Teenagers' rooms are often criticised for an odour that's less than fresh, but one major household goods supplier is aiming to address this with a new line introduced in

the US market.

Plenty of examples of novelty air fresheners designed to appeal to young children have been seen in the past, but products for teenagers are few and far between. Across the pond, SC Johnson has introduced an extension to its Glade PlugIns line called Light Show. The plug-in continuous air freshener is said to be the first to combine fragrance designed specifically for teens and tweens with a colour-changing light show that "washes" light over the bedroom wall. It is available in three fragrances: Berry Burst, Watermelon Rush and Vanilla & Cream.

The unit features two buttons. The first turns the device on and off and selects the light show - push once for a fast-changing display, twice for a slower display, and a third time to freeze the colour that is being displayed, while a fourth push changes the colour to white. The other button is a dimmer - push once for medium, twice for soft light and a third time for bright light. Information on the pack describes the scented light show as soothing, and indicates that it is more enjoyable when the room is dark. It is not recommended for children under 10 years of age as a consequence of its electrical plug-in format.

Each 21ml unit retails at around $12, approximately double the price of a standard Glade PlugIns unit. This is still well within the spending power of many teenagers, although this new line is more likely to be bought by relieved parents on behalf of their teenage children.

Some 80% of British youths have a TV in their own bedroom and two-thirds play computer games in their bedroom, suggesting that more and more time is spent in this one room. Yet the home accessories market for teenage rooms remains relatively under-developed.

The launch by SC Johnson marks an important move by an FMCG supplier venturing into a new segment of the market, although the light show could well be applied to designer-oriented products for adults too.