Extensive neurological research shows that scents have powerful influences on people—something Shakespeare could have told them (“There’s rosemary, that’s for remembrance…. And there is pansies, that’s for thoughts,” Hamlet, Act 4, Scene 5, lines 199–201). But the combination of solid research evidence and prevalent societal trends, including heightened anxiety and shelter-at-home requirements, has prompted a newly expanded array of uses for scents. Today’s marketers seek to leverage people’s desire for comfort and reassurance by creating and selling various products that diffuse scents that promise to evoke various beneficial outcomes. One of those markets pertains to essential oils. This industry has been subject to frequent controversy, because sellers repeatedly make unsupported and excessive health claims. But even if oils cannot cure disease, they can exert emotional influences. The industry thus continues to experience tremendous growth as people request bottles of lavender and bitter orange (also known as neroli) to diffuse these smells throughout their homes and offices. Both those scents have been demonstrated to reduce anxiety. Essential oils also can be applied directly onto people’s bodies, promising benefits for clearing nasal congestion or simply allowing wearers to carry an appealing scent around with them at all times.

One of those markets pertains to essential oils. This industry has been subject to frequent controversy, because sellers repeatedly make unsupported and excessive health claims. But even if oils cannot cure disease, they can exert emotional influences. The industry thus continues to experience tremendous growth as people request bottles of lavender and bitter orange (also known as neroli) to diffuse these smells throughout their homes and offices. Both those scents have been demonstrated to reduce anxiety. Essential oils also can be applied directly onto people’s bodies, promising benefits for clearing nasal congestion or simply allowing wearers to carry an appealing scent around with them at all times.

Traditionally, the job of making spaces smell good was performed by candles, and this industry also has enjoyed recent growth. Stressed out and worried in the COVID-19 era, people began snatching up candles that felt comforting and reassuring in the spring, such as sugar cookies scents that historically sold mostly during the holiday season. For people working from home for extended periods, ensuring a nice smell throughout their houses also is increasingly important, leading them to design expansive scent maps for each room, for example.

The role of making people smell good also has a more conventional predecessor, namely, the vast international perfume industry. Novel offerings in this long-standing industry include refillable bottles, sold by a French boutique firm called 100BON. The goal with this innovation is to reduce the costs for consumers, by allowing them to purchase a bottle of scent that they can refill at various stores across France.

Another potential innovation would cover all these bases: A new technology, currently in development, would embed smart scent dispensers in jewelry or accessories. At predesigned times, the dispenser would sent a cloud of good smells into the air around the wearer’s head, creating a “scent bubble” that people could enjoy for themselves, wherever they may be.

Discussion Questions

1. Which consumer trends have prompted and supported the increase in new product innovations in scent-related industries?
2. Which of these new product versions seem most likely to succeed in the long term, and why?

Source: Kathleen Beckett, “Perhaps a New Fragrance Will Make Things Festive,” The New York Times, November 25, 2020; Nicole Einbender, “Some Members of Multilevel-Marketing Company Young Lives Are Making Questionable Claims About ‘Essential Oils’ Curing Cancer and Coronavirus,” Business Insider, July 29, 2020