Sensory marketing in the women’s fashion sector: The smell of the shops in Madrid

Cristobal Fernández Muñoz,Cristina Martín Zapata,Felisa Arribas Pérez

doi:10.29393/ran6-1smcf20001

Abstract

Smell is one of the most powerful senses and one that best connects emotionally with individuals. For these reasons, large companies are using scent marketing techniques in order to create better and more memorable experiences for consumers while adding value to their products and services. Given the growing importance of scent marketing, our work focuses on studying the use of this technique in three female fashion chain stores in Madrid, Spain, and how it impacts their olfactory environments. Qualitative and quantitative techniques were used to measure the importance and experiences of young women regarding aromas within the stores and in their vicinities.

Highlights

Marketing carried out by companies has evolved into what we know today, especially in sectors such as fashion retail
The main objectives were to investigate the influence of olfactory marketing in memory and its association with fashion brands and the valuation of this strategy in two scenarios: On one hand when the user is at the place of sale and can perceive the olfactory stimuli that are presented at the point of sale itself; On the other hand, when find out of the place of sale and have to remember it
Regarding the observation and analysis at the points of sale and the personal interviews of managers of the fashionable chains already mentioned, olfactory marketing as a technique was confirmed, it is necessary to point out that Zara was the only company that uses a corporate smell in its stores

Summary

Introduction

Marketing carried out by companies has evolved into what we know today, especially in sectors such as fashion retail. The marketing focus is on consumers’ perception and emotions that lead them to remember a brand. These memories affect other types of factors, such as experiences and sensations in the final decision related to the brand. Retailers have to build relationships with consumers and differentiate from competitors by creating unique brand perceptions in order to achieve emotional bonds with their clients. For a majority of consumers, fashion brands are more than ‘just’ product brands. They have emotional and symbolic meanings and are a way to articulate and express their own individualism (Kapferer, 2004)

Objectives

Results

Conclusion