Ooh, ooh that smell. Can’t you smell that smell? The smell of ads surrounds you. Thanks, NTT Communications! The company is currently testing aroma-emitting LCD displays outside a beer hall in an underground Tokyo mall. The sign exudes the aroma of lemons and oranges and also a “woody” smell at night. It’s an ad for beer, but you can’t have your mall reeking of stale hops, vomit and meaningless encounters. “The sign can gather updated scents through an auto Web download,” warns Gizmodo, which savors the possibility of “some nasty pranks programmed for unintentional public consumption.” Whatever could they be hinting at? Really, the possibilities are endless. The American Legacy Foundation could launch an anti-tobacco campaign that reeks of cigarette butts and spoiled milk—though that might actually encourage the masses to smoke. I’m forwarding the info to my state lottery. I bet the “Scratch, Sniff ’n’ Win” campaign smells like money.

—Posted by David Gianatasio