Smells like McDonald’s? That’s just their new billboard

We’ve all been there: you go on an elevator, the subway, or a conference room, and you get a whiff of it. You can’t see it, but you know it: it smells like McDonald’s. A scent as recognizable as their logo or jingle. That’s why McDonald’s Netherlands put their iconic smell to the test, using nothing else in their latest campaign.

Smell and touch are the most primal senses of humans and yet so underused in advertising. For decades, McDonald’s has seduced taste buds around the globe, making it one of the most beloved and recognizable brands out there. But the brand realized that there’s something just as memorable for consumers as their golden arches, products, or jingle. So, what better way to make the brands’ fans crave for McDonald’s most irresistible and best-sold product: the French Fries, than with its smell?

McDonald’s Netherlands put this to the test. A series of plain yellow and red billboards were placed in Utrecht and Leiden. The prints appear to be empty at first glance, but as passers-by approach within 5 meters, they are greeted with the distinct aroma of McDonald's French Fries, coming from inside the billboard. This is the first time that a billboard has been used to diffuse the McDonald's scent, using the recognizable smell as its most distinctive brand asset.

Stijn Mentrop-Huliselan, CMO McDonald’s Netherlands, states: “McDonald’s is all about Good Times. We are well known for our distinctive brand assets that they are mostly visual. Smell has been proven to be more effective at sparking clear and emotional memories than images. With the inclusion of this next sense in our advertising, we found a new way to remind people of Good Times at McDonald’s.”

The billboards were strategically placed within 200 meters of McDonald's restaurants, inviting those with triggered cravings to easily swing by and order their favorite McDonald’s products. When every brand is targeting eyeballs, McDonald’s targets noses.

Darre van Dijk, CCO TBWA\NEBOKO: “We are always looking for ways to give iconic brand assets their own place in culture. The smell of McDonald’s French Fries is one of those iconic features.”