Peel n’ Taste, the new Scratch n’ Sniff

Growing up, the scratch n’ sniff concept was mind-blowing — that just by rubbing a nail across the front of a printed sticker, we could smell chocolate. Well, today’s kids are more sophisticated. So, Sunny D has introduced Peel n’ Taste samples to help sell a new line of smoothies.

Welcome to the world of “sensory marketing,” where companies are hoping to influence purchasing decisions through consumers’ sense of smell and taste. The strips are (thankfully or sadly, depending on your desire to lick things) only being test-marketed in Food Lion grocery stores.

The Peel n’ Taste samples are stuck onto a display at the front of an aisle. You can remove the front cover and then lick the sample underneath to get the flavor of the Sunny D Smoothie. They’ve been compared to edible breath strips — the kind made by Listerine, for example, that dissolve on your tongue.