Olfactory Marketing: Melissa Case Study

If you work in marketing, you may have already heard of sensory marketing.

But recently, the results obtained by sensory strategies have been increasingly impactful, mainly due to new consumption behaviors. In this case study, we will explore how Melissa increases the positive attitude and purchase intention of its customers through the olfactory identity.

The origin of Melissa and its positioning

Melissa is a Brazilian brand, created by Grendene in the 70s, widely known for its rubber footwear and distinctive plastic sandals. At the beginning of its trajectory, Melissa introduced a French footwear concept, which was a success and boosted sales results. Throughout its development and popularization, the brand used traditional channels (such as merchandising, for example) and activation actions to reach new audiences and create valuable interactions with the public.

But there was a period of declining sales, which forced the brand to rethink concepts and strategies, even changing the material used in the sandals. Contrary to what many people think, the “Melissa scent” strategy was not a pre-planned and calculated action, but rather a reaction to a need.

The material used for the production of the new footwear exuded a strong and unpleasant odor, and this had to be corrected. Here we can see the difference between a desperate reaction and a deliberate reaction: those responsible for creation decided to create an aroma beyond pleasant, something that provoked positive sensations in the public. Thus the tutti-frutti aroma emerged, today unmistakable among the purchasing public (and even those who do not buy).

From 1979 the Melissa footwear, now with new material, began to leave the factory with the “Melissa scent”. The aroma was very well received by the public, who began to associate it with the brand, creating the famous olfactory identity.

But how does this work inside the consumer's brain? Let's look into the mechanisms.

What happens in the brain when scent drives decisions

Sensory memory, especially olfactory, works through a direct neural pathway that connects the olfactory bulb to the limbic system (the brain's emotional and memory center), including the amygdala, hippocampus and orbitofrontal cortex.

Unlike other senses, which pass through the thalamus for filtering, odors reach the amygdala almost instantly (for emotional weight: pleasure or disgust) and the hippocampus (for episodic encoding), forming long-term olfactory engrams. This fast pathway creates implicit associations between scent, emotion and context, activating synaptic plasticity via LTP (long-term potentiation), which explains why scents evoke vivid autobiographical memories, like the “Melissa scent” linked to Brazilians´childhood and comfort.

Pleasant scents increase brand predisposition by releasing dopamine in the nucleus accumbens (reward circuit), raising perceived hedonic value and reducing cognitive resistance to purchase, that is, it is a sensory “primer”. In the orbitofrontal cortex, the scent reinforces positive judgments of quality and trust, while repetition consolidates memory, making the brand “familiar and safe” unconsciously; studies show that consumers spend 10-20% more time in pleasantly scented environments and buy 15% more on impulse.

In Melissa's case, tutti-frutti activates affective nostalgia, building loyalty through emotional stimuli.

With the brand's growing success, the olfactory identity began to be explored in other ways, further enhancing results. In 2009, to celebrate the brand's 30th anniversary, Melissa perfume was launched, the first official fragrance with the brand's name and scent.

In 2017, ethnographic research confirmed the use of the aroma in physical stores, used to capture attention, promote cognitive and emotional comfort in the environment, and increase purchase intention.

In 2023, the “Our essence is tutti-frutti” campaign featured activations and the launch of hand sanitizer, candles, and spray, increasing the scent's presence in the public's everyday situations and activities.

Reports from female consumers collected through research show that the aroma strategy developed was indeed a success: it truly evokes positive sensations in consumers. More than that, there are reports that opening the wardrobe and smelling the sandals is part of the routine.

Still in the research, there are reports that consumers identify the aroma as a strategic asset, but even so, they admit to feeling influenced to buy when they smell it.

How can we apply Melissa example to our businesses?

We know that repetition and emotional impact are major drivers for long-term memory. As seen earlier, emotional impact can influence decisions even when people know the emotion was purposely evoked by the brand. We also know, through the mere exposure effect, that repetition not only consolidates memories in the long term but is also capable of increasing positive attitude toward the stimulus, making it unconsciously more familiar and trustworthy.

The practical lesson is that olfactory memory, especially for physical products, plays a powerful role in shaping recall and predisposition. When strengthening your brand and consolidating your position in the market, consider developing a distinctive scent as part of your identity.

After creation, remember to be consistent in diffusing the scent, as repetition will do the work of making the aroma familiar and will begin to act on the public's unconscious, consistently increasing results. If it is not possible to create your own scent, consider using a pleasant aroma so that people feel good in the environment.

Even simple environmental aromatization can make customers feel more comfortable, increasing time spent in the store, positive attitude toward the environment and the brand, and purchase intention. Another effective approach is to align the scent with the context or situation, as this strengthens associations. For example, laundromats can use fabric softener scent, while bakeries can use vanilla or cookie scent.

The strategic takeaway beyond the scent

One point that cannot be overlooked is the quality of your product or service. Strategies focused on consumption behavior are effective, but the quality of the product or service continues to be a central point in the customer's attitude towards the brand.

If you do not deliver the minimum expected, the consumer will hardly give you other chances, or worse, may repercute negatively the experience they had with your brand. Think about marketing, but also think about the quality of your delivery.

Written by: Guilherme Catarino

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