McDonald’s fans shocked by ad you can literally smell

McDonald’s in the Netherlands launched an ad campaign that smells like their fries and passersby couldn’t believe their noses.

You’re used to seeing billboards advertising food from fast food chains with photos and graphics, but have you ever smelt a billboard?

McDonald’s in the Netherlands created blank red or yellow billboards that gave no visual clues about what was being advertised. The only thing the billboards did was waft the familiar smell of McDonald’s fries throughout the street.

The billboards were seen in three locations in the Netherlands and were placed strategically within 200 yards of a McDonald’s store, so that smellers could satisfy their cravings brought on by the familiar scent.

Fans were amazed by this advertising idea, and under McDonald’s YouTube advertisement explaining the process for the campaign, people commented that this would be: “Perfect when you roll off the night train at 7 am on a Sunday.”

Another person said: “Wish I had a Netherlands McDonald’s near me in the USA… The love that goes into Netherlands McDonald’s completes the experience.”

The Chief Marketing Officer at McDonald’s Netherlands explained: “McDonald’s is all about good times. We are well known for our distinctive brand assets that 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.”