Cade Lucas
When asked what his company does, Brandscent managing director Jeeva Sanjeevan described it this way.
“We create customer experience through sensory marketing.”
Sensory marketing? Huh?
“If you walk into a hotel, the first thing you notice is a smell so that’s what we do” clarified Mr Sanjeevan of the Truganina-based business he co-founded with his wife Suji in 2019.
Creating smells might seem an unusual industry to enter, but Mr Sanjeevan said that was part of the attraction.
“We always wanted to do something different.”
The Sanjeevan’s have certainly done that.
Not only have they branched into the fledgling industry of sensory marketing, where smells are used to sell, but both gave up decorated careers to do so.
“Me and my wife are medical doctors, so we actually bring the science back into the fragrant industry.
“From the medical background we know different scents trigger different hormones and because of the hormones your behaviour changes, so there’s behavioural science behind it,” Mr Sanjevan said of how their careers in medicine helped them transition to producing fragrances.
It’s a transition which has proved to be very successful.
From its warehouse in Truganina, Branscent now creates fragrances for clients ranging from credit card giant American Express, through to property and real estate companies and exports across the entire Asia-Pacific region, with the Middle East and Europe soon to follow.
Mr Sanjeevan attributed some of this success to winning the small service category at last year’s Wyndham Business Awards, the latest in a series of victories for he and his wife over the years.
“Obviously the award helped us take our name, not just across Wyndham, but outside as well, and it’s helped with brand credibility and brand awareness.
“Once you have that people will start to trust you and you’ll be able to grow at a faster pace.”
As for this year’s awards, Mr Sanjeevan urged other Wyndham businesses to nominate but was unsure whether he and his wife would be among them.
“I haven’t thought about it because we’ve already won four times,” he laughed.
Entries for the 2023 Wyndham Business Awards close on June 13 and will be announced at a gala dinner on September 1.
To enter visit: www.wyndham.vic.gov.au/services/business-investment/business-awards-special-events/2023-wyndham-business-awards
