A typical bus shelter in any major city is a cornucopia of aromas… mostly terrible ones. Traffic exhaust, a day-old sandwich, the remnants of its role as an impromptu urinal for late-night travelers. But Hendrick’s Gin decided to turn a collection of these public transport outposts into a sensory marketing opportunity.
This is the latest attempt by brands to liven up the bus experience. In recent years, Pepsi outfitted one with Hollywood-like visual effects, a paint brand used sensors to identify passing colors, and Samsung made a bus poster come alive.
Aiming for nasal persuasion can be risky though, as Goodby Silverstein & Partners found out way back in 2006 when they used scented strips to pump the smell of chocolate chip cookies into San Francisco bus shelters alongside “Got Milk?” posters. Almost immediately, complaints forced the transit authority to order the scented strips removed.Recognize your brand’s excellence by applying to this year’s Brands That Matter Awards before the early-rate deadline, May 3.