PARTNERSHIP GLOBAL
NEW YORK, UNITED STATES
By IFAB MEDIA - NEWS BUREAU - September 10, 2024 | 58 3 minutes read
As consumer interest in the functional benefits of fragrance continues to accelerate, ELC will explore the role fragrance plays in evoking emotions.
The Estée Lauder Companies (NYSE: EL) (ELC) today announced a scientific research collaboration with the TUD Dresden University of Technology and their Smell & Taste Clinic, Department of Otorhinolaryngology, and Professor Thomas Hummel, a world-renowned leader in olfactory science, to further advance the company’s commitment to fragrance innovation and cutting-edge scientific research. The multi-year research collaboration aims to explore the neurological connections between fragrance and emotion. Findings from this research will be leveraged by ELC’s scientists and product developers to inform fragrance product and packaging innovation, consumer experiences, marketing claims, and more.
“Scents have long been associated with emotions and have a powerful connection to wellness,” said Sumit Bhasin, Senior Vice President, Corporate Fragrance Research & Development, Product Development and Innovation, ELC. “As consumer interest in the functional benefits of fragrance continues to accelerate, we are thrilled to be the first prestige beauty company to partner with Dr. Hummel and leading academic institution the TUD Dresden University of Technology on neuroscience research that will provide us with deeper insights into how fragrance plays a role in evoking nostalgia.”
This collaborative research spans a number of advanced measurement science approaches that assess the neuropathways associated with scent, psychometric and physiological analyses, brain imaging studies, and more to assess the correlation between scent and emotions. This will build upon existing studies the company has completed on the functional benefits of fragrance. Key learnings will be used at ELC’s R&D facilities worldwide, including its Paris-based Atelier, a new co-creation space opening in early 2025 exclusively focused on fragrance innovation and craftsmanship.
“There is a unique opportunity for academia and industry to partner together to explore the power of scent,” said Dr. Thomas Hummel, M.D., Prof. Dr. med., Interdisciplinary Center Smell and Taste, Department of Otorhinolaryngology, University Hospital Dresden. “We are proud to partner with a fragrance powerhouse like The Estée Lauder Companies with a proven commitment to science and the continuous advancement of innovation.”
Around the world, ELC is dedicated to cutting-edge science with multidisciplinary expertise ranging from basic science and advanced technologies to the intersections of physics, chemistry, biology, and engineering. The company has more than 75 years of formulation authority and is deeply integrated into the scientific community, regularly presenting at leading events and publishing in peer-reviewed journals.