What are the 10 basic types of odors?

 

As humankind advances, we obtain different abilities and technologies that help us understand the world around us and why things happened the way they did in the past.

The olfactory system is one of humankind's greatest mysteries, the knowledge we have about it is quite recent, but it progressed rapidly as further studies shed light on the mystery.

One new approach uses math to describe the representation of smell in the brain this helps us identify ten basic categories of smell our brain can perceive.

This study conducted by Jason Castro at the University of Pittsburgh used a method called non-negative matrix factorization to simplify information into coherent categories.

Using broad data, this investigative team identified 10 basic odor qualities, which are:

• Sweet.

• Fragrant.

• Woody/resinous.

• Fruity (non-citrus)

• Chemical.

• Minty/peppermint.

• popcorn.

• Lemon.

• And sickening, which divides into two: 

• Decaying and pungent.

These categories are based on the chemical composition of each element, but further research is necessary for better accuracy.

Industries that could benefit from this type of research include:

• The perfume industry.

• The food industry.

• The cosmetic industry.

This is because a better understanding of smells behaviors’ in the brain results in compelling products that translate in better sales and overall success.

It remains to be seen what new information we can learn in the future as technology and science advance.

Transform any space into a delightful place with one of our home scents. There are 38 different fragrances and oil diffusers that will make out of your home or business, a place to enjoy.

Tell your brand's story with Fridman's Fragrances

 

Humankind loves a great story. Storytelling has many applications in everyday life, from the entertainment industry to marketing. It is easier to sell a product or service when it has a story associated with it.

The reason why we like a story associated with our things is that it is easier to care about them and to create an emotional bond that persists in our brain.

When something persists in our brain, it is a memory. Memory is an important part of who we are. Memory is about learning information and retaining it so that we can use it later. 

We learn information through our senses. Smell, touch, taste, hearing, and sight. Through diverse stimuli, we create a picture of the world around us in our brains. Four senses have an indirect connection to the brain, but the fifth goes directly into it, the sense of smell.

The sense of smell is closely linked with memory because it is rooted in the limbic system. This is why specific smells can bring memories, sometimes spontaneously. For example, I walk by a bakery and they're making apple pie, and suddenly a picture of my grandmother pops into my head because she used to bake the same dessert. That is how smell works with our memory.

In time we've learned to manipulate this relationship between memory and the sense of smell to the advantage of our brands. Olfactory marketing uses a smell, bonds it with a brand or service or product, and it implants them in the brain of their customers.

This is called scent marketing. The point of scent marketing is to create an experience at storefronts that customers will remember. They want to connect with their customers on a deeper level than they would be able to with visual stimulation. 

One study found that when major retailers used scent marketing in their stores intent to purchase increased by 80 percent. Additionally, dispersing a nice smell in the room not only makes customers buy more, but it also encourages them to stay longer at the store.

Customers will associate a smell with a brand image and recall it when they smell it later. Scents can help create an experience associated with a brand and subtly influence a customer’s view of a brand.

Scent marketing is also used to convey quality, certain smells give a sense of opulence that high-end stores use to attract a specific audience.

Every brand has a story, and if it allows itself to be vulnerable and to connect with their customers, it will reflect on their sales. Scent marketing is an ideal tool to illustrate this story and provide a true customer experience and brand loyalty.

Transform any space into a delightful place with one of our home scents. There are 38 different fragrances and oil diffusers that will make out of your home or business, a place to enjoy.

Not a believer of olfactory marketing? These statistics will impress you

If olfactory marketing seems too farfetched for you, perhaps you should take a look at the following statistics.

1. A study published by The Rockefeller University found that humans remember 1% of what they touch, 2% of what they hear, 5% of what they see, but 35% of what they smell.

2. 46.3 of interviewed people acknowledge that it is easier to recognize something if they smell it again rather than if they see it or hear it.

3. Estimate numbers from Point of Purchase Advertising International found that among 50 thousand products at the supermarket, the consumer picks about 50, favoring those that they can smell.

4. 84% of marketing efforts are aimed at visual campaigns, for which olfactory marketing may be losing important opportunities.

5. Sales can increase by up to 70% when olfactory marketing is used.

6. Scent marketing reinforces and improves brand recognition by unifying a brand or product with the buyer's emotions. Scent marketers realize that aroma branding is the hook, and for many industries, it is the only thing that may differentiate your particular business from your competition.

7. Scent marketing allows for the creation of a new and deeper dimension in your existing brand because it reaches the emotional triggers of targeted consumers. Sensory cues repeated consistently increase sales, traffic, time spent shopping to improve brand recognition and loyalty.

8. Scent marketing makes your brand unforgettable by using fragrance to imprint a pleasant memory that is associated with your product or services. 

9. Fifty-seven percent of small business owners claim that having a relationship with their consumers is what drives repeat business. According to Bain & Company, returning customers typically spend more than 67% than first-time customers. The right scent in the right place propels the consumer into a pleasant selection of memories and associations that repeat themselves automatically whenever that fragrance hits their noses.

The truth is that people are saturated with visual stimuli and brands need to resort to more instinctive methods to trigger the purchase impulse in their customers. Olfactory marketing achieves that.

Transform any space into a delightful place with one of our home scents. There are 38 different fragrances and oil diffusers that will make out of your home or business, a place to enjoy.

What is an Odotype?

Everybody knows what a logo is. An image that identifies a brand. Some logos are quite famous, for example, the Coca-Cola logo, this logo is known worldwide. But what is an odotype? it is a custom olfactory identity.

Major companies have signature scents that they spray at their venues to improve the experience of their customers.

Singapore Airlines has created a fragrance as its scent brand, Stefan Floridian Waters. The unique aroma blend of rose, lavender, and citrus is worn by flight attendants as perfume, is blended into their hot towels, and is pumped throughout the cabin space.

Since passengers can only smell Stefan Floridian Waters in Singapore Airlines planes, they join the scent to the brand, imprinting the experience deep into the limbic system.

Other airlines are following their examples, such as United with their signature scent Landing and Turkish Airlines TK1933.

Aromarketing found a natural match in the hospitality industry, Hyatt Place hotels are an example of many in the hotel industry to create a signature scent brand, Seamless, that they disperse all over their premises.

The scent has proven to be an integral aspect of the Hyatt Place brand, personifying the brand’s message and mission through olfactory sense.

Bloomberg featured an article detailing that the hotel industry spent $300 million US in its olfactory marketing in 2015.

The popular retail brand Abercrombie & Fitch is another example of a successful olfactory marketing strategy.

They opted to pump large quantities of their male fragrance Fierce and it worked, young people responded well to this aggressive approach.

These scents are unique and are bonded to their brand, companies that do this increase their sales by up to 70%.

A scent specialist can create the right odotype unique to your brand. To do this they will need to fully understand your brand and what it stands for, also your target audience.

When you get your signature scent sales will rise considerably for your business.

Transform any space into a delightful place with one of our home scents. There are 38 different fragrances and oil diffusers that will make out of your home or business, a place to enjoy.

Increase your sales with the proper fragrance

What do we need to buy something when we walk into a store? When we rush or are grumpy or upset, it is impossible to pick what to buy.

Purchasing is about finding the sweet spot between comfort and happiness. We don't even have to need something a good emotion can trigger an emotional purchase.

Olfactory marketing is all about getting these emotional responses to products or services. When you walk into a store, everything from how stuff is set up to the level of lighting, and air conditioning is thought to make you buy.

If we add a good smell to the equation, it is nearly impossible to resist the urge to buy. Brands know this, and they take advantage of it to increase sales. You can do it too.

Olfactory marketing is one of the best cost-effective solutions to attract and retain customers. Knowing your brand and choosing the right scent goes a long way when increasing sales. The same happens if you choose the wrong fragrance.

Imagine you sell women's clothing and you disperse a woody/ masculine fragrance in your shop, chances are not many people will buy there, this is because what they're seeing doesn't match what they're smelling.

Choosing the right scent makes your customers comfortable enough to spend time at your store, this permanence allows them to buy more, therefore your sales will rise.

Applying olfactory marketing is easier than you think. There are scent specialists that can help you translate your brand's philosophy into the right aroma, they can also advise you on what diffuser to buy to deliver the fragrance efficiently.

A professional diffuser is a device that you put in the wall and it is electronic, it has a fragrance tank and a timer. You set it up and it continuously releases the fragrance into the environment.

A professional diffuser is a much better purchase than over the counter aromatizers. They deliver uniform scents that last all day long, they have the advantage of pre-made kits that you can purchase depending on the effect that you want.

If your business needs to bump up their sales, consider incorporating olfactory marketing to your strategy.

Transform any space into a delightful place with one of our home scents. There are 38 different fragrances and oil diffusers that will make out of your home or business, a place to enjoy.

Aromarketing to improve your brand

The sense of smell represents an essential role in how we remember things. One of our first connections to the world is, in fact, the smell of our mother, that we use to recognize her when we can't see yet.

Some studies suggest that the human nose can identify up to a billion smells. This connection between the sense of smell and our limbic system can boost how a person responds to a brand.

Olfactory marketing capitalizes the brain responses to smells to create brand awareness and to build loyalty from customers. If you want your brand to stand out, olfactory marketing needs to be part of your strategy.

In this article, we will discuss nine advantages of olfactory marketing and how to use them as part of your business.

1.    It creates experiences. People connect better to experience than to a message. Starbucks Coffee grew exponentially because they offer an experience around a cup of coffee, elevated by the smell of freshly brewed coffee in their stores.   

2.    Smells imprint things in our memory. The sudden appearance of some smell may take you back to a memory you didn't know you had. Some brands have signature scents and when we smell them we think of that brand.

3.    It creates a setting. To sell a product or service you need your customer to experience a specific emotion, the smell can lead your customers to feel what you need them to feel.

4.    Brand philosophy. You know the values of your company, and you can use smells to fixate them in the minds of your customers.

5.    Identifies the brand. A brand has a logotype, but it can also have an odotype, a signature smell to identify it as much as its graphic identity.

6.    Builds loyalty to your brand. People return to where they experienced something nice, let that be your store.

7.    Modify Behaviors. Studies show that smells can shift our mood, so use them to set the right environment in your commercial venue.

8.    Retention. People spent about 15% more time in aromatized places if they do they buy more, take advantage of it.

9.    Love mark. Each person has a particular smell and it attracts other people, so should brands, by designing an odotype, your brand will remain in the top of mind of your customers.

Transform any space into a delightful place with one of our home scents. There are 38 different fragrances and oil diffusers that will make out of your home or business, a place to enjoy.

Scents for your business

Commerce exists from the earliest civilizations. But as it is the primary source of income in most places, brands and businesses must differentiate themselves from the competition. This is where advertising comes in, showcasing the benefits of different brands and products to make people buy them.

But advertising saturated the market, and it became necessary to find new stimuli to help build brand awareness. Sensory marketing became a resource to entice customers. Particularly, olfactory marketing. Smells affect up to 75% of our emotions, so getting the right emotion can help people buy more at your store. When choosing a scent it is important to know your brand and what you expect from your strategy. There are six scent families and they all produce different reactions. We'll talk about them in this article.

Fruity Aromas.

We can find these in most fragrances we encounter. They're fun, fresh, and convey happiness. This sort of aromas are ideal for family places, a hotel on the beach is a good example.

Citric Aromas.

This family of aromas is very fresh and vibrant. They counteract negative emotions and give the impression of cleanliness, this is why they work well at gyms or restaurants.

Herbal Aromas.

These scents are great to produce relaxation and to achieve other different medicinal effects. They are mostly relaxing, some scents from this family are lavender, chamomile, mint, eucalyptus.

These scents promote focus and brainstorming, as well as relaxation, characteristics that go well with spas, hotels, restaurants, and other hospitality businesses.

Green Aromas.

You might confuse them with herbal aromas, but their effect is different, they are fresh scents and convey vitality. A common scent from this family is aloe vera.

Floral Aromas.

Typically associated with feminine energy, the floral family conveys elegance. Jazmin is a scent from this family and is widely used in Chinese culture.

Woody Aromas.

These scents, are regarded as masculine and provide sophistication, and elegance, they work well in restaurants.

What scent better suits your business? Remember that choosing wisely is key to the success of your olfactory marketing strategy.

Transform any space into a delightful place with one of our home scents. There are 38 different fragrances and oil diffusers that will make out of your home or business, a place to enjoy.

Scent marketing for Gyms

People who join a gym want to exercise in a cozy, clean, fresh, and upbeat environment to boost motivation. Scent marketing is an ideal way to make this happen.  But where to start? In this article, we'll talk about the steps to take to make your gym smell nicely.

Odors influence our behavior in ways we don't even suspect. This is because it is the only sense that stimulates our brain directly; the others have to pass several gateways to reach it.

When a place smells nice, we want to be in it. It is as simple as that. Gyms present specific challenges, we're talking about enclosed spaces where a lot of people exercise and sweat. 

Sweat involves a series of chemical reactions but the end of it is that it doesn't smell very well. So how do you mask the odor of many people sweating at the gym? Easy, with scent marketing.

Scent marketing involves a professional scent diffuser where you put fragrances to disperse in a specific space. 

For a gym, you need scents that convey activeness, happiness, cleanliness, a welcoming feeling. Depending on a specific area of the gym is the scent you should use, for example:

Rosemary, eucalyptus, green tea, berries, and fresh grass are some of the scents that convey a welcoming feeling. The reception is a good place to use these scents.

Orange, lemon, coconut, and berries are ideal for dressing rooms and common areas, they calm anxiety, convey cleanliness, and boost joy, an ideal mood to exercise.

Spinning, cardio, and weight areas need to have a vital mood to them; energy is the key ingredient so you want to use citrus smells, pineapple, passion fruit, tangerine, and pear.

It is important to reach out to an olfactory marketing expert to find the right aromas to improve the environment of your gym.

Scent marketing helps increase membership and retention rates. Scent marketing is a cost-effective way to strengthen your brand. 

A strong retention rate for gyms is 90%. If your numbers are less than that you should consider implementing scent marketing.

Transform any space into a delightful place with one of our home scents. There are 38 different fragrances and oil diffusers that will make out of your home or business, a place to enjoy.

12 scents to increase productivity.

Aromatherapy has a significant effect on cognitive functions. Our sense of smell connects directly to the hypothalamus, which is responsible for our emotions and memory making. Scents are so strong that they can evoke vivid memories we didn't know we had. Try a few examples, for instance, if I mention your grandmother's cookies, you will remember their smell, or what a dear family member smelled.

Aromatherapy can also help us work. Sometimes it is complicated to concentrate at work. Several things must happen at the same time to ensure we get the job done. We must have slept ok, the temperature at our office has to be comfortable, as well as what we're wearing, we must muffle the sound. Anyway, it's not easy to focus. But, how can we use aromatherapy to boost our focus and cognitive function? We'll talk about the scents that do just that.

Rosemary. This scent increases alertness and improves memory.

Vetiver. This aroma is good to improve brain function and helps people focus.

Coffee. This scent has an immense effect on analytical thinking. It should be used to complete the tasks of this nature.

Lemon. This fragrance awakens and decreases errors while working.

Jasmine. It fights fatigue and helps your mind to be positive.

Citrus. This aroma makes us have more physical activity and shortens our response time.

Cinnamon. This scent helps perform physical work because it heightens motor response and our attention.

Ginger. Fights fatigue, sometimes we can't keep going because of exhaustion. Diffusing ginger helps us finish our tasks.

Peppermint. This essential oil helps us hold our attention by increasing alertness.

Pine. Its needles have antidepressant properties so it is effective to lift your mood and help you work when sad.

Lemongrass. Reduces stress and relieves anxiety, when working to a deadline diffuse some lemongrass to keep focused.

Lavender. This fragrance relaxes and can help boost concentration to finish a stressful task.

You can pick any of these aromas and diffuse a few drops near your workspace when you're having trouble focusing.

Transform any space into a delightful place with one of our home scents. There are 38 different fragrances and oil diffusers that will make out of your home or business, a place to enjoy.

Fragrance sensitivity.

Fragrance sensitivity is a condition that can be quite severe, and it involves having an allergic reaction to the natural or chemical components of aromas.

People can experience fragrance sensitivities in the form of respiratory ailments or skin conditions. Life can be difficult for people who experience these reactions since fragrances are everywhere.

Common symptoms of fragrance sensitivity include: 

• Headaches.

• Nausea.

• Skin Redness.

• Skin itching and burning.

• Watery, itchy eyes.

• Sneezing. 

• Runny nose

• Difficulty breathing.

• Worsening of asthma symptoms.

There are several actions you can take to improve fragrance sensitivity. In some places, this condition is considered a disability and if an employee experiences severe symptoms they can demand their employer to scent-proof the office.

You can also visit your doctor to obtain treatment with antihistamines and nasal corticoids to relieve the symptoms.

If you experience skin symptoms consider steroid ointments and antihistamines, prescribed by a doctor, of course.

You can also purchase fragrance-free household products to reduce reactions. If a friend or coworker is the one with the allergies, be considerate and avoid wearing perfume or excessively smelly detergents.

It is difficult to limit exposure to fragrances but it is the only way in which one can reduce the allergic reactions that come with it.

If you have fragrance sensitivity don’t be afraid to speak up, tell your coworker that his cologne makes you sick or talk to human resources if the cleaning products used at the office trigger your reactions.

Remember that fragrance sensitivities can be severe and require medical attention in order to improve so that you can have a normal life.

Transform any space into a delightful place with one of our home scents. There are 38 different fragrances and oil diffusers that will make out of your home or business, a place to enjoy.

Aphrodisiacs to enhance the date night

The olfactory sense is the most linked to memory and emotions of human beings, is for this reason that smells can be managed to obtain a determined effect at any given time. Date night is no exception to this. The right aromas can contribute to set the right atmosphere. 

The art of using scents in romantic settings can be traced as far back as the ancient Egyptian and Indian cultures with the Kama sutra and queen Cleopatra seducing her lovers with perfumes and oils.

This romantic effect is called an aphrodisiac, and as its name states it, is all about love, it reminds us of the name of the Greek goddess of love Aphrodite. This is why scents are used for their erotic properties.

Some scents are quite effective and scientifically proven as such. In this article, we’ll discuss them and how they can be used to spice up that special moment.

1.    Pumpkin pie. This scent is very effective for men and it has shown to increase sexual performance at about 40%

2. Lavender. Mixed with pumpkin pie, it increases male arousal.

3. Vanilla. This is one of the most popular scents; it increases the level of arousal by 9%, the reason for which it has shown aphrodisiac properties.

4. Strawberry. This scent increases arousal for both men and women who use it on romantic evenings.

5. Jasmine. It has been used for centuries to improve libido and boost intimacy. It is for this reason that Jasmine is one of the most popular aphrodisiac scents.

6. Ginger. This scent is energizing and uplifting, it has been proven to improve circulation and it works as an aide in erectile distinction.

7. Black licorice mixed with the scent of doughnuts increases arousal in men by 32%.

8. Rose. This scent makes people more sensitive to touch, this is because it has relaxing properties and it increases libido.

9. Peppermint. This is one of the best aphrodisiacs for women as it increases alertness and blood flow to the sexual organs.

10. Sandalwood. To elevate the pulse use this elegant scent.

Diffusing these scents in your special evening will guarantee a good time for you and your partner.

Transform any space into a delightful place with one of our home scents. There are 38 different fragrances and oil diffusers that will make out of your home or business, a place to enjoy.

The importance of your aroma diffuser is always clean

Diffusers have internal parts that can hold moisture and this is bad because it can cause a mold infection.

It is very serious to breathe mold, it can damage the lungs and cause chronic allergic reactions.

An essential oil diffuser must be clean at all times. As a general rule, you should always consult the manual for specific instructions by the manufacturer.

Following the instruction booklet is the best way to keep the warranty active.

Once the warranty is no longer valid you can find your preferred method to clean the diffuser, always making sure to clean it thoroughly to prevent health risks.

You must clean the diffuser regularly but if you don't and start noticing any of the following, it is important to fix it right away:

• It diffuses poorly.

• There is no mist anymore.

• It makes noises.

• Its usual noises become louder.

To clean the diffuser fill the tank halfway with water and add 10 to 20 drops of withe vinegar, then diffuse it for about 20 minutes.

Then use a q-tip soaked in vinegar to clean hard-to-reach places and rinse the entire mechanism with clean water.

Dry every part of your diffuser thoroughly, if necessary, leave it on the counter to drain overnight or until no water leaks from it.

Under no circumstances leave essential oil in water in the diffuser because it can be corrosive for the mechanism and damage it.

You can also affect the experience of new oils if there are leftover oils with a different scent that were left. A few other tips to keep your diffuser working at its best are to avoid placing it in direct sunlight or right next to a fan.

Unplug your device before you clean it and wipe the top down when it gets dusty. Take care of your diffuser and give it regular cleanings to maximize the benefit from your investment.

Transform any space into a delightful place with one of our home scents. There are 38 different fragrances and oil diffusers that will make out of your home or business, a place to enjoy.

How to take care of your Digestive Health with essential oils

Essential oils are a good alternative when it comes to treating diverse conditions of the digestive system.

Because of their anti-inflammatory and antispasmodic qualities, essential oils can be a great way to naturally prevent and treat digestive issues such as nausea, constipation and spasming.

Nausea can be annoying; we'll talk about the essential oils that help relieve it.

Ginger:

Good for morning sickness and travel sickness.

Peppermint:

If you ate too much, peppermint oil can help you soothe the abdominal area, if you want to use it in children, opt for spearmint oil, which is a lighter variety.

Lemon:

It helps overcome nausea.

Sometimes we eat too much and it hurts all over the abdominal area, plus it is difficult to breathe, for these cases, some oils can help you improve the digestion process.

• Ginger - warming, stimulating, eases nausea.
• Black Pepper - tones tissue, warming, a stimulant.
• Rosemary - stimulates the digestive organs such as liver and gallbladder.
• Lemongrass - warming and stimulates digestion.
• Lemon - stimulates digestive fluids, helps us feel clean and refreshed.

Intestinal spasming:

It is annoying, you're going by your day and suddenly a cramp appears, followed by abdominal discomfort, other helpful oils with antispasmodic properties are ginger, lavender, chamomile, and spearmint.

Sometimes is enough to rub one of these oils in the abdomen to bring relief to the symptoms. Of course, if there is no improvement see a doctor immediately to seek attention.

Transform any space into a delightful place with one of our home scents. There are 38 different fragrances and oil diffusers that will make out of your home or business, a place to enjoy.

Lemon oil.

Lemon is one of the most popular aromas in essential oils. It has a fresh fragrance that invigorates the soul. It stimulates the senses and clears the mind. The lemon essential oil has various uses such as:

1. Detoxifying the lungs due to air pollution.
2. Common cold.
3. Anxiety.
4. Bites and stings
5. Digestion.
6. Dry throat.
7. Skin.
8. Stress.
9. Exhaustion.
10. Grease removal.
11. Constipation. Among others.

It has powerful properties it is antibiotic, antiviral, antifungal, antioxidant, antidepressant, refreshing, astringent, and antiseptic. It is beneficial to the digestive, respiratory and immune systems.

You may have noticed that when you use lemon-scented products for cleaning your home, you feel more relaxed and in a better mood afterward.

A 2006 study performed on mice showed that lemon essential oil was a powerful calming and mood-improving agent during three stress test experiments. This study also concluded that lemon is the most effective essential oil to relax people.

Lemon oil also relieves morning sickness which is a common complication during pregnancy, inhaling lemon oil as soon as feelings of nausea present have the effect of drastically reducing queasiness and retching as well as an overall decrease in the intensity of those symptoms.

Lemon oil can be used as a cleaning product that presents itself as an alternative to vinegar when it comes to cleaning the house. 

Lemon essential oil is sometimes used in aromatherapy as a natural analgesic. The anti-stress and antidepressant effects of this oil may have something to do with how it helps our bodies interpret our pain without panicking.

When you're sick with a sore throat, diffusing lemon oil will relax the muscles and it will reduce the pain.

Lemon oil has many benefits and you should definitely use it often.

Transform any space into a delightful place with one of our home scents. There are 38 different fragrances and oil diffusers that will make out of your home or business, a place to enjoy.