The Real Reason Cinnabons Are Only In Malls And Airports

You smell them far before you ever see them. Yes, you know the enticing aroma of brown sugar and cinnamon means one thing: Cinnabon cinnamon rolls topped with melting, ooey-gooey icing. But, to find that oh-so pleasing and tempting smell wafting toward you, you have to be either inside a mall or an airport. If you haven't already noticed, these yummy stores are always thoughtfully placed within high-traffic areas according to the University of Washington.

The truth of the matter is that Cinnabon has something of an expert marketing approach, which is to entice customers to the store with the smell of their product. In fact, in 2014, the president of Cinnabon, Kat Cole, was interviewed by The Wall Street Journal and explained that the smell of the cinnamon rolls baking is a major part of how they do business. The company goes as far as placing the ovens near the front of the stores so more of the cinnamon rolls' scent can escape to draw customers in.

The mental image of shopping inside a mall and stopping by the Cinnabon counter to pick up a sweet treat might sound like something out of the 1990s, and you wouldn't exactly be wrong. According to CNBC, there are only about 1,000 malls that are still open in the United States. And by 2021, it's estimated that 50 percent of department stores in malls will close, which might change the fate of the entire space as a whole. That means that Cinnabon's integrated marketing strategy to boost sales by giving passersby a whiff of the baked goods could be in danger. 

Though there are still airports, and urban centers, one of the main high-traffic spaces for Cinnabon is in jeopardy. Not to mention, many customers who love the brand and don't even need to smell the cinnamon rolls to want one have complained that it's too hard to pick up a few cinnamon rolls due to the store locations, according to the University of Washington's analysis. So, to combat all of this, Cinnabon just released an entire line of frozen treats that you can buy from your local grocery store. There are six sweet and savory options to choose from, so now you can make your Cinnabon at home and enjoy the sweet smells too.