Febreze rolls out a scratch 'n sniff-like fabric spray

Using "breakthrough touch-activated scent technology," Febreze is rolling out Unstopables [sic] Touch Fabric Spray (more on the strange name later).

The regular Febreze spray that you've known and loved since you learned it could be a substitute for doing laundry in college isn't going anywhere. But as an adult you should know the jig is up — spritz all you like, but once that ocean breeze scent dissipates, you're left with a faint chemical residue smell and whiff of wet dog, because your dog is cute and you always let him on the couch.

The new Febreze Touch claims to store scents in fabrics. So, you spray the couch, pillows, curtains, any soft fabric, and the fresh smell reemerges with every touch. You get a "refreshing scent experience" up to 100 times, according to the company.

"Think scratch 'n sniff, taken to the next level," Procter & Gamble said in a press release. "Febreze Touch turns every soft surface of your house into touch 'n sniff, providing a refreshing scent experience long after it's sprayed."

Real Housewives of Beverly Hills star Lisa Vanderpump is partnering with Febreze to create a limited-edition line of pillows inspired by the new scents in the Febreze Touch lineup: Breeze, Fresh, and Paradise.

What's with the missing 'P?'

A note about the name: The misspelling of the word "unstoppable" was deliberate, a P&G spokesperson said.

"Often when looking at brand names you want to choose something unique and spelling variations are one thing that can help make it stand out. That is the case with Unstopables."

The company also uses that spelling in its Downy line of scented laundry beads.

Invite people in your home again

The pandemic put a renewed focus on home hygiene, and sales of disinfectants and other household products took off as people locked down and hoarded supplies last year. P&G sales have remained strong even as the panic-buying has slowed. Its revenue beat analysts' expectations last quarter, rising 7% from the same period in 2020. It expects sales to grow 2% to 4% in the next 12 months.

"I think we've all gotten in habits of cleaning," P&G CEO David Taylor told CNBC earlier this year. "In many ways, these habits will likely sustain for ... an extended period of time post-pandemic, and that bodes well for many of the categories we compete in."

The rollout of Febreze Touch comes at a tense moment in the pandemic, when vaccinated people are feeling cautiously confident about socializing indoors. Perhaps, when letting people in for a dinner party for the first time in over a year, you want to make sure the place looks and smells as clean as possible.

To quote a marketing line from P&G's Downy laundry beads: "You'll smell like you have it together."

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