Tuesday, March 13, 2012

Scent is the Sense Most Tied to Memory?

There’s a previous ad campaign that says that. (I don’t remember what for, though: probably because I couldn’t smell it through the TV set.) I’m not sure where they’re getting that idea, but for me, another sense is way more tied to memory: music. (And yes, I know that music may not be a “sense” per se, but as part of hearing, and as such a big part of our lives, I think it qualifies, don’t you?) Seriously though, remember that scene from Ratatouille where that snobby food critic takes a bite of the ratatouille, and the camera zooms into his eye’s pupil, and we’re treated to a scene from his childhood where he skinned his knee, and his mother made him ratatouille to make him feel better? Well, that’s what music does for me (and I’ll bet for almost everyone else, too!): it takes me right back to where I first and/or last heard it. And for me, there’s no better memory cue than music I’ve heard before, especially when it’s been awhile since I’ve last heard it. And maybe this would be a good way to advertise an MP3 player in the future. Or at least, I think so.