Tips for Effective Fragrance Testing

Uncovering insights with confidence

Fragrance is incredibly emotional, but also difficult to articulate and translate. As a result, fragrance testing does pose some unique challenges.

Here at Blue Yonder we have 20 + years heritage in fragrance R&D testing. Our Lab team have specialists in this area, leaning on best practices as well as getting the most out of the consumer to really unpick the important emotionality of fragrance.

In this article, we explore some helpful tips and advice for fragrance testing.

Examining the score of the first product in rotation in sequential monadic testing is essential because it helps establish a baseline for comparison throughout the rest of the evaluation process. When participants are presented with multiple products in a specific order, the score they give to the first product is particularly crucial for several reasons:

1: Test fragrances blind to avoid any bias

• Blind samples help avoid any biases from other visual cues for example colour, packaging or branding
• For a true fragrance test, we want to eliminate all other senses and focus purely on the scent to understand what consumers think
• Subliminal cues such as the colour of the fragrance can really affect perceptions, so it is important to reduce those wherever possible

2: Use different question types

Fragrance is complex, and emotions can be difficult to express. To capture deeper insights:

• Use open-ended questions with probing to gather rich descriptions.
• Incorporate implicit testing tools to get underneath the surface and understand the gut-reaction to fragrances
• Key metrics such as overall liking and intensity scales are of course important, too – but the mixture and balance of different questions is key
• Consider different ways to ask questions such as emojis, colour boards, different scales, interactive sorting exercises to keep engagement and tap into different ways of thinking about the fragrances to better understand them!

3: Have a benchmark fragrance(s)

• As with any testing, a benchmark is usually recommended. A benchmark helps establish a reference point for evaluation.
• Comparing new fragrance submissions against a high-performing standard – whether an internal formula or a competitor’s product – provides context on performance and differentiation.
• Best practice is to have the current fragrance and the current competitor fragrance to understand the full picture of the landscape where new fragrances being tested could fit

4: Test in context if you can

Fragrance perception can change based on context.

• It is sometimes difficult for people to answer honestly about a fragrance if the context is not present
• If consumers evaluate a shampoo fragrance in isolation, they may find it weak compared to a perfume. However, when assessed within the relevant category (e.g., shampoo, laundry detergent), perceptions shift. Testing in real-world settings, such as in-home, helps ensure accurate insights.

Here are some specific examples from FMCG R&D insights, where examining the first product’s score in sequential monadic testing is critical:

1: Don’t overload the senses!

• This is important to not over-stimulate the senses and give the nose appropriate breaks (we call them olfactive breaks)
• While there are no strict rules, assessing more than 10 fragrances in one session can lead to fatigue.
• Proper ventilation is also crucial in controlled testing environments to prevent cross-contamination of scents

2: Avoid complicated or inconsistent protocols

• Standardised protocols are important in all sensory testing – and fragrance is no different here
• Exactly how the consumer should smell and be exposed to fragrance is key to testing to ensure consistency
• This can range from smelling on blotters, on skin, in a room, etc. -consumers should be appropriately briefed on what they are doing and how to smell the fragrance
• This also goes for any product preparation requirements – this all needs to be very clear and consistent across every session / region tested in, to ensure a fair comparison of the same fragrance makeup each time It is important to ensure all relevant safety clearances are passed before any consumer testing and any allergies from the ingredients are appropriately screened for at the recruitment stage.

3: Drn’t Rush the session

• Fragrance is difficult to describe, so allow adequate time for respondents to think about their answer and how they may describe the fragrance
• Encourage them to close their eyes, reflect, and engage with different question styles for a more thoughtful response!

4: Don’t rely on a single format

• Consider different formats and touchpoints that people experience the fragrance: fragrance evolves over time and through different touchpoints.
• For example, in laundry care, a scent changes from neat product to diluted wash, then to wet and dry clothes.
• This fragrance journey during usage must be considered at the project set up phase – testing across multiple stages ensures a comprehensive understanding of fragrance performance throughout its journey.

Effective fragrance testing requires thoughtful design, minimising bias, and considering real-world context. At Blue Yonder, we combine decades of expertise with innovative methodologies to uncover the emotional and functional aspects of scent.

If you’d like to learn more or discuss your fragrance research needs, get in touch with [email protected]