Adding scent to a digitally printed mailpiece?

[prajna]

We are in the midst of a cross-media campaign and wanted to add a scent to the direct mail piece. I know you can purchase scented varnish through places like Scentisphere, but varnish doesn't apply well to our digital printing (Canon 7000). This is going to be a folded invitation, in a clear poly envelope.

Does anybody have any creative thoughts how to apply the scent? We had thought a tissue with scented oil, but worry about staining, and also the cumbersome and time-consuming application. Perhaps somebody out there has had experience with something similar??

TIA

 

[gordo]

I would avoid the gimmick adding a scent to any direct mail pieces.
There are enough people that are allergic, to or have respiratory sensitivity, to perfumes and fragrances that including a scent in your marketing could create a consumer backlash (not to mention asthma attacks, respiratory discomfort, rashes, nausea, vomiting, tingling of lips and even muscle and joint pain).

best, gordon p

 

[Coolio]

I agree with Gordo to a point.
we did a mailing for our local credit union pushing car loans. They included a"New Car Smell" air freshener (in a finseal) in the mailing. The finseal kept the scent contained but still provided the effect the customer wanted. Those end users with delicate sense of smell could toss the packet. No harm, no foul.

Greg

 

[prajna]

Thanks Gordo and Coolio. I will take your point into consideration. This is a chocolate themed event, and the client is very excited about the idea of a chocolate scent as an added "emotional" touch if you will.

Coolio - what is a finseal? I'm not familiar with the term.

And while we here ponder the points presented by Gordo, I'd still be interested to hear if anybody has any further ideas on implementing something like this? Thanks everybody

 

[noseknows]

scent is an option

scent is an option

There are some options to add scent to your request. There are various price points and the ROI on your specific request - chocolate - holidays will be double digit. SO as a process of understanding how to make the most of your return, I would explore the idea.

Regarding the comments with scent - yes some people may be upset, (loud music and texting can make people angry as well) however there are some really great alternatives that the customer has the choice to participate. As well all fragrance meet FDA regulations and all fragrance go through allergen testing. I would assume the chemicals you use in printing are more harmful.

Fragrance perception can be addressed, it is about the level, strength and how the aroma is used.

Any more questions contact me, I have been helping companies with scent campaigns for 20 years.
Tracy Pepe
Nose Knows Consulting

 

[Jimbo]

. As well all fragrance meet FDA regulations and all fragrance go through allergen testing.

Hardly seems worth the time, effort and expense when you can just print something flashy enough to catch the eye and leave the nose alone.

 

[noseknows]

Respectfully - A study conducted by the NY Times marketing research department discovered that when given a choice between two similar food or beverage products ; 81% of consumers would choose a product that they could both see and smell over one that they could only see. Considering 75% of the emotions we generate on a daily basis are affected by smell, it hardly seems logical to invest in a camapign with just flashy print.
Besides what puts your flashy print ahead of the next's guys? Adding smell at the very least, causes the consumer to smell your flashy design and act on it.

 

[ScentMarketingInstitute]

There are scent delivery technologies that would require a customer's action to experience the fragrance, thus giving him/her a choice and eliminating gordon's et al's concerns.
Jimbo, respectfully, I agree with Tracy that it is more than worth your time, effort & expense. We see the use of print as the fastest growth area in Scent Marketing right after environmental scenting.
Gotta go with the time, Jimbo!
Look at products from Arcade Marketing in New York. They have numerous "seals" that can carry any fragrance in may variations. Scent is only released when the seal is opened.
Start with that or visit our web site Scent Marketing Institute and send me a personal e-mail from there.
Harald H. Vogt
Founder
Scent Marketing Institute

 

[Banditto1]

I worked at a incentive/marketing/travel company -- we created several pieces and never had a problem. We diluted the perfume and our bindery provider simpley added to his wet score bottle when he folded.
Go ahead, get creative -- I can tell you that when program participants opened up a brochure for Hawaii, people went nuts.

 

[[email protected]]

Sounds like a good way to sell Whoopee cushions also. If you get my drift.
Maybe do a Depends before and after piece. Imagine that in your mail box at home.
Toner and waterless ink smells bad enough after sitting in my mailbox in the hot sun for hours until I get home to collect my mail.
Tip: Many home owners use those air fresheners that are electric send out a sample they can use that way instead of stinking my mailbox up with some printed piece that smells like waterless ink or toner and they add some crappy odor to it.

 

[Banditto1]

Our recipients had a median income of over $250K per year. They didn't get in in their mailbox -- they had a staff to take care of that. Each time we used it, we got glowing reviews. Some of our carrier boxes cost over $75 each, all hand assembled and we producing 750 qty some even had music chips. Keep your mind open, you can't keeping sending out post cards and expect to land the big fish.

 

[CMCRhonda]

I agree with Gordo to a point.
we did a mailing for our local credit union pushing car loans. They included a"New Car Smell" air freshener (in a finseal) in the mailing. The finseal kept the scent contained but still provided the effect the customer wanted. Those end users with delicate sense of smell could toss the packet. No harm, no foul.

Greg

What a great idea - I am definitely adding this to my folder, thanks for sharing.

We had a mail piece for an RV repair club that included an "oil" scented patch - outsourced, however, so I didn't have to smell it much lol...I like the car freshener idea better.

Rhonda

 

[rbailleu]

I think discount labels has some scratch and sniff stickers. you could apply a sticker in a corner

 

[prajna]

Seems to be quite a divided camp over this. I had received a quote from Discount Labels, but I like the idea of presenting the scent innocuously vs. a scratch 'n sniff, rather than having to announce it, at which point it would seem to cross over to gimmick. Banditto, thanks for the insight. I, too, believe there is a great correlation between scent and human motivation, and this has been proven time and time again in many industries and studies. I think by the responses here that some people envision being hammered with a gust of wind that burns out their olfactory senses when they open the mailpiece. We were actually able to varnish the digitally printed piece, and now are working on testing different oil scents mixed with the varnish. We want it to be a very subtle sensation, not overpowering. Just enough to add an additional dimension to the piece. In fact, maybe some people won't even consciously notice it. Playing to the lowest common denominator in a way.