Lickable Ads: Now That's Just Gross

A few days ago, I read a story about a new rage in advertising: lickable ads. Like the famous scratch and sniff ads that are a staple of women's magazines, getting consumers to use a different sense can make cents, it's just well, licking a magazine to get a taste of a new jelly?

The Journal story by Suzanne Vranica said advertisers are excited, even salivating, over the prospects of getting people to try their jelly on the page. There is a seal so that only one tongue is supposed to touch the taste panel that is not resealable, so you can't be reading the magazine in a doctor's office, lick it, then put it back.

The ad for Welch's grape jelly wasn't cheap. It's a few hundred grand more to create than a regular ad because of the flavored sticker and the handling in People magazine. Lisa Haverty, a cognitive scientist gave the idea kudos: ït's hard to forget whose brand you are licking," she said.