Don't you just love innovations? Now we have an opportunity to get political ads that are totally realistic. The Europeans already have ads with smell showing in theaters. AdAge.com is reporting that Cinescent first tested the smelling technology for Beiersdorf's Nivea, and exit polls showed a 515% rise in recall for the Nivea ad compared with moviegoers who saw the spot without the scent.
It sounds very intriguing, though I hope they have the commercials at the end so you don't have to smell that stuff throughout the whole movie.
So far, the Europeans are just using the technology for predictable stuff like cosmetics and bread. But I want to see this technology applied to political ads. OK, here's a little challenge -- how would a John McCain ad smell? How about Barack Obama? Ashley Swearengin? Henry T. Perea? Those don't-cut-us-from-the-budget ads? Now, wouldn't it be great if those nasty attack political ads filled with lies would actually stink?
See the whole story in AdAge by clicking here:
A company called Cinescent is giving marketers the chance to pump out the scent of their brands in German theaters, where it first tested the technology for Beiersdorf's Nivea. For the test, a specially made 60-second spot showed a typical sunny beach scene, with people lying around on deck chairs or sunbathing on towels while waves crashed and seagulls cried in the background.As people wondered what the ad was for, the scent of Nivea sun cream permeated the cinema, and a Nivea logo appeared on screen along with the words "Nivea. The scent of summer."
The results were significant: Cinema exit polls showed a 515% rise in recall for the Nivea ad compared with moviegoers who saw the spot without the scent. The same ad, when combined with only a subliminal whiff of scent, scored a 25% lift.
My dear, why are you gobsmacked at how far ahead Europeans are ahead of us in many things?
There have been very powerful adverts promoting the use of condoms on the telly and in the theatre(think of how many dates to the films lead to a shag), as well as very graphic adverts against 'drunk driving(big no, no in Europe) and the use of drugs. For that matter, add in graphic adverts about AIDS.
MOI seems to recall theatres in US having 'smells' before and it did not o over well, we older generation were not interested in having anything compete with the smell of popcorn.
Not sure if you post at times due to being naive as to the replies will receive, or are right clever at making the pot boil ober, but in any cas, you issue a challenge too good to pass up.
Here is my take on the smells that should go with the aforementioned folks running for office:
John McCain - The strong smell of an American farm field, the smell of corn or wheat growing.
Barack Obama - the smell of that crack pipe he used in college.
Ms. Swearengin - the strong odor of nail polish remover at beauty parlour, mixed with hair dye.
Henry T. Perea - bubble gum and hair grease.
The last one is a tough one, not quite sure what the odor is for greedy public employees who hold us hostage with demands to pick the 'public purse', mixed with 'special interest' groups' hmmmmmmmmmmmmm, will have to go with the acid smell of FEAR.
Movie attendance in the UK dropped 19% but box office receipts are up
50% over ten years ago. What smell did they attach to that morsel of info.
What about the 515% rise in recall. Why was the Nivea cream recalled?
Did it stink?
And with smells piped into the movie theater, they had better furnish throw-
up baggies as well. I gag at the smell of boiling beef, gin, and chlorine in the washing machine. To
turn on Fresno's faucets on certain days lifts my stomach too. I love chocolate but I can't
abide by the smell of chocolate being heated. Olfactory sensations
have a powerful influence on our moods as well.
Should political ads have a smell? I think some of them stink to high
heaven already
The attack ads already smell of crap. I mean really deep crap to be on the nicer side of language. Since all ads seem to think sex sales. I am sure I don't want to smell that. Some people can't tolerate scents of things so an ad that makes people not feel well won't be very effective.