I smell cookies
Wednesday, March 1st, 2006
It’s going on two hours in the meeting when an aroma floats through the room…all heads turn in a pavlovian response, “I smell cookies! Who’s got ‘em? You gonna share?”
“No really I don’t have cookies, it’s my phone.” Yes…really.
First there were ringtones. And if those weren’t annoying enough…now there’s smelltones.
A Japanese company, Ketai Kun Kun, has developed small aroma packets that attach to customized cell phones. When you receive a call or get an email, a “micro scent generator” attached to the phone triggers a burst of fragrance. So, instead of hearing that ringtone, you smell it.
I can just see the marketing implications, can’t you? A whole new industry could emerge…scentvertising. At 11:30 am you get a text message promotion from the chicken joint on the corner complete with the smell of roast chicken to entice you. For me, certain scents have always triggered memories and apparently there’s a scientific backing to smell and memory.
What’s next…