Online Exclusive: Get a Sense of the Scent Inside
A novel coating technology allows for “scent sampling” without opening the package.
By Lisa Samalonis, Associate Editor

An innovative new coating technology provides scent sampling for a multitude of products in beauty as

The scent technology is versatile and can be applied to many surfaces, such as caps, labels, films, jars, cans, bottles, glass, metal, plastic, coated or plain paper.

well as other industries. ScentSational Technologies recently launched EncapScent, a patent pending scent delivery technology with custom formulated MicroEncapsulated Coatings (MECs) that can be applied to any type of package. The MECs can be directly applied to packaging after filling or assembly, directly on the manufacturing line.

“This new technology enables brand owners to add a scent to their package, which stays dormant until activated by consumers at the point of sale or during use,” explains Steven M. Landau, ScentSational Technologies’ chief technology officer. “MECs will last approximately one year from the time they are applied. When people handle the product, the scent is released for a short amount of time.”

With the new technology, consumers can sample a product’s aroma prior to purchase without even opening, or tampering with the product “EncapScent encourages consumers to pick up, smell and interact with packaging – often resulting in immediate purchase. It offers a compelling reason to purchase a product as enhanced aromas convey product value, drive purchase intent and likability of the brand,” he says. “Imagine the ability to pick up a product such as shampoo, deodorant, or other consumer product and simply smell the package to determine if you like the product’s scent.”

According to Landau, ScentSational’s EncapScent technology was developed in response to brand owner requests for an inexpensive way to convey product aroma and value during the shopping experience. “EncapScent’s aromatic formulation is not exposed to the product during packaging or shelf life, thus there is no interaction with the product contents,” he says.

EncapScent is an evolved version of scratch and sniff technology, which is paper based and designed for printing applications. “With EncapScent MEC’s, there’s no need to print expensive pressure sensitive labels and adhere them to the package,” he says, noting that the ability to add EncapScent directly onto the package results in considerable cost savings to the brand owner.

The scent technology is versatile and made from a proprietary blend of materials that enable it to stick or be applied to many surfaces, such as caps, labels, films, jars, cans, bottles, glass, metal, plastic, coated or plain paper. According to Landau, several companies are in the planning and development stage to use EncapScent in the shampoo category and for other personal care items.

“The method and time of the release as well as the intensity of the activated scent may be adjusted based on client preference. EncapScent may also be engineered to release at different stages; when picked up from the shelf, during handling, during opening, during use or consumption,” Landau explains, adding that it is not directly exposed to product ingredients.

Aromas often make a direct connection to consumers’ emotions and can be a key factor in brand preference. “Until just recently, the sense of smell has been the most neglected sense in brand marketing strategies. Of the five senses, smell is the most powerful in driving consumer preference, conjuring up memories and creating purchase intent. As a result, our customers have been asking for a low-cost technology to deliver aroma from the shelf. Brand owner response has been very positive due to the effective aroma delivery, the low cost and ease of implementation,” he says.