Fragrance: the hidden persuader

The power of fragrance

I bet you’d instantly recognise the smell of neroli, or, come to that, the all pevasive smell of kerosene that you can’t avoid in the open at an airport on a warm day!

Returning to the more pleasant fragrance of neroli,  take a trip to your nearest stockist of essential oil (try chemists, health food shops  or a hebalist such as Culpeper) and try a quick spritz from the the tester for orange flower water, or neroli essential oil.  Now close your eyes and ask yourself how you feel.

Just a whiff is enough to send me back to my trip last spring to  Seville, a deligtful Andalusian city where the streets are planted with orange trees. They happened to be in full bloom when I visited in March, so the very air was fragrent with the distinctive scent. However, somewhat more suprisingly, if I close my eyes, the fragrance sends me back to a certain childhood journey from Palma airport to a Majorcan hotel on the other side of the island, in an antiquated charabang with linen antimacassars. It also reminds me of innumerable non air conditioned waiting rooms, and trains in hot Mediterranean countries, during my student days.

It’s all because neroli engenders feeling of coolness, calm and relaxation. I guess that’s why the fragrance remains popular in warm countries, and is used to offset a stressful environment, even if nowadays it gets pumped out via air conditioning units or ionisers.

In my mind, there’s no doubt that certain fragrances have a powerful effect on the emotions. Neroli and kerosene are just two of many.

‘Fragrance branding’: the business view

Have you noticed the pungent smell that surrounds every Lush store in the UK. They sell  ‘fresh handmade cosmetics’. They seem to have a presence on many of the High Streets I frequent, including Bluewater, or Regent Street in London.  ‘A lot of people don’t like the smell’ admitted Mark Constantine, who heads up the firm, in a recent interview for The Sunday Times. However, it’s a fact that you simply can’t ignore it. For example I’m aware of the brand simply because of the smell. Personally I’m  not keen on strong smells; but I certainly know where the nearest branches are, should anyone ask!

Lush may be the most unsubtle proponent of ‘fragrance branding’ in the UK, but it’s actually a key part of their marketing strategy to create a more fragrant high street, with Constantine freely admitting that he deliberately allows a third of his soap product to evaporate – something he calls it ‘the angels share’.

” What I love in my business is creating an effect without you necessarily knowing how I’ve done it, so there’s a touch of magic.

People are used to words and poetry, so you have to work like nobody’s business to get an effect with them. It’s the same thing with music. But perfume! Nobody has a barrier for that, they haven’t a clue what I’m doing – I can nip in there, grab part of your brain and your emotions and you don’t even know what I’ve done. I can get to people’s emotions, it’s a great privilege.”

How and why does fragrance branding work?

Companies who use fragrance branding are rarely as open as Lush, because they are wary of being accused of being manipulative; but if you stop and think I bet you could name quite a few retailers and other businesses who already use it, such as Abercrombie and Fitch. I would guess that places with high indoor footfall and a captive audience have the greatest potential. Retailers of fragrance are obviously likely to try it,  as are airlines and hotels.

So it’s no co-incidence that so many British supermarkets have in store bakeries; or that estate agents and ‘home stagers’ who advise vendors on sellling homes continue to recommend use of scented candles, home baked bread, or the aroma of fresh coffee to impress prospective buyers.

I believe that the concept works because if, as a business, or retailer, you offer up the right sort of subtly fragranced environment, it’s likely to provoke a feeling of well being, and that people who feel happy and relaxed are likely to be in the mood to spend! Fragrance may provoke strong emotions, but a pleasant fragrance can be used as a marketing tool!

There are fashions in fragrance as in anything else. Haven’t you noticed how leading retail brands such as Marks and Spencer, Waitrose and Method, have all developed a line of lavender scented liquid soaps, dishwashing liquid and cleaners recently.

I definitely find synthetic food or pot pourri fragrances can be a turn off; and I always notice if a strong smell is trying to mask an underlying less pleasant niff, so this is a strategy is unlikely to succeed. It can definitely backfire if any smell is over the top and too strong. Lush might be an exception. Generally I think that fragrance needs to be carefully matched to the tastes of the target audience, and that’s a job for experts.

Where to learn more

If you want to learn more about fragrance and perfume and how it’s made, simply fly off to Nice in the south of France, and travel inland to Grasse, or visit the websites of the perfume manufacteres there.

Grasse is one of the world’s major centres of fragrance blending and manufacture, using essential oils from locally grown flowers. The factories of major firms, such as Fragonard or Molinard, are open to the public to visit. You can even get a personalised fragrance created just for you.

Frangrances that conjure up England
Personally speaking, although I think it suits a warm and humid climate,  I don’t think that a fragrance based on pure neroli creates an ambience appropriate for places in England.   Since the country is internationally known for gardens, a more subtle floral based fragrance blend could be the answer; but, since it tends to be a very individual thing to find something right, I thought I’d list a few fragrance houses that capitalise on their English heritage, so that you can pursue your own investigations. You’ll find some hold the warrant to supply the royal household. Many of the websites give information about stockists, including retail outlets and department stores across the country:

• Bronnley
• Crabtree and Evelyn
• Floris
• Jo Malone
• Liz Earle
• Molton Brown
• Penhaligons
• Woods of Windsor
• Yardley

Here are just a few other pleasant natural fragrances that somehow seem appropriate, and that most people would be happy to encounter :

• fresh mown grass
• new leather
• vanilla
• chocolate
• caramel
• salty sea air
• log fires
• freshly starched cotton or linen

If you have any more ideas to add to the list, or if you’ve dabbled in fragrance branding yourself, I’d love to hear about it.

Until next time…

Antifreeze! Floating towards a less stressful existence

Are you enjoying yourself working hard, or have you taken a day off today? And are you fed up with another week of freezing weather? On my regular dog walk yesterday, the frost crystals crunching underfoot looked more like encrustations of coral. Today, more snow has covered up all the pretty ice formations and restricted transport on the roads of Kent once again. It’s easy to get tensed up with a feelings of enforced inactivity…  so let’s get positive, and think about relaxation, and how to achieve it. After all, it’s still the aim of many a holiday to escape the daily grind and recharge your mental batteries.

Did you hear what happened to Hannibal Helmurto?

The London circus performer accidentally hypnotised himself, using a mirror, while trying to learn how to relax in preparation for his sword swallowing routine; and had to be roused by his wife after spending 5 hours in a self induced trance.

Interviewed following the incident, he was reported by the Daily Mail to have enjoyed an experience so pleasant that his body was absolutely relaxed and floating, to the extent that he literally forgot the things around him.

I’m envious; but rather than going to down the  more extreme path chosen by Hannibal to help himself achieve a state of utter blissful relaxation, what can we do to help ourselves relax away from the office? And, if you’re involved in a tourism or hospitality business, what activities are likely to be the most effective, or indeed popular, to induce the desired effect for your guests.

Is hypnotism the answer?

Personally speaking, I’m very wary of getting involved in anything too alternative like hypnotism, let alone self hypnosis.  Like most people I guess I do like to retain control of my own mind and body, except when I’m asleep of course.

I’ve seen a live performance of hypnotism (on a summer holiday at the Coral Beach Hotel in Paphos, Cyprus). It looked pretty convincing; but no way would I have joined the volonteers and go up on stage to be hypnotised. Actually I think you have to believe that hypnotism is going to work on you in order for it to work on you.

Fun with safety

Don’t get me wrong, I don’t mind having a bit of fun, or even occasionally making a fool of myself while I’m away, as long as I stay safe. Indeed, many  years back I rushed up on stage at Universal Studios in California and successfully volonteered to be an extra in a reconstruction of a scene in one of those airport disaster movies. This involved being filmed jumping into a large tank of water fully clothed (luckily they did provide a change of clothes). Somehow I think those type of films would be seen as being in poor taste nowadays; and no doubt health and safety would ban the idea of jumping into a water tank as well anyway.

There are plenty of people who relax by enjoying themselves playing sport, or who welcome the adrenaline rush they get from the more extreme sports like kite surfing, zorbing, white water rafting,  canyoning, or bungee jumping.  Here incidentally, it’s absolutely vital that you entrust your life to a professional operator and check that you’re satisfied with their credentials.

Actually I’ve enjoyed the feeling of safe exhilaration you get from the less extreme roller coasters like Space Mountain at Magic Kingdom in Walt Disney World; (as long as they don’t go backwards or upside down).  Overall though, I’m not much of a risk taker, and I’m not good at sport. If you’re someone like me who tends to be competitive as well, none of this really adds up to a recipe for relaxation.

What I really dream of is achieving a state of mental relaxation when I’m away from home; so this week, I got thinking about activities that can help people like me, and probably other people too, to relax mentally.

Relaxing spa treatments

I’m extremely fortunate to live quite close to a great day spa, and I’m an avid fan of spa treatments in general, as an aid to mental relaxation following a hectic period at work. I’ve almost been through the menu of treatments at Kalmora Spa, and always come away feeling renewed and relaxed.

My particular favourites are twofold. One is a rejuvenating Aquablitz facial, which includes a mineral mud based face mask. In my experience this never fails to  calm down any sensitive skin breakouts. My other favourite is a full body hot stone massage. This latter treatment is available in many spas nowadays, and is well worth the investment of an hour and a half of your precious time. The stones used at Kalmora are ultra smooth rounded pebbles of Hawaiian basalt lava, heated to aid the relaxation process. They don’t feel in the least bit scratchy on the skin, and the masseuse uses them with slight pressure, and the moisture from a blend of essential oils, to knead away the knots in tense muscles.

I find massage more effective in inducing a feeling of relaxation if it’s preceded by a short session in a floatation tank beforehand.  Actually non competitive swimming is great for general relaxation, because of the way water supports the weight of your body. Take care that you’re not suffering from any minor custs and scratches if you try a floatation tank, since they’ll get irritated by the high strength saltwater solution used (or seal them up with a liberal slather of  mosturising lotion beforehand). There’s no need to worry about claustrophobia. The tank I’ve used is like a shallow swimming pool within an airy wet room environment. If you have any doubts ask to see the treatment room before you commit to go ahead with a booking.

Some more ways to relax

Take time out to lie flat on the floor and bend your legs, keeping them and your knees and feet hip distance apart, with the soles of your feet also flat on the floor. This is great for your spine after a day of hectic sightseeing or shopping.

Here are a few other ideas:

• Take up Pilates  and learn how to pull up your pelvic floor and improve posture.
• Join a yoga class. Hotels and places like Club Med often run them outdoors.
• Enjoy the view from the top of a hill or mountain. Breathe deeply.
• Go on a boat trip. Salty sea air and breezes are particularly relaxing. For me being a passenger on a sailing boat in a gentle breeze offers the ultimate in relaxation
• Learn how to fish. I once had a driving instructor who swore that this was the best way to relax after a stressful day.
• Try committing to regular meditation. To see if  it might work for you, start by staring towards a naked candle flame for a couple of minutes.
• Visit an art gallery and decide for yourself your favourites amongst the works on display
• Enjoy the natural fragrance of flowers in a garden.

Until next time…