Choose
Select a year and scene from a short set of memory prompts.
Speculative campaign / Byredo / Fragrance
OLFACTORY MEMORY BOOTHS
Some years stay with you.
An independent Byredo campaign concept that turns a familiar phone booth into a private encounter with memory. A visitor chooses a scene, lifts the receiver and follows its sound into a scent.
DESIGNERPriscilla Rios
OWNERSHIPSole designer, from concept to execution
SCOPECampaign concept, installation and interaction
STATUSSpeculative campaign
THE STARTING POINT
Pick up.
A phone receiver gives you a familiar action and a little privacy. I used it to begin a Byredo scent encounter, with sound leading you into a scene before the fragrance arrives. The booth makes room for a short pause in public.
The year acts as a memory prompt. It does not claim a fragrance release date. A summer scene could lead to Sundazed, while an art-room scene could introduce Super Cedar. Those pairings need testing because a memory prompt will land differently for each person.
The experience
Pick up a memory.
A brushed-steel booth stands in a gallery courtyard or design district. The exterior stays spare. Inside, a scene selector and receiver provide a clear beginning, with controlled scent delivery separate from the handset.
Connect
Lift the receiver to hear the scene. A timed scent encounter accompanies the audio.
Associate
The fragrance is revealed after the scene has had time to register. The visitor can compare that suggestion with their own memory.
Keep
A printed memory card carries the chosen scene and an invitation to sample the fragrance.
Art direction
Familiar hardware. Personal space.
The booth provides the recognizable image. Restrained black-and-white graphics make the invitation easy to read, while the material finish lets the surrounding place appear in reflection.
The Memory Exchange
Visitors could leave an anonymous written memory if they choose. Selected contributions would shape a later set of scene prompts.
A smaller footprint
A tabletop receiver could bring the same interaction to a partner store. The scene and scent relationship would remain intact without requiring a full booth.
Proposed pilot
Test the scene before scaling the booth.
Try two scenes in one booth. Timed sessions give the team a chance to watch where people hesitate at the selector and whether they finish the encounter.
Compare the entry points
Test a year-only prompt against a year paired with a scene. The question is which provides enough context without deciding the memory for someone.
What to learn
Record completed sessions and sample invitations used. Ask visitors which details stayed with them. The concept has no launch results.
THE WORK, TOGETHER
The first booth would need to test the scene prompts. A year can suggest very different memories to the people who pick up the receiver.
Independent campaign concept by Priscilla Rios for Byredo. Not commissioned, affiliated with or endorsed by the brand. Fragrance pairings and the installation are proposed.
