When compared to the other four, our sense of smell is often undervalued.
Despite this, our olfactory receptors can be hugely influential when it comes to triggering memories, moods and behaviours and savvy marketers can take advantage of this to make their products and services stand out in a crowded marketplace.
Here are just three examples of how supermarkets, estate agents and airlines have been utilising fragrances to improve their customer experience and, ultimately, sales.
Supermarket's citrus scents
Supermarkets are constantly devising new ways of making sure we spend more, whether this is by placing essential items at the back of the store, playing slower music to make us take our time or selling Easter Eggs in January.
Now a Dutch supermarket chain claims to have increased takings at the till by diffusing an artificial melon smell throughout the shop floor over a three week experimental period.
No scent was used in the first week, whilst a faint melon aroma in the second week resulted in a 2% growth in sales and a huge increase of 14% in the third week when the fragrance was strongest.
Real smells in real estate
A study carried out by an Australian real estate website found that using different smells around the house can have a great influence on the perceived value of a property.
The house was infused with the smell of either citrus, brownies, baked bread, coffee, roast chicken or smell socks and 22 potential buyers were asked to estimate the overall value of the property, after being provided with a guide price.
Visit the AddMaster (UK) Ltd website for more information on How supermarkets, estate agents and airlines are using scent marketing