You may recall walking through the hallways of a grand shoppng mall and the memory evokes feelings of optimism, positivity, possibility and an escape from the day to day of life. 

 

Why does this happen? 

It's because natural aromas contain tiny scent molecules that are so volatile, they vapourise within secodns of release. As we inhale those tiny odiferous molecules, they make their way up into our basal passages and this triggers a very special gland which is dedicated to our sense of smell. It's called the olfactory gland and it sits within the brain system, firing off responses to aromatic stimulii and tells our brains how to respond. 

Aromatic smells not only give us a sense of what smells edible and delicious, but also what smells potentially poisonous and that we shouldn't eat it. It's part of our ancient survival system and helps us makes good decisions about what to eat, where to sleep, where to build your home, who to have a family with and who to trust. All from the smell that eminates from them. 

Researchers cottoned on to this trait and used it as the basis for developing ways to trigger us into behaviours that were more desirable. 

 

Stay Longer, Buy More 

Aromatic botanicals have long been exploited by parfumers to help their customers to cahieve a certain feeling of desirability, of social standing, power and prowess. Now foods brands, shopping malls and real estate agenst are at it too. Using coffee, cookie, cinnamon and freshly baked bread to trigger our brains into feelings of attraction to the food item and promoting a sense of wanting to eat it right there, even when you're not hungry and clearly don't need the additional nutrition.

But these promots are not the result of a conscious decision based on logical thinking. They are based on emotion and feelings of wanting instant satisfaction. Smell the cookie, get the cookie, eat the cookie, feel better, happier and more energetic with the sugar-rush lift.

 

Citrus and Vanilla  

Smart retail researchers have also discovered that certain aromatics appeal to masculine or feminine, and can make them stay loger and buy more. Aromas that trigger buying behavious in men are the citrus oils - lemon, lime, grapefuit and bergamot, whilst for feminine types it's vanilla, cinnamon and lavender. 

 

The research also extends to music, sound frequencies and colours too - with men being attracted by blue and repelled by purple, and women attracted by purple and repelled by green. 

Would you like more posts that go deeper into these fascinating topics? 

Leave a comment below if you leaned something today.