The branding of scent

A new aquaintance dropped by yesterday with a little aluminum case and inside were three trays of little bottles of liquid reminiscint of magic potions from the bygone era of traveling salesmen. Inside each bottle was a surprise. Pink bubblegum, fresh cut grass and Ocean Stream were a few of these amazing scents that Muzak, a world leader in audio branding, has begun to install in your favorite restaurants, hotels and retail establishments.

I became interested in scent branding earlier this year after my first stay in a Westin Hotel. They have a branded scent called White Tea that Muzak pumps throughout the facility. You could walk me in blindfolded and I would know immediately where I've arrived. So Ken Dean, my Muzak rep, explained how they will install a unit that atomizes one of 1500 oil-based scents at certain times and certain amounts, insuring that your scent is never too overpowering or wears out.

Here's what Fast Company has to say.
"While vision is unquestionably our most powerful sense, when it comes to garnering an emotional response, scent is a much more powerful trigger. "Seventy-five percent of the emotions we generate on a daily basis are affected by smell," says Lindstroem. "Next to sight, it's the most important sense we have."

Here's one more way to craft the brand experience a customer has when they walk through door. The price you ask? For most clients it's under a $100 a month.

Urban Core Props

Thanks for shout-out Tony!

It's been great celebrating our 100th post. I appreciate all the encouragement and feedback. I hope you'll add this to your blogroll.

Engagdget to Palm - Talk to the hand

I was sorting through the blogroll and came across this "open letter" to Palm. Their astute observation about Palm's impending demise is riveting. Apparently the Treo is seriously up against the ropes. iPhone, HTC and Moto and others are throwing a "blanket party". The Engadget boys have provided an exceptional critique of what's wrong (and right) with Palm and what they need to recover.

If there was ever a time for design to save a company, this is it. This letter is definite read:

Dear Palm: It's time for an intervention - Engadget

Mary and Goliath

Local Designer and friend, Mary Fisher Design, publicly takes on the Jacksonville Electric Authority (JEA). In today's Times-Union article brilliantly written by Alison Trinidad, Mary claims that the JEA made little to no effort to publicize a $7,000,000.00 contract (numerical for emphasis) that came up for renewal this June.

And why should they? Just because it's the Jacksonville Electric Authority doesn't mean they should use a Jacksonville agency. And just because they have absolutely no competition, doesn't mean they should make an effort to at least alert the top 4 agencies so they may compete for the business. After all, what's the fun of working with a podunk local agency for local advertising, when you can work with an Agency that has Worldwide in the title.

With a contract with this many zeros behind it, one would hope that the person in charge would be well-versed in arithmatic. Read below:

"JEA imposed the revenue floor to ensure that the utility represented only 10 to 15 percent of the agency's business, McCarthy said. Fisher argues that the floor was too high, because the contract is worth $1.4 million per year ($7 million over five years), which equates to 2 percent of business at an agency with $70 million in annual capitalized billings"

So you do the math. With property tax cuts causing budget shortfalls all over the city, would you rather see those dollars stay in Jacksonville and flow into the local tax revenue stream or go to Boston?

Could there be something fishy here? (Sorry for the reference Mary). I'd also like to know why JTA uses a PR Firm out of Tampa and our very own Jacksonville Chamber of Commerce uses a New York PR Firm (that one really hurts).

Props to Jan Korb for the heads up.

Design for Communism

The ICOGRADA is hosting their International Conference just 90 miles off the southern tip of Florida. There is currently a United States trade and travel embargo against the Communist Dictatorship. Do you think ICOGRADA is sending the US a message, or are they merely fond of Cuban cigars?

"Attend the Icograda World Design Congress 2007

Havana, Cuba October 20–26

The Icograda World Congress will celebrate fresh perspectives on the intersection of contemporary culture and the evolution of design. The congress will address the influence culture has on design, how design shapes urban identities and the opportunity to use design as an economic development tool. Havana will become the international capital of graphic and communication design in October—a place for designers, consultants, design managers, buyers of design services, educators and students to gather, share and learn. "

You down with ODG?

Yeah you know me.

This guy is the mac daddy fo' real. Thanks to Kyle for comin' correct.

As an OG myself, I had my boy Snoop Dizzle translate the Design Can Blog.

Click on this link to check fo yo-self.

The end of Windows

At least for this design firm.

Back in 1999 when I started developing Web sites professionally, the Mac was slow, overpriced and unstable. Along came Windows 2000. It wasn't pretty, but it never crashed. I would leave my Dell on for weeks at a time. Screw you Steve Jobs, I thought. I can be a Designer and use Windows and I don't care how many of my Designer buddies make fun of me. I'll be a maverick and hey, Sony makes some pretty nice PCs.

It seems Apple has turned the corner and is the leader again. The new iMacs are out now and of course they are even more gorgeous than before. We just bought the previous model for the house and I really love playing around with it. I've heard enough negative reviews of Vista to steer clear for a few years. And we waited 5 stinkin' years for a new operating system.

It won't happen overnight, but I've decided to leave Bill Gates behind and switch - even though I hate those commercials. Sorry Bill.

Apple - iMac - Design