Following the example of hotels that fill their lobbies and public areas with bespoke fragrances, Virgin Atlantic has teamed up with British scent designer and candle chandler Rachel Vosper to create a signature scent for the airline.
Branded “Air” and embodying “warm and exotic notes inspired by the airline’s top destinations”, travellers will come across the fragrance both in the sky and on the ground. It is intended to “inspire feelings of adventure and relaxation”.
The airline will be releasing the aroma into check-in areas, airport gates, Clubhouse lounges and when boarding all cabins, as a way of “enhancing the customer experience”. The perfume has notes of lemon, rose and vanilla, as well as essential oils such as lavender and eucalyptus, which may help calm passengers before their flight.
If Virgin Atlantic travellers really like Air, they can buy a scented candle version of it to take home. It can be ordered online for £30 or purchased at Virgin Atlantic Clubhouses and onboard duty-free.
Daniel Kerzner, vice-president of customer experience at Virgin Atlantic, says: “We’re committed to creating differentiated experiences that form memories of a lifetime for our customers. Together with Rachel Vosper, we’re taking the Virgin Atlantic experience to the next level with the creation of a bespoke scent.”
Vosper says: “Some of our fondest memories are of our holiday adventures; and so I carefully selected some of the finest ingredients that one would take on a journey. I designed this Virgin Atlantic scent using traditional methods at my Belgravia boutique in order to maximise the longevity, so that happy holiday feeling can stay with you for longer.’’
This belief in the power of “scent marketing” is echoed by Ed Burke, vice-president of customer strategy at sensory branding firm ScentAir (quoted in an article here): “When a hotel adds a pleasant, contextual scent then we, as guests, will have a deeper, more emotionally involved and engaging experience. Whether we associate the distinct aroma with that hotel or not, we will still have an overall more positive experience in that environment.”
ScentAir has already produced fragrances for hotel brands such as Ritz-Carlton, Westin and Aloft. It says: “Your guests’ sense of smell is one of the most powerful ways they will connect with your property. [Branded scents create] positive and lasting guest experiences, foster brand loyalty and establish repeat stays.” Virgin hopes the same will apply to airlines.