Follow your nose when it sounds right: How brand names influence consumer responses to product scents

Product scents exert a considerable influence on managerial outcomes. However, little research has examined the contextual circumstances that facilitate or hinder consumer responses to product scents. Across three studies, we address this gap by exploring how one important product element –brand name congruence – moderates the influence of product scent valence on consumer responses. Specifically, we find that brand names that are phonetically incongruent with desirable product category characteristics attenuate the effect of a product scent’s valence on consumers’ evaluations and purchase decisions. Conversely, a product scent’s valence plays a significant role in shaping consumers’ responses when the product’s brand name is phonetically congruent with desirable product category characteristics. This research has important implications for marketers who want to exploit favorable product scents, and for those who wish to reduce consumer attention to unappealing product odors.