When I was young, I was lucky enough to travel with my family for vacations.
My mother loved the concept of the Duty Free store … and was a loyal customer!!
She loved to try new perfumes … particularly if they were on sale!
As we headed for dinner on the first night of our vacation, she would always wear the new perfume.
Too many years later … I have been in elevators remarking ‘OMG that smell??!!’ when someone enters the elevator wearing that perfume. I close my eyes and I am instantly transported to the first night of the family vacation … I can see the hotel and the dining room… I can tell you what I was wearing … I can even tell you what I had for dinner.
When you first smell a new scent, you link it to an event, a person, a thing or even a moment.
Because we encounter most new odors in our youth, smells often call up childhood memories.
Olfactory thought centres play a huge role in brainstorming … either consciously or unconsciously!
All of the creative exercises I use are rooted in play and are designed to transport guests to their unencumbered childhood state where new ideas are easy and plentiful. There is nothing more fun and evocative to the nose than Play-Doh, crayons, glue sticks and Mr. Sketch Markers.
It is truly incredible to experience a room full of adults opening canisters of new Play-Doh and remarking ‘OMG … that smell??!!’ … before jumping into the most creative ideas!
