Using a signature smell could help create deeper relationships with consumers

Bonati will present the concept, which she claims is another way for brands to communicate with consumers using a different sense, at the upcoming Luxe Pack show in Monaco.

“An olfactory logo is a logo which aims to touch a different sense than sight,”​ she told CosmeticsDesign-Europe.com.

“We are overwhelmed by visual messages and often forget to close our eyes and experience with our other senses. We have five of them, and a good communication strategy should take these into consideration,” ​she added.

Scent – a profound way to communicate​

Not only does the olfactory logo use a different and additional sense to that traditionally used by marketers, its power also lies in the profound way that a scent or odour can affect an individual.

“Scent goes deeper in the emotions…It goes to where the emotions are and there it remains ready to be woken up every time we meet that brand again,” ​she said.

The power of a scent to transport an individual to a very specific place and time has long been recognised and for Bonati, it makes sense to harness this power for brand recognition.

Olfactory logo on shopping bags​

According to Bonati, a cosmetics company could use it as an olfactory print in many different ways.

“They could spread the olfactory logo on their shopping bags, in shops, in fact wherever they decide to do marketing and communication operations because having an olfactory ID means having a space in the emotions of the consumers,”​ she said.

The majority of companies spend a lot of time and resources on visual cues including colours, fonts and shapes as well as testimonials. But, for Bonati, the idea behind the olfactory logo is a way for consumers to identify a brand in a way that doesn’t rely on vision or touch; to identify it with the eyes closed.

Susanna Bonati will present the olfactory logo at the Luxe Pack show in Monaco that takes place from September 19 to September 21, 2011.