Wisp It Good: More Shameless Consumerism

When I was a kid, my dad told me the best smell is no smell at all. (Yes, he actually took time out to say this.) When some managers here floated the idea of applying Experience Ecomony concepts to academic librarianship, some staff were less than enthusiastic.

It's a good thing that Dad and librarians aren't working at Glade, or we'd never have Wisp Home Fragrancer.

"The proof is in the puff--—you can see it working!"

It's not enough to smell an air freshener fragrancer filling your space with esters. America wants to see it puffing the stuff out for a near total fragrancing experience. That's why we have a Show Me state, but no Waft It To Me state.

When I saw the tv ad for Wisp, which is basically a long, low-angle close up of a well-feed nuclear family hovering eagerly over their Wisp so they could marvel at each toot of freshness, I thought, Dear Lord, it can't get any stupider than this. Then, I visited the product web site and saw this diagram:

I love a good pseudo high tech diagram, especially diagrams of maxi-pads and men's razors, but when an air freshener diagram is more complicated than this nuclear power plant drawing from the Tennessee Valley Authority, I'm a little dubious. Of Wisp and nuclear power.

Maybe I'll buy Wisp and actually test it. Maybe not. Right now I'm just disturbed, even though I seem to be the perfect target for the product. After all...

"Glade Wisp is perfect for people who don't want to think about keeping a room smelling clean."says Kelly Semrau, SC Johnson's Director of Global Public Affairs and Communications.