Scratch and sniff

[2] Despite the technology being invented by Matson in the 1960s and its subsequent success in the 1970s, the first patent for a translucent fragrance releasing version of microcapsules wasn't issued until January 15, 1985, to the 3M corporation.

[3] One of the earliest uses of Scratch-and-sniff technology can be found in the 1971 children's book "Little Bunny Follows His Nose," which features various smellable objects such as peaches, roses, and pine needles.

In 1977, Creative Teaching Press produced some of the earliest scratch and sniff stickers, primarily marketing them to teachers as rewards for their students.

[10][11] Some utility companies enclosed scratch and sniff cards in their bills to educate the public in recognizing the smell of a methane gas leak.

While there were hundreds of companies that put out Scratch and Sniff stickers, the most well known are the originators Creative Teaching Press (CTP) (who later renamed them Sniffy's in 1980/1981), Trend Enterprise's Stinky Stickers line (which followed directly after CTP), Hallmark, Sandylion, Spindex, Gordy, and Mello Smello.