By Ginevra Barbetti. Cover image Ephèmera Firenze courtesy.
“Olfactory identity is born from the encounter between a brand’s history, values, codes and deepest desire” this is how Maurizio Predieri, co-founder and CEO of Ephèmera Firenze, introduces the book Scent Identity Design (Maschietto Editore), in which he presents it as an autonomous design discipline that transforms fragrance into a language of identity. Throughout the book, he outlines a seven-phase method for designing olfactory signatures for brands, places and people, grounded in neuroscientific, cultural and design foundations and supported by operational tools and case studies, defining a new sensory grammar oriented toward memory, recognisability and authentic experience. We met with him to explore more closely the method, the vision and the future perspectives of olfactory identity.
Scent Identity Design vs Traditional Branding
What distinguishes Scent Identity Design from traditional scent branding?
Scent Identity Design is not conceived to simply “scent” a space or add a decorative sensory note. It is a design process aimed at shaping an identifiable, recognisable and coherent olfactory signature, developed through a structured method and validated over time. The difference lies in intention: not pleasantness for its own sake, but the ability of scent to become true olfactory brand identity—a language of identity, memory and belonging.
How Brand Strategy Becomes a Tangible Sensory Experience Through Scent
How does Scent Identity Design turn brand strategy into a coherent sensory experience?
This identity heritage is translated into a design process through a clear and structured pathway. In this sense, strategy is not set aside; it is transformed into experience. Brand vision becomes a concrete sensory direction, aligned with brand strategy and positioning, and capable of being genuinely lived.
From Empathic Listening to the Olfactory Brief
What is the value of moving from empathic listening to the construction of an olfactory brief?
It is decisive because it transforms what emerges during listening into a concrete design guide. Empathic listening also captures what is not immediately “measurable”: atmosphere, tensions, sensitivities and latent languages. The olfactory brief translates all of this into a shareable map—not only technical indications, but a narrative and sensory direction made of keywords, images, materials, criteria and boundaries. It is the bridge between identity and composition.
When and How Quality Shapes a Cohesive Olfactory Identity
At which stage of the method are the quality and coherence of the final olfactory identity truly determined?
Quality is shaped most critically during the creation phase, when the vision is translated into briefs, prototypes, iterations and refinement. This is where alignment between intention and material truly occurs. Coherence is consolidated when the signature becomes experience: materialisation and activation make it possible to verify whether what has been designed actually lives in gestures, objects, spaces and interactions.
What Makes a Fragrance a True Identity Signature
What is the key factor for understanding whether a fragrance is a true identity signature and not simply a good perfume?
The criterion is not “I like it”, but resonance and recognisability. A pleasant fragrance can be interchangeable and easily confused; an identity signature is coherent with the brand’s essence, is distinguishable and leaves a trace over time. When a fragrance is not only pleasant, but “sounds” like that brand rather than a generic repertoire, then it is a signature.
How does the resonance phase assess, over time, whether an olfactory signature truly works?
Resonance evaluates duration, not immediate effect. It observes whether the signature is recognised, remembered, becomes a stable reference and continues to communicate coherently as the brand evolves. It is a long-term listening phase: feedback, periodic reviews and possible micro-adjustments that preserve the deep identity without distorting it. A signature works when it becomes a living constant, not a one-off episode.
Making Olfactory Identities Replicable and Memorable Across Contexts
How can an olfactory project be made replicable without losing depth and its connection to brand identity?
Replicability is not achieved by standardising the fragrance, but by standardising the method and application criteria. Tools, briefs, usage rules and thresholds of coherence are defined so that the signature can live across different contexts without dissolving. Depth is preserved because the signature emerges from listening and co-creation, and because continuous care safeguards coherence and identity integrity.
Common Mistakes When Scent Is Used Only as Decoration
What are the most frequent mistakes you see in projects where scent is used only as a decorative element?
The most common mistake is selecting a “pleasant” but generic fragrance, often standardised, resulting in a nice yet indistinct experience. Another frequent mistake is ignoring overall coherence, using a scent that is misaligned with brand values, atmosphere and language. In such cases, fragrance does not build identity and can even generate confusion, because it evokes imaginaries already associated with something else.
How to Handle Ethical Risks in Olfactory Design
What are the ethical risks of activating delicate or traumatic memories in olfactory design, and how are they addressed?
Through a principle of design responsibility: not forcing, not invading and not using scent as a manipulative lever. Smell is powerful and can reactivate deep memories. For this reason, the method is grounded in listening, sensitivity and respect for those who experience it. In emotionally complex contexts, the selection and use of the signature must be carefully calibrated, with close attention to perceptual safety and care.
Designing Olfactory Identity for Multicultural Contexts
How can an effective olfactory identity be designed in multicultural contexts without imposing a specific vision or mindset?
By starting from the idea that there is no neutral audience—only different sensitivities, even within the same community. Design begins with listening, inclusion and validation, avoiding the assumption that any olfactory symbol is universal. The signature must remain coherent with identity while also respecting differences. For this reason, the experience is calibrated and, when needed, modes of use and intensity are adapted to specific sensitivities and cultural contexts.
The Future of Olfactory Identity: AI, Sensors, and the Digital Nose
What role will sensors, artificial intelligence and the “digital nose” play in the future of olfactory identity design?
Technologies can become valuable support tools to document, measure, archive and make olfactory identity more legible over time. The idea of a “digital nose” opens interesting opportunities in the recognition and management of signatures across different contexts. The direction remains clear: technology can support management and continuity, while the heart of the project remains human, perceptual and identity-driven.
