When Marketing Leads Us by the Nose

“He who ruled the scents ruled the hearts of men,” wrote Patrick Süskind. Géraldine Coppin, professor of psychology at UniDistance Switzerland, accompanies and analyses a scent experiment conducted at the Foire du Valais, where participants are asked to smell various scents blindfolded and to associate them with an experience. “We develop memories linked to smells. Olfaction is a highly emotional sense. For example, if we associate the smell of our grandmother with a memory, this representation in our brain is prioritised compared to what we can perceive through sound,” explains Coppin, who specialises in preferences related to smells, tastes, and food.

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