McDonald’s is changing the game, once again. But it’s not a revolutionary new menu concept that the fast food giant is pioneering. Rather, a revolutionary new way of marketing their menu, intentionally targeting the consumer’s nose, not their eyes.
While scent-based advertising is not a new idea, this execution marks an assault on multiple senses, while fixating on just one. It’s a 21st Century take on smell-o-vision, sans the vision, and McDonald’s wholly admits that this campaign is equal parts advertising and social experiment.
“It’s the first billboard where the smell becomes the ad,” boasts the video trailer. And it’s not just about the smell. It’s ALL about the smell. That’s it. In fact, the billboard packs no visual component at all, just a blank (McDonald’s) red or (McDonald’s) yellow sign. The scent of McDonald’s fries is piped into the billboard and vented out to passers by.
Take a look:
The data analysis is two-fold:
- First: Is the scent identifiable? Is it iconic enough to be recognized?
- Second (and perhaps most important to McDonald’s): Does the scent elicit a corresponding action? Does the consumer respond with a trip to McD’s?
For the moment, the experiment is limited to the Netherlands. However, depending on the outcomes of the data collected, it could be coming to a billboard near you very soon.
[PR Newswire] [YouTube: McDonald’s Nederland]
