Does Anyone Really Want Scratch-And-Sniff Newspapers?

from the um.--no. dept

Wed, Jan 31st 2007 10:14am — Mike Masnick

We all know that newspapers are trying to figure out ways to stay relevant to both readers and advertisers these days, since both constituents have many other options. However, we're not sure about the latest experiment being used by both the Wall Street Journal and USA Today. To be fair, both papers have been doing plenty of interesting experiments lately, from USA Today's plan to incorporate readers into writing the news to the WSJ's recognition that the paper version should be used for different types of stories than the web version. However, we're not so sure what their ad sales teams are thinking with the latest "innovation." Both newspapers are going to start experimenting with scratch-and-sniff advertisements. Apparently, it's not quite the same as traditional scratch-and-sniff technology, since this one can be applied directly in the printing ink. However, it does seem a little silly. After all, magazines have been using scented advertisements for perfume and cologne for years, and it tends to just annoy people over the fact that their magazines stink.

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13 Comments

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Bumbling old fool, 31 Jan 2007 @ 10:34am

I'll second that.
Um, no.
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Anonymous Coward, 31 Jan 2007 @ 10:57am

Are they really this incredibly reluctant to just give up and realize the Internet is replacing their buisness model that they are now tossing completely random and nonsensical ideas just to try to deny that paper news is on it's way out?

This sounds like they were using a dartboard as a last resort to try to do something on a paper magazine that you cannot do on the Internet, attempting to fool themselves that they still don't need to worry about just putting their content on the Internet.

I have lost count of the amount of corporations that either attempt completely random ideas or use any loophole and bribe they can to try to use the law to protect their dying and outdated business model.

Funny how I don't recall the typewriter industry attempting to kill the PC when they started to see the writing on the wall. Or the VCR industry against DVD. I can probably list a hundred others that just took it and tried to update their business to a more modern standpoint.

With all this time and money they spend trying to squash any rival and incorporate useless features they would just be able to think of a new way to keep their business relevant to today's world. I guess its just easier to either hire marketing that has no idea what to try next or more lawyers.
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Paul, 31 Jan 2007 @ 10:58am

Yes!
Now when I wipe my ass with newspaper I'll have a nice refreshing scent to look forward to
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comboman, 31 Jan 2007 @ 11:06am

Smellovision
If someone can invent a newspaper that smells like barbecued steak or fresh chocolate chip cookies, I'll buy it.
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Ozzy, 31 Jan 2007 @ 11:37am

Playboy
I'd like to see scratch-n-sniff porno's. Sniffin pussy!
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kenbo (profile), 31 Jan 2007 @ 11:58am

If all it did was annoy people, why are they still doing it? Ad companies are not stupid. Yeah they try out some stupid things, but they only keep doing what works. It may annoy you and me, but women seem to love it! You gotta stop generalizing your own feelings onto everyone.
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The Cynical Cynic, 31 Jan 2007 @ 12:04pm

Stealing Business Models?
Well dadgummit, it sounds like someone may have learned about a new concept such as that founded by Wikipedia. Yes, indeed, allow your readers to write articles because, after all, they may be semi-experts in the subject they are researching. This alleviates the bottleneck of getting the same slanted views on the same subjects from the same people. But, then again, sometimes it is good to know someone's angle! The internet... full of content... already paid for... so why bother with the paper unless it enlightens another one of our senses. Heck, I am not sure if that makes sense if it irritates our senses. Where is the sensibility in all of this? I guess they are just catering to our sensitivities? Not entirely sensible, unless you are selling papers to French hookers.
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JonEGti, 31 Jan 2007 @ 12:07pm

I work for a printing company
Careful what you ask for. The best was when a utility company asked to print the smell that is added to natural gas ... Pressman: "Do you guys smell that?" The piece was never run in fear that people would think they had a leak.
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Jason Bateman, 31 Jan 2007 @ 12:08pm

A few months back, wasnt there a company that placed "Sweet Smelling" advertisements such as brownies & warm cookie scents on bus stop bench & signs?

Then they were forced to remove these "advertisements" for some reason or another.

Wouldn't this hold true for the newspaper companies as well?

I can guess there might be a lot of homeless people upset with these scents, because the papers dont taste like the smell...
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texasgrease, 31 Jan 2007 @ 12:48pm

Re:
"It may annoy you and me, but women seem to love it!"

yeah, stop generalizing your opinion on everyone and just generalize your opinion onto half the population like this fellow!
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Little Billy, 31 Jan 2007 @ 1:26pm

5yr olds are going to love the WSJ!
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Killian, 31 Jan 2007 @ 2:35pm

Free Access to Wall Street Journal
I just saw a blog that showed you can get free access to Wall Street Journal and other subscription sites with this netpass: http://www.congoo.com/netpass/install
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Doug Karr, 31 Jan 2007 @ 7:00pm

Been There, Done That
We put scents on newspapers back in the 90's... it was a pine scent. The concern at that time was allergic reactions to the chemical - it didn't smell too bad, actually. What the heck! If you can't find content, may as well go for gimmicks.
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