We created something new that appealed to another sense entirely – smell. A unisex fragrance called Support Scent - that for the first time would allow the blind to actually recognise support around them. To ensure quality and credibility, we approached KIT Cosmetics, one of Australia’s leading cosmetics brands. We asked them to donate their expertise and formulate a scent, solely for our purposes, which we’d design, package and bring to market. The brief: make it desirable but also distinct enough to be recognizable. The desired outcome: new brand awareness for the cause and a 12% increase in fundraising upon launch.

How do you show support for someone who can’t see?One of the greatest struggles the blind and vision-impaired face as a result of their condition is incredible isolation. Guide Dogs Australia, the country’s leading organization for services to the blind, devote themselves tirelessly to ending this isolation. So when tasked with creating a new way to generate support for the cause, it became vital that it didn’t inadvertently exclude the blind. Anything that appealed to people’s sight, such as a ribbon or wristband, would in truth only add to the problem.

In departing from their traditional methods of fundraising and utilising something not only appropriately inclusive, but actually desirable; the charity is discovering an entirely new support base. It’s inspiring people to get involved because the idea lets them participate in a way they know the blind can actively recognise. Post-launch tracking has shown fundraising lifted 33% when Support Scent launched. 47% of people find the project makes the charity now more relevant to them. 79% of people exposed to it now want to more actively support the cause (for women alone, its an astonishing 85%).

After 18 months in scent production and then the endorsement of blind people, Support Scent 'scented' letters went out to the blind community to ensure they would recognise it when worn. It then launched publicly via events and advertising, across many mediums. It’s now being sold nationwide for $5 at cosmetics stores, Australia’s largest department store chain MYER and online - with all proceeds going to Guide Dogs Australia. As a beauty product, Support Scent’s broken through traditional charity distribution barriers and drawn attention to the cause in a new arena – fashion, including appearances in magazines such as Vogue.