By Low Teck Mee

What are the chances that you may need a room fragrance diffuser and a Bluetooth-enabled speaker all concealed in one figure of a Jumping Jack. A pair of Mr & Mrs Fragrance—aka Massimo Esposito and Simona Guerini—apparently thinks it’s high.

Meet George, a cute emoji-ish figure that’s as much a hybrid device as lamps that are also USB hubs. Unlike most multi-use gadgets, George is a lot cheerier, nicer-smelling, and perpetually stands with open arms. If you’re not getting such a welcome at home from the hubby, George may be a delightful substitute.

As an aroma diffuser, it is backed by the expertise of environment perfuming experts Mr & Mrs Fragrance, an Italian couple who started in the business of selling handcrafted candles in the shape of animals made in Swaziland (yes, Swaziland, not Switzerland). After a meeting with product designer Luca Trazzi, who was able to interpret the couple’s aesthetic preference for something modern, useful, and playful, Mr & Mrs Fragrance was born.

The scents are produced in Italy and France, and are free of artificial additives and colouring that influence the smell and appearance of the liquid aromas. More importantly, these electronically-dispensed fragrances are diffused in receptacles that are amusing and attractive to place in a room. For George, capsules are inserted into a tray that ejects from his torso. The capsule idea is not unlike that of Nespresso’s, which explains the former’s moniker: George Clooney is the face of the coffee machine!

As a wireless speaker, George is less compelling. While it produces a decent sound (possibly too bright for those who like palpable bass), it may not be captivating enough for you to want to listen to Kendrick Lamar on repeat while doing housework. But the fragrance it diffuses more than makes up for the sound it emits. If only Amazon Echo or Google Home smells as sweet.

Mr & Mrs Fragrance ‘George’ (with sound system), SGD268, is available in Robinsons and other authorised dealers. Photo: Mr & Mrs Fragrance