Hasbro Incorporated, an American multinational toy manufacturer, is the largest in the world in terms of stock market value. The company is located in Pawtucket, Rhode Island and has a revenue of approximately $5.12bn (£3.8bn). The company is famous for toys such as Action Man, Cabbage Patch Kids and Furby, to name just a few.
Popular
One of the company’s many popular items is Play-Doh, a modelling compound used by young children for arts and crafts. The compound, which is made of flour, water, boric acid, salt and mineral oil, was originally designed as a wallpaper cleaner. Since its introduction in 1956, more than two billion cans have been sold worldwide.
Characteristic
One of Play-Doh’s main characteristic is its musky, sweet vanilla scent with hints of cherry and the smell of salted wheat-based dough, which Hasbro has now officially trademarked through the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). This distinctive smell is one of the product’s memorable features and is recognised by children, parents and grandparents alike. The company’s vice-president of global marketing commented that by officially trademarking the iconic scent, Hasbro can protect the connection between the brand and fans for many years to come.
Trademarking
What is trademarking? Put simply, it can be anything represented in a graphical form that can be used to identify the origin of goods. It is not just the simple logos that get protected but also the sounds, colours and smells.
Marketing
Scent marketing from specialists such as https://moodmedia.co.uk/project/scent-marketing-for-businesses/ is a growing trend, as scent is the most powerful of all the senses. Brands can connect with customers by using scent on a deeper and emotional level, making the experience more memorable. Smells are not only used to promote products but also to create ambience in business settings.
Celebrating
Hasbro is delighted to gain official approval and in celebration is asking fans to share their favourite memories involving Play-Doh. Surprisingly it is not alone in the scent trade category – one of the oldest is Manhattan Oil, which has three scents registered with the USPTO. These are fuel scents named Super Charged Strawberry, Cherry Bomb and Groovy Grape. Lactona also has a toothpaste strawberry scent trademarked.
Do you have any Play-Doh scent memories? If so, join the party and share your secrets.