22 : 07 : 22 : Weekly Debrief

US – Ice cream bar Salt & Straw is collaborating with Imaginary Authors Fragrances to create a range of edible perfumes that are being introduced as ice cream toppings. The three fragrances fuse ingredients that are both pleasant-smelling and flavoursome. A Cloud of Cocoa features Ecuadorian chocolate, malted milkshake and Japanese whisky; A Plume of Blooms features jasmine, honeysuckle and wild country garden; and A Swoon of Citrus combines Key lime pie, lychee and Italian lemon grove.

Balancing such ingredient combinations allows the perfumes to take on multi-functional uses in a novel but sophisticated way. ‘It was not only [about] finding the oils and then [figuring out] the concentrations to make them [both] something you’d want to smell [and] something unique to the perfume industry,’ says Josh Meyer, founder of Imaginary Authors fragrances. ‘[It was also about] making them something you’d want to spray on ice cream.’

In a similar vein, we’ve previously explored the Synaesthesia Scents that are merging olfactory and auditory experiences.

Singapore – With daters in Singapore increasingly seeking opportunities to make in-person connections, dating app Bumble has launched a campaign to promote experiences for two. Created in collaboration with 13 small businesses in the country, the Date Do What campaign includes a date generator questionnaire to help daters find an experience tailored to their hobbies and interests.

Users aligning themselves with the Adventurous category, for example, will be recommended experiences with local businesses offering activities such as kayaking or roller skating. Meanwhile, a Foodies category will match users with a variety of local eateries. Through this campaign, Bumble is showing a continued evolution of its efforts to facilitate physical meetings – something we identified through the launch of its New York-based café and wine bar.

Lucille McCart, APAC director for Bumble, says: ‘The brand’s partnership with local small businesses helps create a fun environment for singles to bond with their dates and hopefully develop meaningful and lasting connections.’ Elsewhere, we’ve previously explored the ways in which Generation Z are embracing in-person dating.