# World's First Smelly E-Book Musty Scratch'N'Sniff For PCs By Bianca | Published 2007-08-24 | Unique Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/worlds-first-smelly-e-book-musty-scratchnsniff-for-pcs References: [cafescribe](http://www.cafescribe.com/media/e-textbook-site-launches-worlds-first-smelly-e-book.php) 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](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/the-eau-de-croissant) is the secret! ## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter) - Score: 3.5/10 - Popularity: 57% | Activity: 39% | Freshness: 8% - Audience gender: 50% men, 50% women - Primary generations: Gen Z, Millennial - Top markets: Europe ## Categories [Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [Unique](https://www.trendhunter.com/unique) > [Inventions](https://www.trendhunter.com/inventions) ## Key Themes ### What Makes This Trend Stand Out - **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. - **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. - **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. ### Sectors Adopting This - **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. - **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. - **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. ## Related on Trend Hunter - [Smell-Oriented Virtual Masks](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/city-university-of-hong-kong.md) - [Garlic Romance Novels](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/garlicinfused-romance-novel.md) - [Shanghai Scented Bookstores](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/scented-bookstore.md) - [Phone Directory Fragrances](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/eau-de-yellow-pag.md) - [Scented Fashion Collaboration Laptops](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/asus-x-anna-sui-adol-book-14.md) - [Scratch-and-Sniff Canabis Stickers](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/cannabis-stickers.md) - [Multipurpose Scent-Releasing Wearables](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/nosewise.md) - [Mango-Scented Newspaper Ads](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/swiggy-instamart.md) - [Olfactory Entertainment Devices](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/moviescent.md)