THE ART OF THE PITCH

Coming soon to magazines and newspapers near you: Entire pages of advertisements artificially laced with food odors. Readers of the next issue of USA Weekend magazine will smell chocolate when they open the first page, thanks to a new process that lays down the scent as part of the printing process, said Ray Gaulke, president of the publication. The chocolate scent is contained in a liquid base mixed with varnish and applied to the newsprint, Gaulke said, adding that it was the first time a scent was to be used as part of the editorial pages. “We envision the process being used not only to enrich the reader’s response to editorial content but to reinforce, of course, the appeal of advertising,” he said. The new ad tool’s use will probably be restricted when it comes to garbage bags and fertilizer, however.