More than ever, forward-thinking businesses are creating multi-sensory experiences that are unique and immersive to captivate customers; and of all the senses, scent inspires vivid memories and emotions. Ambius, the world’s largest interior landscaping company, conducted a study and released their 2019 Business Impact of Scent Report sharing how scent can have a powerful congruent impact, increasing customer’s involvement with the whole experience.
The study clearly demonstrates consumers are demanding a more pleasant smell as part of the overall brand experience, with 90 percent saying they would either walk out or speed up their visit if they did not like the smell. Developing a signature fragrance specific to a brand can improve loyalty by engaging customers with the brand and creating powerful memories and affiliations. The personalization of the sensory atmosphere enables businesses to deliver highly-personalized experiences or customized sensorial spaces that will drive future success.
Retail
• 74% of consumers are drawn into a store because of the smell
• 55% of consumers will speed up their shopping if met with a smell they don’t like
• 73% of people say smell triggers an instant memory or feeling ranked higher than any other sense about a store
• 60% of consumers will make a brand their first choice if it engages four to five of their senses
• 42% of people surveyed that the “ambiance” or “pleasant atmosphere” is what they most like about a store
Hotel
• 91% of consumers say a pleasant smell in a hotel would have a positive impact on them
• 48% of people say that a pleasant smell in a hotel would make them more likely to return in the future
• 67% of respondents said that a pleasant smell in a hotel would make them feel more patient and relaxed
• 69% of consumers stated that a pleasant smell in a hotel lobby would improve their perception of a brand
• 30% of responses agreed that luxury smells like leather
To see the official report, please visit – https://scenting.ambius.com.
Current Issue:
CCR 2026 ISSUE 9 | Beauty by Design: How Rigzin Dolma balances brand standards and customer expectations at Waxing the City •
CCR 2026 ISSUE 9 | Beauty by Design: How Rigzin Dolma balances brand standards and customer expectations at Waxing the City •
