It’s no secret that labels and packages are continuing to evolve. The Covid-19 pandemic has only spurred the changes impacting the industry. For example, e-commerce has seen a prolific rise, as consumers spend more time ordering products from home.

With that in mind, brands need to design products that are meant for home delivery as well as standing out on a crowded shelf. Identifying new trends will be critical for the health of brands moving forward.

One way in which the label and packaging landscape has the potential to change is with the inclusion of scent. Adding scent to a product is a cost-effective and memorable way to engage with consumers.

Scentisphere, which is based in Carmel, NY, USA, has built a business model on producing and delivering economical scent sampling products and scent marketing solutions. The company, which produces a wide range of scent coatings and varnishes, including UV, aqueous, litho and solvent based systems, operates under the guiding philosophy of, “If it can be printed, it can be scented.”

“Research proves that the percentage of buying decisions made in-store ranges from 70% to 76%,” explains Jim Berard, CEO of Scentisphere. “Therefore, it makes sense that applying scent to a package will increase consumer engagement at the very moment the purchase decision is being made. So, if there are two different brands on a shelf, with one having scent on the package and the other without, research supports that the product with the scented packaging has a much higher chance of engaging a consumer than the unscented product, ultimately leading to its purchase.”

Scentisphere has more than 20 years of experience servicing the global consumer package goods, mass and fine fragrance industries. The company has built relationships with brand and R&D teams, their agencies, suppliers and vendors, specifically to enable them to integrate fragrance into their advertising, marketing and packaging.

“Most importantly, we are experts in procuring and handling customers’ proprietary fragrance oils and ensuring that the final printed coating or varnish is the exact match of the brand’s fragrance,” says Berard. “We have excellent quality control processes, and we strictly adhere to product safety protocols. We work directly with our clients’ printers and provide technical support as needed. This enables our customers to add scent to their brands’ packaging while working within their existing supply chain. And, of course, we also work directly with label and packaging printers to help service their CPG customers.”

This is not a new phenomenon, either. Consumers are already accustomed to buying products based on their scent – whether this behavior is recognized or not. Fabric softeners, deodorants, air care, soaps, lotions, shampoos and conditioners, and detergents are among some of the products that are purchased specifically for the smell. According to Berard, the addition of scent to a package creates an interactive, stop-and-hold tool that helps introduce consumers to the essence of the brand through the trial of the fragrance. It can also serve as an educational tool, providing the buyer with a sneak-peek into the package.

The next frontier is e-commerce, though. The surge of e-commerce has caused many brands to recognize an assortment of new advertising opportunities. One main area of focus has been on enhancing the “unboxing” experience, or the experience the consumer undergoes when opening the e-commerce package.

“Scent on package is very effective in elevating the unboxing experience as it helps engage the consumer at an emotional level,” notes Berard. “Research proves that scent can influence psychological and physiological states. Adding a brand’s scent on the packaging helps to positively engage the consumer at the all-important emotional level when they first engage with the product. In addition, brands can use scent on packaging as an extremely effective promotional tool. For example, scented expanded content labels (ECLs) and scented instantly redeemable coupon (IRCs) labels with scan-to-cart QR codes included are very cost effective in increasing the sales of ancillary products. The best part about these scented promotional tools is that there is no additional media cost because the labels are attached to the product or enclosed separately in the package. There is virtually 100% engagement since every e-commerce package is opened.”

Scentisphere has worked diligently to develop solutions for this market. There are two primary methods for application of scent on packaging. One is the traditional Scratch’nSniff label, which the company says is the most common scent trial technology on packaging. Scratch’nSniff labels are delivered on rolls to the client’s manufacturing site or their third-party manufacturer for automatic application onto the packaging. Scentisphere produces hundreds of millions of Scratch’nSniff labels annually for most leading CPG brands.     

The other method of incorporating scent on the package is Rub’nSmell coatings and varnishes. “Rub’nSmell is applied like a fifth color directly to packaging during the printing process,” explains Berard. “This innovation is gaining prevalence in the marketplace because it is so versatile and cost effective. Scentisphere sends the Rub’nSmell coating to the brand’s existing packaging suppliers, who then apply it to virtually any material, including folding cartons, blister cards, shrink sleeves, primary pack labels and cap stickers. Rub’nSmell can be applied to offset, flexographic, gravure and silkscreen printing technologies. When applied to packaging, Rub’nSmell remains dormant for many years – only releasing the fragrance when gently rubbed.”