Japan is ahead of us, though. One construction company erects office buildings that use computers to pump scent into work areas, spurring higher productivity. Some Japanese alarm clocks emit an aroma 10 minutes before the buzzer sounds, rendering snoozers more alert upon rising. Susan Schiffman of Duke University Medical School has also found that people can become less depressed or bored when exposed to pleasant odors, fueling purchasing inclinations. Scent could thus become the Muzak of the nose.
Effective scents vary widely from market to market, however.
Companies must make sure their scent is conceptually correct, and that it matches the target's demographics. Then there's the Northwest bank that subtly scents bills vended from its ATMs with mint, so its money will seem well, freshly minted. And simultaneously dispensed handbills promoting auto loans smell like new car interiors. Despite this potential smell of success, scent-based persuasion can backfire. This is just the sort of thing consumer advocacy groups will jump on.