EXPERT ADVICE

TIFFANY ROSE GOODYEAR IS A LEADING EXPERT IN SENSORY EXPERIENCE MARKETING, CREATING BRANDED EXPERIENCES BY EMPHASIZING TOUCH, TASTE AND SMELL. EXPERT ADVICE »

SCENTS MAKE SENSE

The strategic use of scents can enhance the attendee experience

at events. BY TIFFANY ROSE GOODYEAR

As event professionals, we’re constantly thinking about how to best stimulate our guests’ senses in order to create the most memorable and greatest impact and to achieve the event goals, whether it’s a corporate event, fundraiser or social gathering. However, many of us focus on only three senses: taste, sight and sound. Rarely do planners pay attention to smell.

We’re missing an opportunity. It’s my belief that cultivating a scent strategy can greatly enhance the experience of an event and the impression it leaves.

That’s because scent is critical to the way human beings interpret their surroundings, create meaning and form memories. The sense of smell, after all, is the only sensory receptor that’s fully developed at the time of birth.

What’s more, it’s important to think about scenting your selected venue because the reality is it’s already scented. The space may have a distinct aroma of its own, especially if it’s an older property. Or, you’re bringing in scents through flowers and food; while these might create a positive scent experience, it won’t be a strategic one.

As someone who has scented a wide variety of events and experiences across the U.S., I’ve come to think about four main components when I approach each project: theme, other smells present, the size of the space and the duration of the event.

Theme: Similar to how you would develop a menu, create mood using lighting and choose music for a particular event, you’ll want to make sure that your scent is seamless within the overall story you’re telling your guests. If there isn’t a specific theme, you can always defer to the season or to your surroundings. For example, warm scents with nutmeg and cinnamon do well in the fall and winter months, while thyme, green tea and lemongrass are great to incorporate into fragrances for spring and summertime. If your event is in a rustic environment like a cabin or ranch, blends with rich base notes like tobacco, leather and bergamot are wonderful.

Other Smells: You’ll want the fragrance palette you’re creating to be compatible with the aromas that attendees will experience during the event. This is especially important when you have live-action food stations. I like to think of this in much the same way as pairing beverages with a meal. They don’t have to share the same flavor profile, but they do need to complement one another. For an event that featured coffee and desserts, I chose a mint fragrance. The fresh herbal notes paired beautifully with the sweets and the aroma of coffee.

Size: The dimensions of the event venue are critical in determining the saturation of your scent experience. Many people are sensitive to scent, so you don’t want to overwhelm them with intense smells. One way I make sure this doesn’t happen is by using high-end industrial diffusers that provide subtle scent whether a space is large or small.

Time: You don’t want to exhaust people with a nonstop scent experience. Unless I’m changing the scent throughout the course of an event from one fragrance to another, I limit the part of the event that is scented. I might, for example, scent only registration, the cocktail hour, dessert course or the entertainment portion of the event.

Don’t Forget: The thoughtful use of scent is a valuable tool in elevating your attendees’ experience.

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