As COVID-19 restrictions begin to ease around the world, there still isn’t a vaccine or preventative treatment with a proven efficacy available. Though some of those venturing outside again to be around other people are diligently following social distancing rules such as wearing a face mask and maintaining a six-foot berth, others – looking at you Florida Man – might need some additional help respecting social distancing.
Men’s care brand Lynx may have come up with a pragmatic solution that leverages the pungent and polarizing aroma of breakfast staple Marmite, a brown, sticky spread made from brewing byproducts. The savory and salty smell of the classic toast accouterment might make for an ideal snack or meal, but it certainly isn’t a fragrance that invites proximity, unless a sharp, beefy funk-stench is your thing. Combining Lynx’s best-selling spray Africa along with Marmite, however, might create some true believers.
The new scent will be available in deodorant and body wash forms in the UK starting in July, and it features design work from PB Creative, bringing two immediately recognizable and iconic UK brands together.
“We’ve created the scent for all the lovers, whether that’s Lynx or Marmite, but with the controversial nature of the spread, believe it also might help in keeping the haters at arm’s length,” Lynx Brand Manager Jamie Brooks told Gizmodo.
While the reasoning behind a fragrance with Marmite isn’t exactly pleasant on a person under most circumstances (even though the intention is to promote social distancing), a shortage of brewer’s yeast precipitated by the coronavirus pandemic caused a shortage. So, if Lynx can attract the attention of Marmite-craving folks, maybe they’ll return the brand to something akin to its roots.
