laure jacquemier-paquin the impact of scents on product perceptions 2 illustrations in notebook and...

Laure Jacquemier-Paquin

The impact of scents on product perceptions

2 illustrations in notebook and underwear categories

Laure Jacquemier-PaquinMaître de Conférences en Sciences de Gestion IUT GEA Toulon - Université du Sud Toulon Var

Barcelone, le 21 octobre 2008


Sequences of communication

1. Research context2. Problematic and research questions3. Conceptual framework of the research4. Experimental design 5. Results and analysis 6. Conclusion


1. All perfumed ? A phenomena … … debatable

• Applications : the choice to perfume a product only because « It smells good » …

• Theories : no scientific evidence to prove the impact of scents on attitude and consumers behaviour

Does it make sense to use scents in a marketing context ?

Role of scents in positioning product ?


Positioning product

• Product definition – A set of tangible attributes– A promise delivered to consumer

• Product is not what it is but what it does for consumer– Consumer perception approach– Perception as the way the consumer combine and

organise technical attributes in a pertinent and meaningfull way for him/her

Product benefit


Product : set of structured

data•Tangibles attributes•Intagibles attributes

Attention / Selection

Interpretation / Organisation

Signification / Conceptualisatio

n

Sensory receptors

Product : reorganisation

of data in •Fonctional

benefit•Hedonist benefit

•Selective attention

•Perceptual defense

•Thought schemas

•Abilities and motivation to process

•Expectations

Product Process perception


Perception singularities & Marketing implications

• Features caracteristics of perception : – selective – Subjective and personal– simpliflying & distorting

• Marketing implications in positioning : – Various representations– The task of the marketer is then to identify signals which

catch the attention and which converge together towards a single representation of the product, precisely that the marketer intended to develop


2. Problematic and research questions

• Is the olfactory data playing a significant role in perception process, or to a lesser degree ?

• If yes, how scents would contribute to this process of attribution of significance to the product ?

• Can they encourage the consumer to perceive product precisely the way marketer anticipated to be ?

• Can they assist marketer in positioning product ?


Persuasive role of scent in the perception process of the product


Bases of this postulate :

Richness of associations of the odor Salience of scent

Ability to catch the attention Odor like inductive element, even

coordinator of the message?


Objectives of research :


1. Changing perception of the product induced by the perception of the odor

2. Two mechanisms of persuasion according to the orientation given by the smell and its apprehension mode (emotional or cognitive)


Utility beliefs

utility benefit

Symbolic beliefs

Hedonist / image benefit

Product X Scent (2)

Smell 1 (tangible charact.)

Smell 2 (intangible charact. )

Psychological profil of consumer :

Involvement, Familiarity, Need of cognition, affective intensity, optimal level of stimulation

3. Conceptual framework of research

Product attitude

Product attitude

Possibilities of associations of scent with one specific feature of the product, tangible (fonctional) or intangible (symbolic)


4. Methodology research Selection of materials

Selection on the basis of what the odors must bring to the product.Choice of tested scents

Focus group with experts

(Quinte & Sens)

4 categories selected : Notebook, inderwear, paper towel, bag dustbin

Larger variety of the subjective impressions for the books and scented underclothing

Choice of tested products

Desk research

Qualitative study (17 semi-directives interviews)

Underware (SG)

Washing liquid

Functional

Cuddly symbolic

Notebook

Wood

Tea


Test of assumptions

Quantitative causal study

(264 U ; 255 NB)

Quantitative study odors

Product-odor couples

Exploratory qualitative study

(32 interviews)

Pretests scales

4. Methodology research Study and measurement of perceptions of the

scented product

Variation of perceptions according to the conditions of smell

Formulation of assumptions Construction of measuring

scales

Random assignment with a situation of odor

Variance analyzis between group

Study of dimensions of the odor


2 scents situations

/ 1 non-scented

UNDERWEAR

1- Washing

2- « Cuddly »

NOTEBOOK (nb)

1- Wood

2- Tea

5. Results and analysisTest of assumptions

Attitude

• Absence of constancy or balance in the results No systematic positive effect on perceptions

Pleasant to write

(p=,005)

Pleasure with the writing

(ns)

Resistance book

(p=,002)

Solidity/function (p=,014)

Pleasant to carry (p=,000)

comfort/maintenance

(p=,001)

Development chest (ns)

Image femininity

(ns)

Level of Excitation (Emotional Intensity)

(scent X OSL p=,024)

Attitude (p=,000)


5. Results and analysis Lessons learned

In reinforcement of a belief difficult to evaluate (Comfort, Pleasure of writing) but not useful in the contrary case (Image, Attracted Book)

The odor, as a key of interpretation, must be easy to evaluate

in which case (cuddly), unfavourable evaluation of the components which it is intended to support (Image, Attitude)

In support of a credible belief (Pleasant to carry, Resistance book, Pleasure of writing) but not creation of any beliefs of its own (Image)


Product

Smell

•All signals lead to the same position•Clear argumentation

LiquidWoodTea

•Important believes •Hard to estimate

•Accessibles•Pertinentes •Easy to treat

Product

Cuddly

•Accessible •Pertinente•Complex

•Uncredible belief•Easy to treat

5. Results and Analysis What make the choice of a scent more effective

than another one?

Product-odor coupleComplexity degree

•Interference in signals•Defective

argumentation

Clear and convincing configuration


6. Conceptual gain

• Consider scents in the register of the representations – Semiotic function of scent– Prevalence of symbolic and semantic qualities on

hedonist nature of the odor

• Articulation of two modes of action of the odor in regard to sensitive profile


6. Methodology gain

• Possibility of control and measurement of the olfactive phenomena– Complementarity of the modes of reading of the

odor : naive and experts – Complementarity of collect methods : qualitative

and quantitative, comparative and monadic – Indirect measurement of the role of the odor : multi-

sensory approach


6. Operational gain

• Effective and measured role in promoting expected benefit

• Tool of assistance on the three levels of positioning : aimed, built and perceived

ConsumerMarketer

To state a clear benefit, convincing

Odor = Argument

To maximize the persuasive force of the

message

To perceive reliable indices

Odor = Reference mark To simplify the treatment


Conclusion – Prudence !

• Limits to any research • Scent could not influence attitude formation :

attempt of manipulation ? • It’s not possible to change the reality of product

thanks to the odor. We will be able only to – consolidate the representation that the consumer

made of it – support credibility, the importance and the

clearness of a real promise through the odor.


Thank you for your attention

laure jacquemier-paquin the impact of scents on product perceptions 2 illustrations in notebook and...

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