Smells Sell!

Smells Sell!

Pre Reading Activity

A. Discuss these questions with a partner.

1. Are you sensitive to smells? Do you have a good sense of smell?

2. What are some things you think smell good? What are some things you think smell bad?

3. Do certain smells bring back good memories for you? If so, what past events do you associate with good smells?

4. How do you think smells can be used to sell things?

B. Think about what you know about the sense of smell. You are going to read about the sense of smell. Check (/) the statements about this topic that you think are true. Then compare answers with a partner.

1. The sense of smell helps us remember things.

2. Our sense of smell is not very strong.

3. Store owners use smells to influence customers.

4. Scientists study the effects of certain smells.

5. Some smells can make us feel hungry.

6. Our sense of smell can help us avoid danger.

C. Learn the meanings of the following words and phrase before you read the article.

led by the nose      fake                  entice              fragrance

tricky                     volunteers         proof

Scientists have been studying the power of smells for many years. They have learned that more than any of our other four senses, our sense of smell can change our mood and help us remember things. For example, if you are told to think about popcorn, you would probably remember its smell. And then you might remember a movie you saw while eating it. Our sense of smell also helps us avoid danger- like when our sense of smell warns us of fire. And smells can make you feel hungry, from just one whiff of food.

The Power of Smell

Because the sense of smell is so powerful, store owners use smells to sell products. Businesses spend thousands of dollars to scent their stores. They hope the odors will get people inside the store and put them in the mood to buy. They also hope the smell will help customers remember the store later, so they will come back again. Suppose you are in a grocery store looking for your favorite kind of cereal to buy. Suddenly you smell chocolate chip cookies. They smell was fake. The odor was cooked up by scientists in a lab. Then it was spread by the store’s owners to entice you to come to the bakery section.

Using smells to sell products is not new. In 1966, one company added the smell of lemon to its dish detergent. They wanted people to think the soap contained “natural” discovered ways to make microwaveable foods smell good before they are cooked. They scent the packages.

Spreading Smells

Store designer J’ Amy Owens uses “fragrance planning” as part of her store design. She believes each store should have its own special smell of cinnamon and apples. She hopes shoppers will think the children’s clothes are as American as apple pie. Owens spreads the store scents secretly. She soaks little balls in fragrance and hides them in light fixtures and heating pipes. She also puts some in a small heater to warm up the fragrance. A fan in the heater spreads the smell throughout the store. Sometimes she uses computer-controlled machines to spread the smell. But getting the right amount of odor in the air can be tricky. When one store owner first started using peach fragrance in his store, the whole store ended up smelling like a peach farm.

Is There Proof?

Do the smells really work? Dr. Alan Hirsch is an expert on smell. He thinks using smells works. Hirsch says that it doesn't take a lot of smell to affect you. Store owners can lure you to the candy aisle—even if you don't realize you are smelling candy. Dr. Hirsch has done some interesting experiments to test the effects of smell on customers. In one experiment, he took thirty-one people to a sneaker store that smelled slightly like flowers. Later, he took another group of volunteers to the same store, but with no flower odor. Dr. Hirsch found that 84 percent of the shoppers were more likely to buy sneakers when the store was scented. He also found that it didn't matter if the people liked the smell or not. "Whether the volunteers liked the flower scent or not didn't matter," Hirsch says. "Some reported that they hated the smell. But they still were more likely to buy the shoes in the scented room." That's pretty good proof that smells influence purchasing behavior.

The Smell Debate

Using smells to influence customer behavior is a controversial issue. Some people think it is a good idea, but not everyone does. In fact, using smells scares a lot of people. They say the stores are using a kind of brainwashing³, which they call "smell-washing." Other people disagree. Dr. Hirsch says stores already use background music and special lighting. "Why not smells?" Some businesspeople predict that store smells will be as common as Muzak.

New Uses for Smells

New uses for smells are created every day. One bank, for example, gives customers coupons for car loans. To get people to take out a loan, bank officials plan to scent the coupons with the fresh leather smell of a new car. In Australia, companies put sweat odor on unpaid bills. Since some people sweat when they're scared, this smell might remind them of when they are frightened. And they'll pay the bills right away.

Smell scientists are working on other new ways to use smells. Soon TVs and computers may produce smells. Alarm clocks will scent your bedroom with an aroma designed to wake you up. Scientists are even working on ways to keep garbage from stinking. And researchers think scents might help students learn more easily.

Post Reading Activity

Comprehension Check

D. Read these statements. If a statement is true according to the article, write T in the bracket. If it is false, write F.

1.      The sense of smell can change your mood and help you remember things. (   T   )

2. Because the sense of smell is so powerful, some businesses use it to sell products. ( T   )

3. In the future, store smells might be as common as soft music. (    T   )

4. It takes a large amount of a certain smell to affect a customer. (     F )

5. It is always easy to get the right amount of odor in the air. (     F  )

6. Some people oppose the idea of using smells to influence customers.

(   T )

7. Using smells to sell products is a new idea. (    T  )

8. New uses for smells are being developed all the time. (  T     )

E. Read these statements. Write M in front of the statement that expresses the main idea of the paragraph. Write S in front of the statements that give supporting information.

1. Paragraph 1

M More than any of our other four senses, our sense of smell can change our mood and help us remember things.

S For example, if you are told to think about popcorn, you would profoundly remember its smell.

S  Our sense of smell also helps us avoid danger—like fire.

S  And smells can make you feel hungry, from just one whiff of food.

2. Paragraph 2

_m_Because the sense of smell is so powerful, store owners use smells to sell products.

_s They hope the odors will get people inside the store and put them in the mood to buy.

_s_They also hope the smell will help customers remember the store later, so they'll come back again.

3. Paragraphs

__s__ Food companies discovered ways to make microwaveable foods smell good before they're cooked.

__M__ Using smells to sell products isn't new.

__S__In 1966, one company added the smell of lemon to its dish detergent.

4. Paragraph 4

__s__ For example, for a children's clothing store, Owens used the smell of cinnamon and apples.

__m__ Owens uses "fragrance planning" as part of her store design.

__s__ Owens spreads the store scents secretly.

5. Paragraph 5

__S__ In one experiment, Hirsch took thirty-one people to a sneaker store that smelled slightly like flowers.

___M_ Hirsch has done some interesting experiments to test the effects of smell on customers. _s___ Hirsch also found that it didn't matter if the people liked the smell or not.

6. Paragraph 6

__M_ Using smells to influence customer behavior is a controversial issue.

__S__ In fact, using smells scares a lot of people.

__s__ Some people think it is a good idea, but not everyone does.

7. Paragraph 7

—s—   In Australia, companies put sweat odor on unpaid bills.

—m—   New uses for smells are created every day.

__s__ One bank, for example, gives customers coupons for car loans.

1. Match each word or phrase with the correct definition.

1. fake                                     (a) to attract someone or persuade someone to   do something

2. entice                                   (b) difficult to deal with

3. led by the nose                    (c) a pleasant smell

4. fragrance                              (d) facts or information that show that something is true

5. volunteer                             (e) not real

6. proof                                    (f) someone who offers to do something without pay

B7. tricky                                 (g) controlled someone ad made them do what you wanted

F. Using Context Clues

Using context clues, circle the letter of the definition of synonym for each underlined word or phrases.

1. Suddenly you smell chocolate chip cookies. They smell scrumptious. You forget all about cereal and go to the bakery section.

a. terrible                     -b. delicious                 c. unhappy

2. And the smells can make you feel hungry, from just one whiff of food.

a. touch                       b. sight                         -c. smell

3. The smell was fake. The odor was cooked up by scientists in a lab.

a. created                     b. sold                          c. printed

4. Using smells to influence customer behavior is a controversial issue. Some people think it is a good idea, but not everyone does.

a.       costing a  lot of money      b. having a good smell

-c. causing disagreement

5. Soon TV’s and computers may produce smells. Alarm clocks will scent your bedroom with an aroma designed to wake you up.

a. loud noise                b. pleasant smell                      c. unusual voice

6. Store owners can lure you to the candy aisle- even if you don’t realize you are smelling candy.

a. persuade you to go               b. want you to go         -c. help you to go