Abstract
The market for scented products like perfumes and air fresheners is growing annually (Forbes, 2023). However, e-commerce platforms offer anosmic experiences, requiring users to imagine scents based on descriptions that emphasize experiences rather than the scents themselves. In a unique approach, since 2018, Universidad Anáhuac, in collaboration with Olfativa Home, has been developing images designed to evoke olfactory synaesthesia. This paper presents the key findings of our work, focusing on a method that translates scents into images with specific characteristics. Firstly, simple layouts must generate modules that allow for repetition. Secondly, the applied colour palettes must be precise. Our research focuses on the role of colour in achieving effective synaesthesia in the market. We found that simple layouts must generate modules that allow for repetition, and the applied colour palettes must be precise. Yet, the most intriguing discovery lies in how colours interact with each other. Concepts such as warm and cold only hold meaning when discussing isolated colours. When colours relate to other tones, various effects emerge—opaque and light tones, for example, can either enhance luminosity or diminish it as colours continuously influence each other. Moreover, we discovered that altering the colour palette within two equally functional shape compositions completely changes the olfactory-visual sensation. Interestingly, this effect is not reciprocal: if a colour palette remains, modifying the shapes does not impact synaesthesia.
Presenters
Lucía MolatoreResearch Professor, Creative Studies, Investigaciones y Estudios Superiores de Querétaro S.C., Querétaro, Mexico
Details
Presentation Type
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session
Theme
KEYWORDS
SYNAESTHESIA, METHOD, COLOR, SMELL, SHAPE
