Created by Armaan Mehta and Karan Gupta, two university friends sharing the same passion for fragrances, Odore is an intelligent dispenser of samples that also helps brands or retailers to better understand their consumers.

Thanks to a compact and elegant design, the device can be placed almost everywhere. In a perfume shop of course, but also in a hotel, a restaurant or any other place where people interested in testing new fragrances may be present.

To retrieve the sample, consumers must provide their e-mail address and answer a few short questions prepared by the brands depending on what information they need. According to the inventors, the whole process duration is about 20 seconds as the e-mail address needs to be verified. Sample distribution is restricted to one sample a day per e-mail address. Once the process is completed, consumers receive their sample as well as an e-mail with a link to order the product if the liked it.

“Much more than a sample dispenser, it is a real research and marketing tool that collect data to create rich customer profiles. These profiles enable us to deliver the most appropriate and tailor-made offerings to our customers. With Odore, it is a win-win transaction for both parties,” explains Armaan Mehta.

Brands receive monthly reports, including key metrics of dispenses by demographic, location, season, time, etc. “Armed with a strong dataset and rich consumer profiles, Odore and brands work together to efficiently offer the best products to the right users,” adds Karan Gupta.

Odore Promo from Karan Gupta on Vimeo.

The machine has eight chambers and can hold up to 500 fragrance, makeup or skincare samples (1 to 4ml). The whole device is designed and manufactured in the UK with brushed aluminium and optically binded glass. There is an alert system informing the vending operator that the number of samples is low and the machine needs to be refilled.

Odore is currently tested by Bristish fragrance brand Miller Harris at the M Restaurant in London. Brands have to pay a monthly fee based on the number of machines they want and the place where they will be placed.

More than ever, sampling campaigns are moving towards digital!