Custom / Procter & Gamble

Research Supports New Product Launch:
Gain Is Proven To Be “Music To Your Nose”

Challenge

P&G was launching new single-dose pods of their Gain laundry detergent. The client had known for years that users of Gain were very enthusiastic about the scent. They even referred to Gain loyalists as “Gainiacs.” They had speculated that the emotional connection to the scent of Gain was comparable to other emotionally significant experiences in their lives. The client was interested in testing the link between the scent and music; specifically, how the emotional responses to smelling Gain compare to when listening to one’s favorite music among Gainiacs.

“Innerscope helped us prove that smelling Gain makes people feel more positively than listening to their favorite music, revealing that Gain really is ‘Music To Your Nose!’ This enabled us to provide our consumers with the ultimate Gain scent experience and it became the base for our new national campaign.”

—Silvia Tavara-Leal, Research & Development, Procter & Gamble

Solution

Innerscope used biometrics and facial coding to measure the biological expression of emotion to Gain scents, as well as to a variety of other pleasant, neutral, and aversive scents. Responses to these scents were compared to music from a favorite genre. The data revealed that the scent of Gain products elicited a greater and more positive emotional response than listening to music from one’s favorite genre. Additionally, experiencing the Gain scent before listening to one’s favorite music had a priming effect. Respondents had an even greater emotional response to their favorite music when it was preceded by the scent of Gain. To sum up, participants experienced the Gain scents on an emotional level greater than the experience of listening to one’s favorite music.

Results

  • This breakthrough research became the basis for a new claim that allowed Procter & Gamble to say with confidence, “Gain, It’s Music To Your Nose.”
  • The new tagline “Music To Your Nose” is being used prominently in the new national campaign supporting the product launch of the single dose pods of Gain laundry detergent.
  • Innerscope presented the results of the study on behalf of P&G in NYC, Cincinnati, Miami and New Orleans.