Business: Anti-Advertising
pastry scented petrol stations   (+9, -6)  [vote for, against]
olfaction divergence

Today I filled my car at a station that was located next to a bakery. As soon as I got out of my car, I was overwhelmed with the luscious odors of cinnamon, honey-buns and other fresh baked goodies. I almost fell into a swoon. I prepaid the attendant for the gas and started to fill my car whilst in a state of salivating stupidity, not even wincing at the price of $3+/gal.

I know that all gas stations cannot be located next to bakeries, so I propose that the smart Petrol Pusher install some of those scented atomizers around the pumps, exuding tantalizing fragrances similar to those of Grandma’s Christmas kitchen. This may soothe the customers’ anxiety over the prices and sedate them into a dreamy world of their favorite baked pies, cakes, pastries or whatever pleases them. The sense of smell is a powerful force which can mystify and mesmerize one into elation, even if it’s at the gas station.
-- xandram, Nov 29 2007

Perhaps they could be a marketing outlet for this product Lavender-scented_20motor_20oil
[normzone, Nov 29 2007]

marketing with scent http://blog.sellsiu...he-nose/2006/04/30/
[bnip, Dec 05 2007]

Retailing daily needs with the use of olfactory fortification/stimulation, is as old as the hills. This particular manifestation may be unique, butt on the hole, not novel. Sorry Xandra, marked-for-deletion.
-- 4whom, Nov 29 2007


[off-topic] Here in the UK, petrol is the equivalent of $9/gal!
-- david_scothern, Nov 29 2007


[4whom] if you want to mark this for deletion, I think you need to put it in brackets.
I chose the category to explain that this is Anti-Advertising. (fuhgedaboudit)
-- xandram, Nov 29 2007


You are granted a certain degree of lassitude, given your status, in my books.
-- 4whom, Nov 29 2007


"I chose the category to explain that this is Anti-Advertising. (fuhgedaboudit)"
I would appologise if it were in my nature. I still think the category rethink and editting of anno were post-facto. Still, the trap has been sprung and you seem to have bagged yourself a roo(se).
-- 4whom, Nov 29 2007


//You are granted a certain degree of lassitude, given your status, in my books.// [4whom] is the opposite of lassitude laditude? - which you seem to have in abundance.
-- xenzag, Nov 29 2007


//in abundance// testerone bottled and purchased second hand at ebay no doubt.
-- po, Nov 29 2007


Laditude's abundance seems only to extend until sunrise. Stay your wooden stakes and silver bullets.
-- 4whom, Nov 29 2007


funny. I thought men were at their best at dawn.
-- po, Nov 29 2007


I thought men were, at best, funny before their dawn.
-- 4whom, Nov 29 2007


I don't know wha's goin on--
I didn't rethink the category, and [4whom] the bell trolls, our annos appeared at the same time...so no need to (sp) apologize.

My choice of category was to point out that the pastry smell had nothing to do with the selling of pastry, while [4whom]'s first anno is the opposite, meaning that certain smells are used to sell certain products.
-- xandram, Nov 29 2007


Does no one else really like the smell of petrol?
-- theleopard, Nov 30 2007


I like it - imagines opposite of this idea, with smell of petrol wafting through air at a bakery.
-- xenzag, Nov 30 2007


<off-topic>It cost me £46 (about $95) to fill my Honda's tank last night...</off-topic>
-- hippo, Nov 30 2007


Was it worth the olfaction?
-- skinflaps, Nov 30 2007


I, too, actually like the smell of gasoline. It was just amazing how the bakery smells transported me...ah if we could run our cars on pastry fumes...
-- xandram, Nov 30 2007


I wonder what *this* bakery would smell like?
-- po, Nov 30 2007


[theleopard], premium smells good, but the mid-range and low octane are rubbish.
-- normzone, Nov 30 2007


// Does no one else really like the smell of petrol? //

"I love the smell of Napalm in the morning"...
-- 8th of 7, Dec 03 2007


Baked, I have been to a petrol station in Christchurch, NZ where Burger King is next door. The smell of burgers and buns is off-putting as I don't eat wheat or burgers for that matter. So it gets fishbone from me.
-- Pellepeloton, Dec 04 2007


well thanks [Pell] I feel sorry if you consider Burger King's odors the scent of fresh pastry!...more like dirty feet, to me. I am diabetic, but still love the smells of gingerbread, pumpkin pie, and lots of other stuff that I can't eat.
-- xandram, Dec 04 2007


A lot of gas stations sell food. They should pump smells to get people to come inside and buy some. I've experienced this effect at gas stations with name-brand restaurants such as McDonalds, Hardees, and Godfather Pizza, but the effect could be exploited more I suppose.
-- kevinthenerd, Dec 04 2007


// the effect could be exploited more I suppose //

With a bit of redesign you could have a fast food outlet where you not only collected food at the hatch but your car got fuelled at the same time ...... what a time saver ! You need never leave your vehicle.
-- 8th of 7, Dec 04 2007


"never have to leave your vehicle" and with in-car Pilates exercises and Tony Robbin's Tapes...
-- 4whom, Dec 04 2007


Pastry scent at gas stations would be lovely.

Regarding the category, if the gas station itself were to implement this idea, it might have something to do with selling gasoline. (See link about marketing with scent.)
-- bnip, Dec 05 2007


I grew up next to a petrol station, and I can't stand the smell. Gives me a headache.

I think perhaps we're missing the point, here: what we need, surely, are cars that run on fresh pastry.
-- bibliotaphist, Dec 05 2007


// cars that run on fresh pastry //

What, you mean like a Rolls or something ?

Wah.. Wah.. Wah..... WAAAAAAAAAAA..
-- 8th of 7, Dec 05 2007


haha, but Rolls cost a lot of bread!
-- xandram, Dec 05 2007


Yes, only the Upper Crust can afford them ....
-- 8th of 7, Dec 05 2007


...since they're rolling in dough.
-- bnip, Dec 05 2007


I'm not going to rise to that one.
-- 8th of 7, Dec 05 2007


Prove it.
-- 4whom, Dec 05 2007


I don't knead to.
-- 8th of 7, Dec 05 2007


I guess you're leaven it alone then?
-- 4whom, Dec 05 2007


It's the yeast I can do.
-- 8th of 7, Dec 05 2007


Oh, so wry.
-- 4whom, Dec 05 2007


I pitta the fool that takes on 8th, leaves you speechless and naan the wiser.
-- 4whom, Dec 05 2007


I can usually tell when someone's trying to butter me up ... but that takes the biscuit.
-- 8th of 7, Dec 05 2007


Perhaps I am just a gluten for punishment, but I am no sycophant. For example, some of your words are badly spelt.
-- 4whom, Dec 05 2007


Perhaps that's because I am barley literate; but misspelling goes against the grain.
-- 8th of 7, Dec 05 2007


"Perhaps that's because I am barley literate; but misspelling goes against the grain."

Durum roll please <baddum disch>
-- 4whom, Dec 05 2007


Sorry, that's not really funny - the most you'll get is a rye smile. It's just so corny.
-- 8th of 7, Dec 05 2007


Rye has already been used, it <i>pain</i>s me to say. I call a truce, lest we baguette the wrath of the 'bakesperson.
-- 4whom, Dec 05 2007


Indeed - Jutta comes down hard on excessive punning. Besides, don't grind yourself down, you'll only end up batter. I'm an expert in this field, you know - the older bakers are probably sitting around laughing, thinking you're a man of straw. Hay, I could go on like this all wheat. I'm not going to grass you up; just be careful you don't reap what you sow. I'm sure you'll flour into a great baker before long.
-- 8th of 7, Dec 05 2007


[bnip] nice link. I do know about marketing with smells, but I felt this was the opposite, to make one forget about the gas they were buying.
Well, seems some folks had some fun out of this --even with some stale puns. (runs away...)
-- xandram, Dec 05 2007


Where do you drill for pastry scented petrol?
-- pashute, Apr 11 2010


In the dessert.
-- mouseposture, Apr 11 2010



random, halfbakery