Monday, October 25, 2010

Scent Used as a Political Weapon?

"Republican Van Tran, the upstart challenger to Rep. Loretta Sanchez (D-Calif.), is betting on voters sniffing out his opponent's struggles -- literally. " Thus begins a small article on the National Journal which describes how the politician is sending out direct mail which targets Sanchez with its scratch-and-sniff which emanates a horrible odour comprised of the combination of some of the worst possible odours imaginable (according to a GOP source). The mailer says "Open for a fragrance sample of "Loretta, The Scent Of Washington." while on the inside the text reads "Something smells rotten about Loretta. It's the stench of Washington." Below that is the actual scratch and sniff panel.
I guess after scent being used to lure customers in and make them feel relaxed enough to make more purchases, digital scents carried through nanotechnology and scent being used to attract potential mates, it was time someone thought about it in reverse and used it as a powerful weapon of all the wrong associations...It remains to be seen what the voters will do.

Check it out at this link.




3 comments:

  1. This really hits a new low.

    I can't remember any election where we have been targeted with so many phone calls (and actually 1 house visit.) Some of the calls are automated and others are real people making the calls in real time.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Karin, thanks for commenting!

    New low doesn't even begin to describe it....
    BUT, but... It's astounding that someone would actually make a HOUSE VISIT!!!!! It would be enough for me to be utterly and irrevocably repelled by said candidate. What are they hoping to accomplish? Convince you they're nice guys and you can have milk and biscuits with them? Enough is enough. It might even inspire me to give a pep talk to all my entourage against them...

    ReplyDelete
  3. Anonymous12:22

    Karl Paladino (R), who's running for governor of NY, did this a few weeks back. Recipients received a closed flyer mailed to them and upon fully opening it was the smell of garbage. The title of the mailer was "Something Stinks in Albany" (the state capital of New York).

    He's trailing by about 20 points in polls, so the garbage mailer must not have made its intended impact (among other distasteful problems he's had).

    ~ Susan

    ReplyDelete

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