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Think of a smell, any smell...

On the 21st March National Fragrance Day is celebrated worldwide, apparently. Whilst the cynic in me feels this may have been the brain child of the perfume industry there is no denying the importance of fragrance in our daily lives.

During my time at Swift we have researched a vast array of fragrances, from fine perfumes to toilet cleaners. We have encouraged ladies to sniff fabric conditioners, wet washing and hotel bathroom floors and asked teenagers to assess the scent of spot cream and facial scrubs.

Whether it be making our homes smell pleasant for visitors, making ourselves smell nice for our own self esteem or simply enjoying the smell of bacon cooking or fresh bed linen, we are surrounded by aromas. And yes, I am just focusing on the pleasant ones!

Clearly different fragrances have different associations. Whilst most of us love the smell of freshly cut grass or fresh ground coffee, we may not want our shampoo smelling like them. Something else to think about is how fragrance associations differ from person to person, dependent on the ability to smell and past experiences linked with a particular smell. The right fragrance can also imply efficacy - how well a product is doing its job.

I don't remember a single focus group where there hasn't been a conflict of opinion regarding fragrance, with some people barely being able to smell anything on a test sample and others blown away by the strength or people smelling confectionary where others are reminded of petrol or deep heat!

There are a lot of factors to consider within fragrance research. We must also enable participants to explain what they feel about each smell in a variety of ways - including reference to words, images and colours.

With so many products using aroma in an attempt to influence our buying habits I think the world of fragrance will continue to have exciting and innovative times ahead and Swift Research certainly looks forward to seeking the opinions of consumers to help shape that future.

 

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