Consumers' behaviors and attitudes face to a scented product

Nytimes.com

 

Virginie Maille, professor at CERAM business school (ex SKEMA), did a study and wrote a research paper about consumers’ answers to scented products (La réponse du consommateur au produit parfumé: l’incidence de la congruence de l’odeur, 2001).

We have used it to our subject, since shampoo is particularly appreciated as a perfumed product, in order to understand better emotions of consumption.

The study shows that “shampoos with the most congruent odor are described by consumers more positively regarding the hedonic, utilitarian and symbolic components of attitude.” Also, they have the highest purchasing intention level. She has highlighted the fact that an odor is crucial in the process of preference formation for a product. That is why companies differentiate their odors to build brand equity.

For marketers, the study of sensory stimuli is a key issue. First of all, olfaction is the sense which is the most directly connected to areas of fundamental pulsing of the brain, seat of emotions and pleasure. Secondly, odors are extremely conductive to the registration of voluntary or unconscious mental associations. Therefore we will associate the odor with a brand. Thirdly, the repetition of smell is an important factor of memory. Once we have memorized a smell, it becomes familiar and always brings us the equivalent emotion. Thus we make our memories linked with numerous associations we have made around the brand. Then, several studies demonstrate that the smell has a significant place in the decision-making- process. As a result, the smell must be taken into consideration if a brand wants to target customers and make them loyal.

If we take examples of few odors, we will realize that the smell is an essential issue for a scented product as a shampoo.

• The smell of lavender or flower refers to the idea of cleanness and freshness. It can also refer to white and radiant clothes.  

• The smells of coco or almond, generally well adapted to the shampoo, are associated to a power of repair, sweetness and renew. 

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• The lemon’s or orange’s smell refers to refresh and dynamism. It also makes us think of dishwashing product odor. 

• The smell of strawberry or raspberry, often associated to kids’ shampoos, makes us think of food product. 

•  The smell of cacao let us think that the shampoo is only dedicated to brawn hair whereas the smell of vanilla to blond hair.  

By the way, each of us agrees that the odor of a shampoo can be a determinant aspect in our decision-making process.

Feel free to tell us what your favorite is!