Sungkyunkwan University (President Ji-beom Yoo) announced that a research team led by Professor Jo Woon Chong of the School of Electronic and Electrical Engineering, in collaboration with researchers from Texas Tech University in the United States, has identified, through EEG (electroencephalogram) analysis, the impact of “fragrance” on consumers’ emotions, memory, and deep emotional bonds with luxury brands. Going beyond conventional survey-based approaches, this study has drawn significant attention from both academia and industry by employing neuroscientific methods that measure human brain responses in real time. The research findings are scheduled to be published in the March 2026 issue of the Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services (top 2% in JCR), one of the world’s most prestigious journals in the fields of business and retailing.
Professor Chong, who has led research at Sungkyunkwan University on human-centered AI and multimodal signal processing to bridge engineering and consumer experience, oversaw the EEG-based experimental design and data analysis framework in this study. From a neuroscientific perspective, Professor Chong systematically analyzed the effects of olfactory stimuli on consumers’ brain responses and brand perception, scientifically demonstrating that scent is one of the most intuitive yet powerful senses shaping brand experience. He explained the significance of the research by stating, “Olfaction is closely connected to brain regions responsible for emotion and memory,” and added, “This study clearly shows, through EEG data, how the harmony between fragrance and brand image creates meaningful differences in consumers’ emotional responses and memory formation.”
The research team designed and conducted experiments that closely simulated real luxury brand environments, carefully comparing conditions in which a fragrance was congruent with the brand image and those in which it was not. Results from EEG analysis and quantitative survey data showed that when fragrance and brand image were well aligned, consumers’ brains exhibited emotional stability, while brand memory, favorability, and the sense of “brand resonance,” feeling a unity between the consumer and the brand, were enhanced overall. In contrast, when a fragrance did not match the brand image, immediate emotional responses such as pleasure were observed; however, these responses were less likely to translate into positive brand evaluations or long-term memory. Nevertheless, the study also found that such incongruent conditions could leave consumers with a strong and unexpected impression, suggesting that scent strategies have the potential to fundamentally alter how brands are perceived.
This study is particularly significant as the outcome of a global, interdisciplinary collaboration among experts in engineering, consumer science, and medical science from South Korea and the United States. In addition to Professor Chong’s team, the research involved Professor Hyo Jung Chang and doctoral student, Sanghee Kim from the Department of Hospitality and Retail Management at Texas Tech University, as well as Dr. Bengie Ortiz from the University of Michigan Health, ensuring strong interdisciplinary expertise. Based on these findings, the research team presents scientific evidence for the importance of an “Olfactory Identity Strategy,” in which companies go beyond simply using pleasant scents to deliberately design fragrances that align with a brand’s identity. This approach is expected to serve as a new milestone for designing sensory-based brand experiences not only in the luxury sector but across a wide range of industries.
Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services
10.1016/j.jretconser.2025.104663
The role of scent congruence with luxury brand image in consumers’ emotions, memory, and brand resonance: A mixed-methods approach using EEG and quantitative analyses