Scent Research

Our sense of smell is the closest sense linked to memory and emotion. Every day we encounter aromas that have a powerful impact on our emotions, our moods and ultimately our behavior.

Slot machine players in Las Vegas wagered 45% more in a pleasantly scented room than players in a room without that scent addition. (Hirsch, A., 1995. The Effect of Odors on Slot Machine Use
in a Las Vegas Casino, Psychology & Marketing 12:7)

Research in the Journal of the Human-Environmental System indicates that the addition of scent to an indoor environment significantly increases the satisfaction rate of the building occupants.
(von Kempski, Diotima: “The Use Of Olfactory Stimulants To Improve Indoor Air Quality”, International Journal of the Human-Environment System Vol.5 No.2, April, 2002)

People can remember a scent and its related memory with 65% accuracy after a year. This finding was contrasted with visual recall, which returned 50% accuracy after only four months.
(Engen, T., 1991. Odor Sensation and Memory Westport, Connecticut, Greenwood Publishing Co.)

Consumers in a scented room reported a significantly more positive impression of a pair of Nike shoes than consumers who examined an identical pair of shoes in an unscented room. 84% of the people in the study said they were more likely to buy the shoes in the scented room and many said they would pay about $10 more for the product.
(Hirsch, A., 1991. The Effect of Olfactory Stimuli on the Evaluation of a Common Consumer Product, Chemical Senses 16:5)

A group of patients receiving MRI scans inhaled a vanilla aroma before the procedure: 63% reported reduced anxiety versus 5% of patients who received no intervention before the procedure.
(Redd, W.H. & Manne, S. 1995. Fragrance Administration and Relaxation and Training for Treatment Anxiety During Magnetic Resonance Imaging in Cancer Diagnosis. Compendium of Olfactory Research Dubuque, Iowa: Kendall/Hunt Publishing Co.)

Volunteers in a study by the Smell and Taste Treatment and Research Foundation of Chicago performed puzzle-solving tasks 17% faster when exposed to a floral scent.
(Hirsch, A.R. and Johnston, L.H. “The Impact Upon Learning by Floral Odor.” Chemical Senses, Vol. 20, No. 1, 1995, pp. 77-78)

The Hard Rock Hotel at Universal Resort in Orlando, FL used ScentAir’s Sugar Cookie and Waffle Cone scents to lead guests downstairs to an Emack and Bolio ice cream shop. The “aroma billboard” helped increase sales at the shop by 30%.
General Manager, Hard Rock Hotel, Universal Orlando