Non-Scents
In the latest installment of a venerable ad campaign, “scent strips” with the enticing aroma of fresh chocolate chip cookies were strategically placed around bus shelter ads bearing the “Got Milk?” slogan. The obvious intent was to inspire sniffers to seek out the nearest cookie and consume it with its natural companion — a glass of milk. Seems pretty harmless and borderline clever… but in this day and age there will always be someone to object to whatever anyone might be doing at any time. In San Francisco, groups “representing the homeless, the obese, diabetics and citizens who just don’t like scents” succeeded in blocking the campaign. The commentary from Jeff Goodby, co-chair of the agency who created the campaign, says it all:
“It could have gone either way: We celebrate the hippy nostalgia of cookies in the oven, or we excoriate the possible effects on select health minorities. It’s 2006. We went the latter way… I guess The City has once again made herself safe for bus shelters that smell like urine and vomit instead.”