by Sarah Dowdey

The next time you go shopping or visit a hotel, pull yourself away from the auditory and visual barrage of ambient music and advertisements and take a good whiff of the air around you. You might notice a faint scent — maybe the stimulating smell of jasmine at a boutique or relaxing lavender at a hotel. The smell will be barely perceptible: something you wouldn’t have noticed if you hadn’t been paying close attention. But businesses are hoping these almost subliminal scents will draw you into a serene state — prompting you to relax, buy more and, ideally, remember their brands.

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