Ink World Staff02.07.22
Smell is a powerful sense. It can evoke so many emotions and memories, which is why people react to a scent. Yet it is difficult to integrate in packaging; how does one print scents?
Actually, Scentisphere solved the challenge of combining scent and packaging. In 2002, Jim Berard, CEO of Scentisphere, came across a company in Europe that was able to micro acencapsulate fragrance oils, turning the oils into a very fine powder. Berard saw the potential, and quickly got to work.
“Some of their existing customers in Europe had figured out how to mix the fragrance powder into litho overprint varnish, enabling them to print scent as a fifth color,” Berard recalled. “Having extensive experience in fragrance marketing, we saw the potential of this scent varnish technology as a very economical method for consumer-packaged goods and similar type companies to integrate the scent of their products into their print advertisements and packaging.”
The challenge was to integrate the powder into varnish, and Scentisphere quickly came up with the solution.
“It was up to us to figure out the process of mixing the powder into the overprint varnish, so we ended up forming a partnership with Bob Bernstein, who had extensive printing experience,” Berard noted.
“Between us, we had to 1) figure out the scent varnish technology, 2) test the technology on press until it became foolproof for any printer to apply, and 3) educate the market (e.g.. CPG brands, agencies, magazine printers and publishers, etc. about this new technology, which we ended up calling Rub’nSmell®.”
Within two years, Scentisphere had a big opportunity with Yankee Candle, and it passed with flying colors. Today, Yankee Candle remains one of Scentisphere’s best customers.
“In 2004, we had our big breakthrough opportunity,” Berard said. “We were able to run a test with Yankee Candle applying Pumpkin Spice fragrance in half of a catalog campaign, while the other half of the catalogs in the campaign were unscented. The results were that the catalogs with the Rub’n Smell varnish generated 11% more sales then the unscented catalogs. Not 11% increase in Pumpkin Spice, but across the entire catalog. What this proved to Yankee Candle, and what has become the reason for our success, is that when consumers became engaged in rubbing and smelling, they became much more receptive to making a purchase.
“We have developed the most extensive range of scented inks and coatings for virtually all types of print technologies,” Berard added. “Our customers include almost every major CPG company, and we are the go-to source for scented inks and coatings of all commercial printers, large and small, litho, flexo, gravure, etc.”
Berard said that the primary method of adding fragrance to inks and coatings is through a process called microencapsulation.
“Essentially it is a process of reducing fragrance oil down to microscopic particle size in water using high speed mixing and other processes,” he noted. “Once the particles are at the correct size, they are coated with a proprietary polymer material, forming hard shells around the oil particles. This water-based slurry is then spray dried leaving a fine powder made of microscopic encapsulated fragrance capsules.”
Berard noted that once the encapsulation is applied to a printed surface, it remains dormant until it is gently rubbed, at which point the capsules are sheared and the fragrance oil is released.
“We have samples that are many years old (including the original Yankee Candle catalog from 2004) that still smell great,” he said. “In terms of how the Rub’nSmell coatings are applied on press, it is pretty much applied no different than a fifth color. The only major criterion is that it is the last color or coating applied.”
Today, Scentisphere has a very strong presence in the consumer package goods market.
“We are fully integrated in servicing this market at all levels,” said Mark Bernstein, who is Scentisphere’s president and Berard’s business partner. “For example, we are probably the largest producer of Scratch’nSniff® labels that are applied to aircare, homecare and similar type products. We also work with CPGs’ promotional and advertising agencies to help integrate scent into all facets of their advertising and promotions, including e-com shipments, online grocery store pickup, and free-standing inserts.
“A major new focus in the CPG market is the application of scent directly on to packaging. Our range of scent coatings enable printers to simply apply the scent as a fifth color printing – thus avoiding an extra step,” Bernstein concluded.
Scentisphere
97 Old Route 6, Unit 2
Carmel, NY 10512
Tel: 845-225-3600
www.scentisphere.com
Major Products: Scented inks, varnishes and coatings
Actually, Scentisphere solved the challenge of combining scent and packaging. In 2002, Jim Berard, CEO of Scentisphere, came across a company in Europe that was able to micro acencapsulate fragrance oils, turning the oils into a very fine powder. Berard saw the potential, and quickly got to work.
“Some of their existing customers in Europe had figured out how to mix the fragrance powder into litho overprint varnish, enabling them to print scent as a fifth color,” Berard recalled. “Having extensive experience in fragrance marketing, we saw the potential of this scent varnish technology as a very economical method for consumer-packaged goods and similar type companies to integrate the scent of their products into their print advertisements and packaging.”
The challenge was to integrate the powder into varnish, and Scentisphere quickly came up with the solution.
“It was up to us to figure out the process of mixing the powder into the overprint varnish, so we ended up forming a partnership with Bob Bernstein, who had extensive printing experience,” Berard noted.
“Between us, we had to 1) figure out the scent varnish technology, 2) test the technology on press until it became foolproof for any printer to apply, and 3) educate the market (e.g.. CPG brands, agencies, magazine printers and publishers, etc. about this new technology, which we ended up calling Rub’nSmell®.”
Within two years, Scentisphere had a big opportunity with Yankee Candle, and it passed with flying colors. Today, Yankee Candle remains one of Scentisphere’s best customers.
“In 2004, we had our big breakthrough opportunity,” Berard said. “We were able to run a test with Yankee Candle applying Pumpkin Spice fragrance in half of a catalog campaign, while the other half of the catalogs in the campaign were unscented. The results were that the catalogs with the Rub’n Smell varnish generated 11% more sales then the unscented catalogs. Not 11% increase in Pumpkin Spice, but across the entire catalog. What this proved to Yankee Candle, and what has become the reason for our success, is that when consumers became engaged in rubbing and smelling, they became much more receptive to making a purchase.
“We have developed the most extensive range of scented inks and coatings for virtually all types of print technologies,” Berard added. “Our customers include almost every major CPG company, and we are the go-to source for scented inks and coatings of all commercial printers, large and small, litho, flexo, gravure, etc.”
Berard said that the primary method of adding fragrance to inks and coatings is through a process called microencapsulation.
“Essentially it is a process of reducing fragrance oil down to microscopic particle size in water using high speed mixing and other processes,” he noted. “Once the particles are at the correct size, they are coated with a proprietary polymer material, forming hard shells around the oil particles. This water-based slurry is then spray dried leaving a fine powder made of microscopic encapsulated fragrance capsules.”
Berard noted that once the encapsulation is applied to a printed surface, it remains dormant until it is gently rubbed, at which point the capsules are sheared and the fragrance oil is released.
“We have samples that are many years old (including the original Yankee Candle catalog from 2004) that still smell great,” he said. “In terms of how the Rub’nSmell coatings are applied on press, it is pretty much applied no different than a fifth color. The only major criterion is that it is the last color or coating applied.”
Today, Scentisphere has a very strong presence in the consumer package goods market.
“We are fully integrated in servicing this market at all levels,” said Mark Bernstein, who is Scentisphere’s president and Berard’s business partner. “For example, we are probably the largest producer of Scratch’nSniff® labels that are applied to aircare, homecare and similar type products. We also work with CPGs’ promotional and advertising agencies to help integrate scent into all facets of their advertising and promotions, including e-com shipments, online grocery store pickup, and free-standing inserts.
“A major new focus in the CPG market is the application of scent directly on to packaging. Our range of scent coatings enable printers to simply apply the scent as a fifth color printing – thus avoiding an extra step,” Bernstein concluded.
Scentisphere
97 Old Route 6, Unit 2
Carmel, NY 10512
Tel: 845-225-3600
www.scentisphere.com
Major Products: Scented inks, varnishes and coatings