Dunkin' x Febreze Air Fresheners: Limited Edition Scents

A Whiff of Familiarity

Febreze has launched a limited edition line of air fresheners in collaboration with Dunkin'. These home fragrances capture the scents of Dunkin's most beloved treats, allowing users to indulge in the aromatic experience of their favorite caffeine fix and sweet, warm treats from home. The three scents are a direct translation of the chain's menu: "Vanilla Latte", "Cinnamon Roll", and "Strawberry Frosted Donut". The fragrant partnership is apt since there is a familiar scent-memory connection between the pairing of food and beverages, or more specifically, Dunkin's menu items, and the store front itself. Febreze's home fragrances capture this, appealing to nerd sensory memory to mimic the Dunkin' shopping experience. This collaboration converts the sensory experience of shopping from a transitory moment into a prolonged one with the aim to "treat your senses" with the familiar smells of Dunkin's popular treats. While the idea of translating a scent like coffee into a fragrance is nothing new, the specific aromas chosen by Febreze and Dunkin' are a departure from the typical home fragrances. Most fragrances in a home are designed for their relaxing or invigorating effects.

Beyond the Coffee Shop

The Dunkin' fragrances should appeal to anyone with a strong affection for the overwhelmingly popular shopfront. Febreze and Dunkin' are targeting the habit of indulging in a favorite scent from Dunkin's menu, inviting customers to "treat your senses", to bring the scent experience home. Plain Vanilla Latte will likely find fans in those who favor the cafe as a place to socialize. Febreze's description of Vanilla Latte entitled: “A steamy vanilla latte, fresh from the kitchen.”, hints towards the cafe atmosphere. The cinnamon roll: “Cinnamon Roll conjures up images of fluffy, cinnamon-rolled goodness,” says the Febreze Mod description seems more apt for cozying up at home. Translating the scent-memory of Dunkin' into a range of home fragrances is not just about the connection between smell and memory. It's also about the psychology of scent. Specifically, a study by the Yale School of Medicine showed that scents are one-third more likely than words or visuals to trigger memories.

Scents as Marketing Devices

Febreze may have missed an opportunity to leverage the Dunkin' x Febreze collaboration as a way to market the home scent line itself. In a sense, Febreze is missing out on extending the Dunkin' brand experience to home fragrances. Febreze is offering Dunkin' fragrances, a gift that keeps giving, no matter if you are a Dunkin' fan or not. However, the collaboration seems to be more about shortcuts. The fragrances are three short-cuts to recreating the scent-memory of drinking a favorite Dunkin' beverage or dine on a favorite menu item before the Dunkin' experience. The Dunkin' x Febreze product line offers a quick way to transform a normal coffee and sweets menu item into a home fragrance. Effectively, Dunkin's x Febreze is a marketing gimmick that Dunkin' fans can buy and enjoy the delight of their favorite Dunkin' menu item.