketers in order for consumers to be unknowingly persuaded. The author also brings up the issue of scent marketers making claims regarding their scent products that may lead the retailers to purchase products that do not in fact provide the promotion results. Finally, the author concludes that scent marketers should not provide marketing stimuli to retailers that persuade the consumer without their knowledge. The author states that these ethical considerations must be taken into account because scent marketing has an effect on society, organizations, and the individual. This shows that it is not simply the consumer being affected by this marketing it is the retail seller as well. This is an all-encompassing issue that is a much larger industry than I ever thought.
“Senses and Shopping”:
Describe one example in which marketers ―created new solutions for busy lifestyles. What do they appeal to in people?
Marketers appeal to people with busy lifestyles by exciting their senses. They create displays that really “put on a show of the senses” for customers. They create something that is going to draw the people in and give them a very sensory experience. When consumers are busy and on the go, they are going to be drawn to whatever is flashiest and the most appealing. They are not going to waste their time on something mediocre. This marketing style of playing on the senses is effective for drawing in the consumer and bringing them to a particular retail store before any others.
How might the Grand Bazaar in Istanbul serve as a model for modern shopping malls? How does the retail chain Lush build on markets like the Grand Bazaar?
The Grand Bazaar serves as a model because it is an open air market. It greatly appears to the senses. The products are displayed in their natural form and since the market is open, all the aromas can easily fill the air and entice prospective buyers. Everything looks vibrant, natural, and fresh at these markets, which consumes a prospective customer’s senses. The Grand Bazaar does not package all their products like in American stores. The venders put their products out on display so that consumers can experience the full extent of what each product has to offer. Lush builds on this idea because it has decided to display all its cosmetics just like food. The company has decided to not package its cosmetics like other retail chains. It displays them just as food would be displayed. The products look natural and even scrumptious. The idea is to make them look natural and actually “good enough to eat” in order to appeal to all the peoples’ senses. This strategy has proven incredibly effective for this company.
How can stores specifically target men or women with music and aromas? Pay attention in particular to this segment, as you will need to reflect on it in class on Tuesday.
In the video, a professor at Washington State University did a research study on the effect of aroma on gender and how it influences retail buying. He concluded that a smell such as vanilla is much more attractive to women and would entice them more to buy a certain item. He also placed a more masculine smell; a spicier smell in a male clothing stores. The results showed that this store’s profits went up by about 350% with the smell present. This shows that certain aromas and music as well, can appeal to either men or women. Music and smells can definitely target men or women and entice them to buy products, without the consumer’s knowledge of the smell or music’s presence.
Finally watch Episode 2 Part 4.
Discuss the use of space to encourage people to slow down, see the whole store, and to keep them inside to buy things.
There are various elements of space that are used to encourage people to slow down and see the whole store. Displays in retail stores are set up so that you can move around and browse from rack to rack. Also, color is often used on certain walls in order to draw people into the back of the room or upstairs. In addition, not only is the stores itself enticing, but the entire mall. Some malls have been designed in such a way that people think it is majestic and marvelous. They want to stay there and also buy something there, just to be a part of it. Also, malls and other shopping places have removed clocks so that you don’t know what time it is. They want you to get lost in the shopping experience and feel like you never have to leave. Also, some malls have provided other forms of entertainment such as amusement parks, dancing, and even wedding chapels. This is to give you the idea that you could actually live in this place and just shop forever. This is all to keep you at the retail establishment and most of all keep you buying!
Episode 1 Pt. 1: manipulation in a supermarket; how do we shop; experiments in a supermarket; does a shopping list keep you from buying impulse items?; cabinet castaways--whale meat; role of brands
I was very surprised by this video clip. It appears that having a shopping list actually backfires and we actually end up spending more money. People with a list usually spend more time in the supermarket and also end up rewarding themselves by buying something extra once they have finished their list. I was very surprised by this as I am an avid list maker for the store and thought I was making the best use of my time and money. I will be much more aware of my supermarket buying next time I enter Meijer with my supposed money-saving list!
I do question the shopping list costing more money theory. I would actually like to see a better study on this before I agree with the conclusion. I do the grocery shopping in my family, and for years I did not use a shopping list, and always ended up purchasing things that were not needed (spending more money). The shopping list enabled me to purchase what we wanted and do it within a reasonable time. Maybe this theory does not work with dutch folk like me.
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