Scent marketing: The asymmetry of consumer perception of traditional regional products

Abstract

The article presents an experimental study of the effect of scent marketing on consumer behaviour when choosing products of regional origin. The research methodology includes the theories of congruence, relevance, and thematic relevance, as well as the approaches to assessing the perceived quality implemented on the basis of neuromarketing research methods. To obtain verified results, economic and statistical methods of analysis were applied. The information base of the study covers biometric data on the oculomotor behaviour of 32 participants, collected as part of a laboratory-based neuromarketing experiment focused on examining nine groups of regional products. Data visualization and statistical calculations were performed using SPSS 22.0 software package. OGAMA software was applied to analyse oculomotor behaviour and establish heat maps and gaze movement patterns. The experiment was planned and conducted in EventID. The research results showed that scent marketing significantly affected consumer choice – the desire to make a purchase increased by 60 %. There is gender asymmetry in the receptivity of fragrances: women exhibit stronger consumer loyalty and involvement. The findings confirm the efficiency of promoting autochthonous regional products (wine, cosmetics, and essential oils) with the help of scent marketing. The paper provides new data on the influence of scent marketing on visual attention. It is also statistically proved that the use of mountain lavender scenting increases the number of visual fixations, their duration and speed, which can lead to a proportional rise in the amount of time a customer spends in a store and, consequently, to an increase in the number of purchases.