info@thearomatrace.com

Vanessa Chavez

Blog

The charm of the olfactory memory: did you Know that it is the most durable in time?

Have you ever felt a scent that you are transported instantly to another time and place? The perfume you wore your mom when you were a kid, the smell of the wet earth, or the scent of cooking from your grandmother. Behind this podrosa evocation hides a mystery: the olfactory memory.

CONTEXT

Today on the blog of The Aroma Trace we will tell you why the smells have such a strong impact on our emotions and how they can be used to provide experiences sensoruales to our customers.

What is the olfactory memory?

Before defining the concept of olfactory memory, you need to know a little bit about the limbic system of the brain. This system is a network of structures including the hippocampus, amygdala, hypothalamus, prefrontal cortex, and other areas that process emotions and the physiological response to them.

The limbic system plays a very important role in the formation and storage of memory and memories, especially those related to emotions. At the same time, it receives information from nerves, including the olfactory, which helps to regulate hunger, to identify environmental hazards or to recognize the people in a group.

When an odor is perceived by the nose, the information travels directly to the olfactory bulb and from there to the limbic system, particularly the hippocampus and the amygdala, where it is processed and linked to the information stored. For this reason, it is common to evoke vivid memories and strong emotions instantly. This is known as olfactory memory.

Olfactory memory is a complex, dynamic system in which it is stored scents as part of a neural network wide, in which are associated with other senses, memories and emotions.

The olfactory memory in psychology

Now that we've talked about the process of the brain, it is important to know how odors are only aromatic molecules to the memories that we generate emotions. The cognitive process of the olfactory memory consists of:

– Perception of stimuli odorous

– Association of odors with the sensations that awaken

– Rating aroma as pleasant or unpleasant

– Creation of a mental image in the long-term memory

– Memory of the related image with a fragrance

– Association of odors with people or situations

By this process, the olfactory memory has the ability to transport us instantly to another time, a memory of happy days or the evocation of a loved one who is not with us, so that it can change our mood immediately.

Practical applications of olfactory memory

The olfactory memory takes us back to moments of the past through aromas linked to our experiences. However, despite being a subjective experience, there are some universal apps that can be used to provide sensory experiences:

– The Aroma of freshly baked bread. The smell of bread to wake up the appetite, evokes memories of childhood and improves the mood.

– Scent of apple cinnamon. The fragrance is intense, masking bad smells and has the feature of relax, relieve emotional conflicts and fight insomnia.

– Scent of a sea breeze. The smell of the sea evokes the nature, the freshness of the beach and the tranquility of the water and the fun of the summer vacation.

– Scent of vanilla. One of the scents and most well-known, which is found in foods, perfumes, creams, air freshener and many products, thanks to which relaxes the nerves, stimulates the appetite and improves the conversation.

These and many other flavorings are used to create a pleasant atmosphere in all types of shops and stores physical as well as the aromatization of specific products to increase their sales.

Cultural and social impact of olfactory memory

The people we emit and perceive odors unconscious form, and those odors influence in many areas of social interaction: by eating, in home, in religion, in the personal care, among others.

The aromas have formed part of the socialization since the beginning of mankind and the most ancient civilizations. But how have you built the meanings of smells? or is it that there are universal meanings of those scents?

The odors can represent status, partner with warning signs, to stimulate the appetite or the physical attraction toward another person. For example, culturally, writers and artists have used the sense of smell to create atmosphere, evoke emotions, or associate characters and key moments.

Currently, the smells play a key role in our lives: clothing should not only look clean, you smell clean; a new car is not such if it does not smell like new. The beauty is associated with the smell of flowers, while the elegance associated with the Channel are not.5

The importance of olfactory memory in the marketing and customer experience

The colors, the textures, the sounds, the tastes... none of the other senses clings to both the memories of the olfactory memory. Even a smell can remind us of a picture, a sound or a taste due to the neurological connections between the smell and the creation of memories.

The unique ability to evoke emotions of olfactory memory has become a powerful tool in the marketing world. To understand and take advantage of this sense, brands create experiences that are more memorable and meaningful to their customers.

Olfactory memory is more than a biological function. The trademarks modern use fragrances to stimulate the emotions of the consumers and to generate loyalty, to stimulate impulse purchasing or to provide sensory experiences positive, memorable, and create a deeper connection with their favorite brands.

In addition, in a market so saturated with stimuli, the sense of smell is a sense little taken advantage of by other brands as a key differentiator. The brands that use a logo olfactory manage to stand out from your competitors, connect with your customers and gain their preference.

He begins to take advantage of the potential of olfactory memory in your brand or company. In The Aroma Trace, we are a company of aromatizationwe create sensory experiences through the aromatization of spaces. With us you will find the fragrances for your brand, as well as innovative technologies to bring the aromatization to a next level.

Contact us today and discover the potential of the olfactory memory for your business and our service aromatization custom.