New study uncovers link between scent & empathy - PG
07 Nov '07
2 min read
Just in time for cold and flu season, Procter & Gamble announces a new product, Puffs Plus with the scent of Vicks, a non-medicated facial tissue that combines the softness of Puffs Plus with Lotion and the comforting scent of Vicks.
Laura Ims, brand manager for Puffs said, "This launch means the coming together of two powerful P&G brands Puffs and Vicks that have both provided familiar comfort to consumers for years.
Knowing the sense of smell is so powerful for many people, we wanted to explore the impact of scent on empathy, the core of a mom's love and care."
Puffs conducted a first-of-its-kind study with Dr. Alan Hirsch a leading scent expert and founder of the Smell & Taste Treatment and Research Foundation.
The study found that scents can increase empathy, the ability to recognize, perceive and directly feel the emotion of another.
"Empathy is a complex emotion that is important for so many social interactions, including parenting," said Hirsch.
"Scents that comforted us in our childhood etch in our memories and can increase our empathetic response when we smell them again."
Study results showed a 17 percent increase in empathy for participants in the presence of Puffs Plus with the scent of Vicks.
In addition, nearly half the participants reported feelings of nostalgia with the Vicks scent, such as childhood memories of their mom comforting them with Vicks. Results also found that participantswho experienced nostalgia had a greater empathetic response.
marketing@alchempro.com
