How brands win hearts through noses
Years ago, I worked at Disneyworld.
My first role was at the Caribbean Beach Resort, an island-inspired resort where I got to swish around in a “pirate wench” costume and sell plastic swords and Mickey ears to holidaying families.
The moment you crossed the threshold between the real world and the resort, you were hit with the smell of lemongrass, caramel, coconut and ocean breeze. It was distinct, overpowering, and immediately whisked you away from thoughts of taxes and responsibilities to the tropical islands of the Caribbean. Guests would step into the lobby, take a deep breath, and visibly relax. They would tell us "It smells like vacation!" with huge smiles on their faces.
That reaction was emotional, psychological, and carefully engineered by Disney.
Scent branding is a marketing technique that uses fragrances to create a brand's atmosphere and identity. It’s something Disney invests a lot of time, money, and technology into to get right.
The science behind scent branding is extensive. Smell is the only sense directly connected to the limbic system—the part of our brain that processes emotions and memories. Fragrance connects to our brain's emotional centre within milliseconds of smelling something, with scent triggering up to 75% of our daily moods.
When that Caribbean breeze scent hit Disney guests' nostrils, it wasn't just triggering recognition; it was activating positive memories of past vacations, releasing tension, and literally changing their physiological state. Disney Park’s entire mission is to get you to forget the real world exists, and scent plays a huge part in that process.
That’s why every single Disney resort lobby, and key attractions and locations in the parks, have a unique scent to help immerse guests into the “Disney Bubble”.
Walk down Main Street USA, and you'll catch the irresistible aroma of freshly baked pastries wafting from strategically placed vents (despite there being no actual bakery in sight). Step into the Grand Floridian's soaring lobby, and you're enveloped in an elegant blend of jasmine, lily of the valley, and cedar, a scent as luxurious as the resort's price tag. On Pirates of the Caribbean, that famous damp cave smell? Pure Disney magic, the smell of fresh rain and salty sea breeze, pumped in to convince you you're really sailing through a pirate grotto instead of Florida swampland. The Polynesian Resort says "aloha" with notes of citrus, ginger, and green tea, while holiday seasons get their own olfactory makeover, with candy corn for Halloween, and cookies and peppermint for Christmas.
Whilst Disney is likely the best at scent branding, they’re certainly not the only brand that knows the power of a good smell.
Nike's signature scent was reportedly inspired by the smell of a rubber basketball sneaker as it scrapes across the court and a soccer cleat in grass and dirt. (OoOoOh, evocative!)
Singapore Airlines infuses its hot towels and cabin with its proprietary "Stefan Floridian Waters" scent.
Even Apple does it, giving their stores that distinct "new technology" smell—which is actually a subtle signature scent of green apples and mint.
And then there's Caesar's Palace in Las Vegas, which recently swapped its eau de cigarette (which I had the dubious pleasure of experiencing) for a strategic blend of rose, green woods, and citrus, designed to relax gamblers into staying just... one... more... hand.
Should every brand be using scent marketing? No. And not just because my allergies would hate it. It’s just that, in general, brands have more important things to worry about and invest their time in. (Like great packaging copy or a cool brand voice… hint hint nudge nudge.) But unlike almost everything else in our increasingly digital world, you can't fake scent marketing. You have to be there, in the moment, breathing it in. Maybe that's why it works so well.
Years after leaving Disney, I still catch whiffs of lemongrass and coconut that transport me back to that resort lobby. That's the real power of scent marketing. It's not just about making spaces smell nice. It's about creating moments and memories that stick with us long after we've left. Even if some of those memories are just trying to sell us more mouse ears.
Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort in all it’s cleverly smelly glory.
