Scent marketing is the ultimate invisible brand asset — a powerful tool that links directly to human memory and emotion. We sat down with Mohammed Shefique, CEO and Founder of AROMA 24/7, to pull back the curtain on how ambient scenting drives business growth, why a CFO should care about how an office smells, and what it takes to build a global fragrance company from Dubai.
What is the biggest misconception people have about "scent marketing"?
Mohammed Shefique: Many people assume scent marketing is simply about making a space smell pleasant. But there is an important difference between fragrance and branding.
Scent marketing is about choosing and delivering an aroma that supports the identity of a business and the experience it wants customers to have. The fragrance, intensity and method of diffusion must all suit the space.
When it is done well, customers may not consciously notice the scent, but they remember how the place made them feel. That is where scent becomes part of the brand experience.
Scent is difficult to see and its impact can be difficult to isolate. How do you demonstrate its business value to a CFO or senior management team?
Mohammed Shefique: We do not present scent as a shortcut to higher sales. We position it as one part of the overall customer experience, alongside the interiors, lighting, music and quality of service.
Its value can be assessed through practical indicators. A business can compare customer feedback, time spent in the space, repeat visits, brand recognition and, where relevant, sales performance before and after implementation. For hotels and offices, feedback from guests, employees and facility teams can also be useful.
The important point is that scent must be appropriate for the brand and carefully controlled. When the fragrance complements the environment, it can help make a space feel more distinctive, welcoming and memorable. The strongest business case comes from testing it, measuring the response and refining the programme — not from promising that fragrance alone will generate revenue.
If a company wants to sound professional, they pick a logo and a color palette. How do you choose a "smell" for a brand?
Mohammed Shefique: We begin with the brand's personality, audience and the experience it wants to create. A heritage hotel in the UAE, for example, may suit notes of oud, amber, incense and warm woods, reflecting Arabian hospitality and cultural legacy. The scent should feel authentic to the place and natural to the brand.
Smell is said to be our strongest link to memory and emotion. What is the most surprising reaction a client has ever had to one of your scents?
Mohammed Shefique: We once designed a signature scent for a high-end hospitality client, and during the testing phase, one of the executives became visibly emotional. The specific blend of dry cedar and soft floral notes instantly transported him back to a childhood summer home. That's the magic of this business — visuals pass through our logical mind first, but smell goes straight to our emotional archive. You can't fake a reaction to a scent.
We talk a lot about office ergonomics and lighting, but can scent also improve the workplace experience?
Mohammed Shefique: Yes, when it is subtle and thoughtfully selected. Fresh citrus, herbal or light woody notes can help an office feel more welcoming, energising and comfortable. Scent is not a substitute for good design or workplace culture, but it can contribute to an environment employees enjoy spending time in.
You design scents for luxury hotels, airports and retail. Which industry is the hardest to create a scent for, and why?
Mohammed Shefique: Airports and transit hubs are incredibly challenging. You are dealing with massive, open spaces, heavy foot traffic, and a highly anxious, diverse demographic from all over the world. The scent has to be universally appealing, capable of lowering stress levels, and strong enough to keep the air feeling crisp and clean without overpowering people. It requires precise HVAC engineering and very careful scent balancing.
AROMA 24/7 has grown into a global brand. What was the scariest risk you took in the early days that ended up paying off?
Mohammed Shefique: We chose not to compete on price. Instead, we invested in high-quality fragrance oils, reliable diffusion technology and professional service at a time when many customers were still unfamiliar with scent marketing. It took patience to educate the market, but that commitment to quality helped us earn trust and grow beyond the UAE.
AROMA 24/7 offers everything from industrial diffusion to private label home fragrances. How do you translate a visual brand into a physical fragrance product?
Mohammed Shefique: It's all about alignment. If a brand wants a custom room mist, a tailored room fragrance, or a line of private label corporate gifts, we analyze their target audience, design architecture and values. For instance, a luxury real estate office in Dubai might demand deep oud and warm amber, while a wellness spa leans toward crisp white tea and eucalyptus. We translate their DNA into a premium sensory product.
There are many cheap options on the market. Why should brands avoid cutting corners on the quality of their aroma oils?
Mohammed Shefique: This is a critical point. In our industry, choosing the cheapest option is a massive risk to both your brand and environment. All fragrances, including natural essential oils, naturally release volatile compounds as they disperse into the air to create a scent.
However, the difference lies in the formulation and purity. Cheap, low-grade oils are often cut with heavy industrial solvents and synthetic fillers to stretch the product. When diffused, they release unstable, harsh airborne compounds that can cause headaches, respiratory irritation, and a cheap chemical smell.
At AROMA 24/7, we focus on IFRA-compliant, ultra-refined oils engineered to keep these compounds strictly stable, balanced and perfectly safe for continuous indoor inhalation. Investing in the best quality ensures your ambient scent remains luxurious, pleasant and entirely safe.
Scent preference is notoriously subjective. How do you personally curate which aromas define the AROMA 24/7 standard?
Mohammed Shefique: Scent preference is deeply personal; it changes based on a person's background, mood or even the time of day. What one person finds deeply relaxing, another might find completely overpowering. When looking at our signature collections, my goal has always been to ensure a balance of olfactory architecture. We bridge the gap between fresh, uplifting notes and deep, grounding woods like Yellow Amber or Oriental Leather. For me, a collection isn't just a list of products — it's a toolkit of emotional responses. The standard I set for any aroma we carry is simple: it must have a distinct narrative and a flawless, premium delivery from the moment it enters the air.
If you could go back to the day you founded the company and give yourself one piece of advice, what would it be?
Mohammed Shefique: Trust the educational process. In the beginning, I wanted to sell immediately. I quickly realized that when you are pioneering a niche industry, you aren't just selling a product — you are educating the market. I would tell my younger self to focus on teaching businesses why sensory marketing matters, because once they understand the psychology, the product sells itself.
Quick Fire
What does "success" smell like to you?
The crisp, fresh scent of rain on dry earth — oud and petrichor. It represents patience, breakthrough and new beginnings.
Coffee shop scent or luxury hotel lobby scent — which is superior?
A luxury hotel lobby. It's complex, layered, and tells a deep story the moment you cross the threshold.
One scent that instantly relaxes you after a stressful day?
White Tea & Thyme. It has a clean, calming character, with soft white tea, subtle citrus and gentle herbal notes — fresh, balanced and easy to relax with.
What would you like business leaders to understand about scent marketing?
If customers can see, hear and feel your brand, perhaps it is time to consider what they should smell too.