This movie theater smells different : the effect of ambient scent on moviegoer evaluations and behaviors

• Autor(a) principal: Veríssimo, José
• Data de Publicação: 2013
• Outros Autores: Pereira, Rui Luis Alves
• Tipo de documento: Artigo
• Idioma: eng
• Título da fonte: Repositório Científico de Acesso Aberto de Portugal (Repositórios Cientìficos)
• Texto Completo: http://hdl.handle.net/10400.5/10115
• topic: Atmosphere; Ambient Scent; Movie Theater; Experiment; Consumer Behavior

This article discusses the effects of ambient scent on moviegoer evaluations and behaviors. We conducted a “natural experiment” wherein an ambient scent was introduced to movie theaters. After a preliminary study to select the scent for use in the experiment, 407 moviegoers completed a questionnaire at the end of movie screenings, 204 of whom were spectators subject to the aromatic stimulus. The introduction of scent produced significant differences in general evaluations of the theater, its environment, the sales of concession products, and moviegoers’ intention to return. These results are in line with those from existing literature, except for those on the impact of ambient scent on product evaluations. The study’s findings are of practical interest to retailers, since they provide suggestions on enhancing the quality of consumer experiences and on the differentiation of spaces.