Packaging with an Alluring Scent

Using consumer neuro science to prompt impulse buying

August 2015 – Psychological marketing research and brain research studies have shown that purchasing decisions are associated with different areas of the brain, and that they can be steered by evoking emotions.

According to representative surveys, 70 percent of all purchasing decisions made in Germany are based on personal emotions evoked at the Point of Sale. The key is to address as many senses as possible. So-called ‘scent branding’ plays a major role in packaging and product display. Brand aromas are designed to have a positive influence on consumers’ brand association. Whereas in the past aromas were mainly only emanated when opening the packaging, new products are designed to already diffuse their fragrance when displayed on the shelves in the retail area.

Scent Marketing opportunities

To accurately target the release of aromas, innovative production methods are called for. Fragrance-enhanced packaging should not emanate its scent during transport and storage, but should only titillate consumers’ senses once the goods are displayed in the store. Moreover, this new technology is designed to help prevent theft, thereby adding a further advantage.

A new technology invented by the family-run “Follmann” company for scented coatings and microcapsules offers a wide range of applications. In collaboration with the packaging specialist “Tubex” in southern Germany, the microcapsule scented coating ‘Folco Scents’ was developed which is suitable for almost any printing process. Two printing techniques were used for the tube that was recently presented in Munich. Four UV-LED colours were employed in the flexographic printing process of the depicted lavender blossoms, which were then applied to the packaging and annealed, and then varnished again to ensure the tube’s robustness and scratch resistance. As a next step, microcapsule scented coating was applied by screen-printing technique to ensure that the natural lavender fragrance is only released once the packaging is handled by customers.

The Hanover ‚RLC Packaging Group’ also uses ‚Brand Scent Technology’ for its products. The scent of baby powder was, for example, incorporated into the packaging, so as to appeal to young parents. The typical baby powder fragrance is intensified when gently stroking the packaging. Due to a special coating applied to the packaging of toothpaste, which also feels cool to the touch, consumers can find out how the toothpaste smells even before removing the tube from its packaging.