Product Review - Aroma Dough

by Staff, promotionsandincentives.co.uk 26-Jun-09, 14:06

Stress is one of those unwanted freebies everyone gets in life. The problem when you're a journalist is that you're usually tapping the keyboard when the blood pressure goes up.

Of course this means there's no way to take advantage of the multitude of branded stress products out there. But we do know stress relievers are one of the most popular desktop products so Aroma Dough from Calverley Collection should be a sound proposition.

Use

Aroma Dough is essentially a handful of doughlike material containing aromatherapy oils and works in the same way as a stress ball. Our sample came with a Neroli, Naartjie and Bergamot and claims to restore energy and promote vitality. I’m no expert on essential oils so it’s difficult to say how well it lived up to expectations but let's just say the fragrance survived several post-rub and roll handwashes.

For an alternative view I checked this out with one of our sales guys, a connoisseur of stress putty who keeps a two lumps of it on his desk (they sit in tins on his desk like fat glistening toads). He felt the Aroma Dough was a little messy when it came out of the pack, tended to fragment a little and lacked resistance of putty (he likes stretching the stuff). However after a bit of use the dough does tend to stay together.

Branding

There are plenty of branding opportunities here. Not only can you brand and create a message on the metal container but you can also lend your colours to the dough itself. Calverley can also create bespoke aromatherapy mixes or you can choose from the existing range.

Overall

According to Calverley’s site the product can also be used for brainstorms and training sessions. This is based on the theory that touch and smell are the strongest of the five senses and that contact with the dough stimulates thought. Interestingly, tucked in amongst commendations from directors and managers was the following from a teenager participating in substance abuse workshop:.

I feel in touch with who I am and understand now what drugs are doing to me. The Aroma Dough helped me to feel in charge of me; I can make responsible decisions about my life in future.

You can’t argue with a product that keeps kids off of drugs but it failed to illicit such a strong impression on us.

The main criticism is that on first impression it actually comes across as a bit, for want of a better word, gooey and comes apart in your hands. But while this disappears with use, the oils used are always going to be a matter of taste. As with many products there seemed to be a split between the boys and the girls, the latter liking the smell while the boys looking for something a little more substantial like the above mentioned ‘glistening frog’.

On the positive front messing around with the stuff is fairly addictive and it does become a lot more cohesive after a bit more use and it the kind of product you’re always going to pick up and try. But you can see people hanging onto it and the branded container it needs to stay in and if they do that then it has fulfilled the primary aim of all promo products.

Rating - 6 out of 10