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McDonald’s in the Netherlands has launched an innovative new advertising campaign, using something that’s even more memorable than the golden arches.
Inspired by the easily identifiable aroma of the chain’s potato chips, the brand mounted the first poster where the smell becomes an advertisement.
Strategically located near the restaurants, the three red or yellow billboards didn’t even have a logo, but they still managed to attract hungry customers.
The video ad, which was uploaded yesterday to the brand’s YouTube channel, has already racked up more than 2,500 views in 24 hours.
Its description reads: “We’ve all been there: you ride in an elevator, on the subway, or in a conference room and you smell it.”
Inspired by the easily identifiable aroma of the chain’s potato chips, the brand mounted the first poster where the smell becomes an advertisement
‘You can’t see it, but you know it: McDonald’s. An aroma as recognizable as its logo or jingle.
“That’s why McDonald’s Netherlands tested its iconic smell and didn’t use anything else in its latest campaign.”
The gigantic advertising billboards seemed empty to passersby, until they smelled the delicious aroma of French fries.
The voiceover explained: ‘McDonald’s, you know it when you smell it. So, we asked ourselves, if people can recognize McDonald’s just by its delicious smell, what would happen if we had nothing else on our billboards? Not even a logo.
‘Advertisement of the world’s first billboard that smells like McDonald’s.
‘We simply used fans to subtly diffuse our iconic aroma, strategically placed the signs near the restaurants, and then let the uncontrollable cravings begin.
‘Pointing thousands of noses in the Netherlands, people could look away, but couldn’t smell. It is the first billboard where the smell becomes an advertisement.’
The clip showed people approaching the mysterious-looking sign and trying to guess what the smell was.
The clip showed people approaching the mysterious-looking sign and trying to guess what the smell was.
‘Is it McDonald’s?’ one audience member asked, and another immediately guessed: ‘French fries?’
‘Is it McDonald’s?’ one audience member asked, and another immediately guessed: ‘French fries?’
A third said: “I smell fries,” and a fourth added: “It smells like a Happy Meal, McDonald’s?” and a fifth confidently exclaiming: ‘McDonald’s fries.’
Being located 200 meters from the restaurants, they cleverly gave fast food fans the push they needed to treat themselves.
Viewers were impressed with the clever campaign, with one commenter writing: “Perfect when you get off the night train at 7am on a Sunday.”
Another commented: “I wish I had a Dutch McDonald’s near me in the US… The love at the Dutch McDonald’s completes the experience.”
Stijn Mentrop-Huliselan, CMO of McDonald’s Netherlands, said: ‘McDonald’s is all about good times.
‘We are well known for our distinctive brand assets, which are primarily visual. Smell has been shown to be more effective in generating clear and emotional memories than images.
“By including this next sense in our advertising, we found a new way to remind people of the good times at McDonald’s.”
