Move over scratch 'n' sniff, here's Peel 'n Taste

First Flavor Inc. tasteful advertising

(Credit: adage.com)

First Flavor Inc. has developed a new way to entice potential customers into trying new products: with Peel 'n Taste flavored advertising. Soon you'll be able to stroll down the aisle of your local supermarket and try before you buy.

This updated version of the scratch 'n' sniff sticker being created by First Flavor is a new way to market and advertise products. According to the company: "Using the latest in taste-matching technology, we replicate the flavor of your product and deliver it to consumers in a compact, dissolving edible film." The actual flavor strip can then be hygienically sealed and incorporated into anything from print advertising to in-store coupon dispensers.

So far the company has made a splash be replicating the flavor of grape juice, which seams reasonable enough. After all, consumers are already used to breath strips and teeth-whitening applications. Grape juice can't be too complex of a flavor. It is just grape juice after all. But what about fish sticks? Or frozen pizza? Or a supreme frozen pizza? Aside from the lack of texture, the only seemingly reasonable option would be to sample each flavor individually, crust, cheese, maybe one topping. Or perhaps just a distinctive flavor from the product, for example, maybe just the sauce. We all know what happens when you mix too many colors of paint together; far from deliciousness, you get mud. For now, as effective as these flavor strips may be, I'll stick to the simple flavors and save the chicken pot pie for the real thing.