A customer walks into a store. The shelves are perfectly arranged, the lighting is balanced, the prices are reasonable. Yet, they add a product to their basket they had no intention of buying and leave saying, “Something just pulled me in.” That “something” is most likely invisible, yet incredibly powerful — scent.
In 2025, scent has become the backstage hero of marketing. No longer used solely for emotional connection, it now functions as a conversion tool. It doesn’t speak, doesn’t explain, doesn’t flash across a billboard. But it lingers in the customer’s memory. Psychology, neuromarketing, and behavioral science now refer to it as the “silent salesman.”
Studies show that in pleasantly scented environments, customers spend 20–30% more time on average. And what does more time mean? More time equals more exposure, more emotional engagement — and more purchasing decisions.
In 2024, the London-based firm Marketing Sciences conducted an experiment involving two identical retail spaces selling the same products. One used a neutral environment, while the other was enriched with the scents of vanilla and lemon. Sales in the scented store were 24% higher.
Even more interesting: 84% of those who made purchases said they returned to the same store later. One respondent noted, “I felt strangely at ease here — the scent reminded me of a house from my childhood.”
This isn’t just commerce. It’s emotional memory engineering.
In France, the prestigious perfume house Diptyque designed a unique in-store scent blend for its Paris boutiques — combining rose, freshly printed paper, and copper. The goal wasn’t just to sell, but to evoke a specific feeling in visitors. Within six months, sales rose by 18%, but perhaps more tellingly, the number of “scent”-related comments on Google Maps increased twelvefold.
In the Middle East, VOX Cinemas in the UAE brought scent marketing to the movie theater experience. Each theater had its own themed scent: buttery caramel popcorn for comedies, green tea and wood tones for dramas. This simple integration led to a 32% increase in concession sales, as guests lingered longer near the snack area before their movies started.
The power of scent to activate emotional pathways in the brain doesn’t just influence buying — it builds brand loyalty. That’s why major global brands like ZARA, Samsung, Lexus, and Hilton have developed their own signature scents. The objective: to capture hearts before eyes.
In the U.S., the Marriott hotel chain uses a custom scent called “Attune” in its lobbies — now so recognizable, it’s practically a logo in itself. Since 2019, Marriott has patented and even made this scent available for purchase online. Guests now diffuse the scent at home. The result? A brand that is not just memorable, but desirable.
Today’s consumer no longer makes decisions based solely on price or quality. Experience is the new currency. And among all sensory tools, scent is the fastest, most intimate, and most unforgettable.
So, if someone enters your business space and walks out without making a purchase, it may not be a failure of your display. Perhaps they were visually intrigued, but no emotional connection was made. Scent is the bridge to that connection.
Scent doesn’t sell. It awakens the desire to buy.
The future of marketing isn’t visual. It isn’t audible.
The future of marketing is felt. Silent, yet deep.
A trace left behind — without a single touch.