A response to a request by Ketchum in London UK, -the worldwide PR and advertising agency for three perfumes -La Coste, Hugo Boss and Escada – for a brief explanation of the psychological link and significance between romance and fragrances:
The psychology of fragrance and romance
Fragrance is one of the most powerful triggers for memory and emotion because it instantly recreates the experience associated with the scent. If you introduce a new fragrance to a new or existing romance, every time either partner smells that fragrance her or she will instantly relive the passion, fun, excitement and ecstasy of the initial romance with you – even if it is ten years after the romantic event or relationship. Once the brain has associated a positive emotion and experience with the fragrance, it becomes almost permanently imprinted in the brain and forever the fragrance will trigger those wonderful emotions and experience. Fragrance and scents are an even more powerful trigger for reliving memories and emotion than photos or touch.
In the same way that the whiff of a hotly baked apple pie might instantly carry you back to childhood, sitting by grandma’s side as she served up the hotly baked apple pie, so too, romantic fragrances can create eternal memories and associations of love and romantic moments & experiences.
Patrick Wanis PhD
Celebrity Life Coach, Human Behavior & Relationship Expert
Patrick Wanis, PhD, is a renowned relationship and behavioral expert with over 25 years of experience. Creator of SRTT Therapy (Subconscious Rapid Transformation Technique), he specializes in resolving root causes of trauma and other conditions without reliving pain or retraumatization. He has developed various psychological assessments on emotional intelligence, relationships, self-sabotage, and authenticity, and serves diverse clients from celebrities to teens. A trusted media source, Global media including CNN, BBC, FOX News turn to Wanis for insights into relationships, sexuality, human motivation, trauma, communication, body language, and persuasion.