+45%
Pleasant scent lifts spending
In a Las Vegas casino, slot-machine revenue in a scented area was about 45% higher than on unscented weekends, in a controlled field study.
Insights
Why the best spaces smell like something
The research behind ambient scenting, and what it means for hotels, offices, stores, clinics and campuses in India.
Why scent works
What the research says
On how ambient scenting changes behaviour in commercial spaces.
+20%
Guests stay longer and spend more
Diners in a lavender-scented restaurant spent around 20% more per head and stayed roughly 15% longer than diners in the same restaurant without scent.
Recall
Scent makes brands easier to remember
A pleasant ambient scent improved both recall and recognition of brands, familiar and unfamiliar, because people paid attention for longer.
Time
Scented stores feel better and quicker
Shoppers rated a scented store and its products more favourably, and believed they had spent less time in it than they actually had.
Focus
The right scent changes how people work
Adults exposed to lavender completed maths tasks faster and more accurately and felt more relaxed; rosemary raised alertness and speed. Useful for workplaces that need calm or energy at different hours.
Emotion
Smell is the most emotional memory cue
Memories triggered by a scent were rated more emotional and more evocative than the same memories triggered by a picture or a word. A signature scent gives a space a memory hook no visual can.
Sources and references
- Hirsch, A. R. (1995). Effects of ambient odors on slot-machine usage in a Las Vegas casino. Psychology & Marketing, 12(7), 585–594.— doi.org/10.1002/mar.4220120703
- Guéguen, N., & Petr, C. (2006). Odors and consumer behavior in a restaurant. International Journal of Hospitality Management, 25(2), 335–339.— doi.org/10.1016/j.ijhm.2005.04.007
- Morrin, M., & Ratneshwar, S. (2003). Does it make sense to use scents to enhance brand memory? Journal of Marketing Research, 40(1), 10–25.— doi.org/10.1509/jmkr.40.1.10.19128
- Spangenberg, E. R., Crowley, A. E., & Henderson, P. W. (1996). Improving the store environment: Do olfactory cues affect evaluations and behaviors? Journal of Marketing, 60(2), 67–80.— doi.org/10.1177/002224299606000205
- Diego, M. A., et al. (1998). Aromatherapy positively affects mood, EEG patterns of alertness and math computations. International Journal of Neuroscience, 96(3–4), 217–224.— pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/10069621/
- Herz, R. S. (2004). A naturalistic analysis of autobiographical memories triggered by olfactory, visual and auditory stimuli. Chemical Senses, 29(3), 217–224.— doi.org/10.1093/chemse/bjh025
Results vary by space, scent and intensity. Figures are from the cited studies and are not a guarantee of outcomes for any particular site.
Industry by industry
What scent does for your sector
Every programme begins with a free consultation.
01
Hospitality
Hotels sell a feeling, and smell is the first sense a guest uses in a lobby. A consistent signature scent across lobby, corridors and spa turns a property into a memory, which is what drives repeat stays and reviews.
What scent does here
- First impression at check-in that matches the brand promise
- Consistent scent from lobby to corridor to spa
- Masking of food, damp and cleaning odours in high-traffic zones
- A signature scent guests recognise on their next visit
Scent families that work
White tea & floralsFresh citrusAmber & oudGreen tea & herbs
From our library: White Tea, Jasmin, Mandarin, Royal Oudh, Mystique Garden
Plan a scent for your property
02
Workspaces & offices
Offices have two jobs: make people want to come in, and help them do good work once they are there. Scent does both. Reception sets the tone for clients; cabins and meeting rooms benefit from calming or energising profiles by time of day.
What scent does here
- A premium, cared-for reception for clients and candidates
- Calmer meeting rooms and cabins
- Fresh, neutral common areas and washrooms
- Scheduled intensity: energising mornings, softer afternoons
Scent families that work
Citrus & herbsLavender & soft floralsLight woodsFresh aquatics
From our library: Lemongrass, Lavender, Aqua Marine, Spring Blossom
Plan a scent for your office
03
Retail & showrooms
Shoppers who feel good linger, and shoppers who linger buy. A scent that fits the merchandise, from fresh linen in apparel to warm woods in furniture and automobiles, raises how the store and its products are judged.
What scent does here
- Longer dwell time and a better-rated store experience
- A scent that fits the category and price point
- The same scent across every outlet for brand recall
- Odour control in trial rooms and storage
Scent families that work
Fresh floralsWarm woods & amberClean musksFruity florals
From our library: Amour, London Red Rose, Mandarin, Royal Oudh
Plan a scent for your store
04
Real estate & residences
A show flat or clubhouse has minutes to feel like home. The right scent softens fresh paint and concrete, and makes a lobby feel finished and lived-in before the first resident moves in.
What scent does here
- Show flats and sales galleries that feel warm and ready
- Lobbies and clubhouses that reinforce a premium positioning
- Masking of construction and fresh-finish odours
- Handover-ready common areas for new residents
Scent families that work
Warm vanilla & amberSoft floralsSandalwood & woods
From our library: Mystique Garden, Jasmin, Spring Blossom, Royal Oudh
Plan a scent for your project
05
Healthcare, spas & wellness
Clinics and spas need calm and clean in equal measure. Light, non-cloying scents lower the clinical feel of waiting areas, while treatment rooms use profiles that match the therapy.
What scent does here
- Calmer waiting areas and reception
- Neutralising of disinfectant and clinical odours
- Treatment rooms scented to match the therapy
- Low-intensity, IFRA-compliant profiles suited to sensitive spaces
Scent families that work
Lavender & herbsEucalyptus & mintGreen teaLight citrus
From our library: Lavender, Lemongrass, Aqua Marine, White Tea
Plan a scent for your clinic or spa
06
Education & institutions
Campuses, libraries and training centres are judged by parents and students in the first walk-through. Fresh, pleasant common areas signal care and hygiene, and calmer profiles suit reading rooms and halls.
What scent does here
- Fresh, hygienic-smelling corridors, auditoriums and libraries
- Calm reading and examination halls
- A welcoming reception for admissions and visitors
- Odour control in canteens and hostels
Scent families that work
Fresh citrusGreen & herbalLight florals
From our library: Lemongrass, Mandarin, Lavender, Spring Blossom
Plan a scent for your campusGetting it right
Four rules of good ambient scenting
Most scenting fails on execution, not on the fragrance. These are the rules we design every programme around.
Dose to the space, not to taste
Output is set in grams per hour against the volume and ventilation of the area. Too much is worse than none; a good scent is noticed on entry and forgotten within minutes.
Consistency over intensity
Cold-air diffusion on a timer keeps the scent even through the day. Sprays and candles peak and fade, which is what people remember.
Brief before fragrance
Start with what the space should make people feel and do, then an aroma profile, and oil. Preference-led choices rarely survive a month of daily exposure.
Safe, compliant, documented
IFRA-compliant oils, waterless fine diffusion. Higher intensity oils available.
Get in touch
Let's write the scent brief for your space.
Tell us the type of space, the area and what you want people to feel. We reply within one working day with a recommendation.
#1057, Dr Rajkumar Road, 4th M Block, Rajajinagar, Bengaluru – 560 010, India