Don’t you love the way a new book smells? CafeScribe’s new invention takes scratch and sniff to a whole new level! A recent survey of college students found that the quality they most enjoyed about physical textbooks was their smell, so the company developed the world’s first smelly e-book.
Beginning in September, CafeScribe will begin sending a scratch & sniff sticker with every e-textbook purchase, in none other than the classic, musty "old book" smell.
The company reported, "In a survey of 600 college students 43% identified smell –- either new book smell or old—as the thing they most love about books as physical objects. A majority (62%) also preferred purchasing used textbooks over new or electronic textbooks, despite the fact that e-textbooks are generally a third less expensive than used textbooks."
In an attempt to win over skeptical college students, CaféScribe.com today announced plans to launch the world’s first smelly e-book. CaféScribe.com CEO Bryce Johnson says that beginning in the back-to-school month of September the company will send every e-textbook purchaser a scratch & sniff sticker with a certifiably musty "old book" smell.
"Students who use CaféScribe download our software to read and annotate e-textbooks and other documents on their laptops," explains Johnson. "By placing these stickers on their computers they can give their e-books the same musty book smell they know and love from used textbooks – without any of the residual DNA you sometimes find stuck to the pages of used textbooks."
30% of students said they loved the "mustiness" of their books and 16% associated them with the scent of "freshly-ground coffee." The majority of students associated positive smells with books such as just-cut grass or hot, fresh cookies versus sweat, grease or mildew.
The survey was conducted in response to student apprehension to move from paper books to e-books. It would be environmentally beneficial if schools switched to e-books, saving a lot of trees in the process.
Maybe adding delicious smells is the secret!
World's First Smelly E-Book
Musty Scratch'N'Sniff For PCs
Trend Themes
1. Scratch and Sniff Technology - CafeScribe's development of smelly e-books introduces a new dimension to reading experiences, creating opportunities for other industries to explore the use of scratch and sniff technology in various products.
2. Enhancing Digital Experiences - The popularity of the smelly e-book concept indicates a growing demand for enhancing digital experiences by appealing to multiple senses, presenting opportunities for businesses to innovate and provide unique sensory experiences in various industries.
3. Nostalgia Marketing - The success of the smelly e-book demonstrates the effectiveness of nostalgia marketing in capturing consumer attention and building brand loyalty, suggesting potential opportunities for other industries to leverage nostalgia and tap into consumer emotions.
Industry Implications
1. Publishing Industry - The publishing industry can potentially adopt scratch and sniff technology to enhance the reading experience and attract new customers by providing multi-sensory elements in their e-books.
2. Fragrance Industry - The fragrance industry can explore partnerships with e-book platforms to develop customized scents that can be integrated into e-books, creating opportunities for unique fragrance experiences in the digital realm.
3. Marketing and Advertising Industry - The marketing and advertising industry can leverage nostalgia marketing strategies, inspired by the success of the smelly e-book, to engage consumers emotionally and create memorable brand experiences across various campaigns and platforms.