November 10, 2025
Image Courtesy of Bath & Body Works
Does Bath & Body Works’ Scented Holiday Campaign Pass the Sniff Test?
Bath & Body Works, known for signature holiday scents, will be bringing those smells for the first time to train stations, movie theaters, and interactive kiosks inside malls as part of its holiday campaign.
Bath & Body Works becomes the first brand ever to scent New York City’s Grand Central Terminal, with commuters encountering the aroma of Fresh Balsam, one of the chain’s three signature holiday scents.
In New York, Los Angeles, and Chicago, the Fresh Balsam fragrance will be pumped into select theaters as movie theater goers watch the brand’s new holiday ad spot.
Interactive kiosks will also pop up in 46 high-traffic malls, inviting shoppers to explore all three of Bath & Body Works’ holiday scents, also including Snowflakes & Cashmere and Twisted Peppermint, as well as other scents. Thirty pilot stores will feature seasonal window displays to entice consumers to experience interactive try‑and‑smell stations.
“We’re bringing the holiday season to life for consumers in new and unexpected ways,” said Jamie Sohosky, the chain’s chief marketing officer. “By diffusing our signature Fresh Balsam scent into iconic places like Grand Central Terminal and movie theaters, we’re creating moments of joy and festive spirit that reach consumers wherever they are—making the magic of Bath & Body Works part of their everyday experiences.”
Bath & Body Works Following in Some Established Marketing Footsteps
Scent marketing in subtle ways is being increasingly used by casinos, hotels, restaurants and other places to tap into customers’ emotions on a deeper level and enhance the overall experience. A CNN article cited Abercrombie & Fitch, Victoria’s Secret, and Vitamin Shoppe among retailers using air diffusers to pump scents and entice customers to linger.
According to a study by the Sense of Smell Institute, humans can only remember 50% of visual images after just three months, while after a year, they can recall 65% of smells. Many proponents see the marketing practice as underutilized.
“Smell is more powerful than any other sensory element that we have,” Nathan Green, CEO of New Level Radio and an expert on sensory marketing, told Destination CRM. “Historically, marketing has always been so focused on the visual elements of the brand—the colors, the fonts, the imagery.”
Abercrombie & Fitch shows the risk of scent marketing, replacing in recent years its “Fierce” musky scent with a “white bergamot” fragrance after finding the former irritated many consumers. Using scent directly in advertising is even rarer. Last year, McDonald’s earned wide media coverage for installing mini billboards next to restaurants in two Netherlands cities that pumped out the aroma of french fries to passersby.
A TikTok video, by advertising company Outfront Media, of the Grand Central Terminal execution of Bath & Body Works’ campaign found most commuters and TikTok commentators had positive reactions. One TikToker commented, “It’s such a lovely surprise while walking through the station!”
However, a few were turned off. Another TikToker wrote, “I hate this. I take the shuttle every day and it makes me so nauseous.”
BrainTrust
Mohamed Amer, PhD
CEO & Strategic Board Advisor, Strategy Doctor
Scott Benedict
Founder & CEO, Benedict Enterprises LLC
Jeff Hall
President, Second To None
Recent Discussions
Discussion Questions
Are you a fan of Bath & Body Works campaign bringing scents to train stations, movie theaters and interactive kiosks inside malls?
Should scent marketing be employed more at retail and within advertising campaigns?
Poll
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Smell is one of the most powerful senses and, in general terms, it is probably under-utilized in retail. However, smell and fragrance are at the heart of what Bath & Body Works does; so, this activation makes a lot of sense and is a way of capturing consumer attention and driving interest in the various holiday products and scents the company offers. It’s also fun which is very much in keeping with the ethos of the brand. And the railroad theme matches all of the in-store merchandising which has a train and travel theme this year. Smart!
It’s Grand Central Terminal...unless they’re mailing something into the Post Office of that name; which maybe would have been a better idea: even in days past – before everyone seemed to be hypersensitized to fragrances – pumping a public place full of an unsolicited aroma would have been a questionable idea. Today it seems like pure folly.
Love seeing Bath & Body Works leaning into sensory storytelling this season.
Turning everyday environments into extensions of the brand experience is bold and memorable.
When brands move beyond sight and sound to engage scent, they tap directly into emotion and memory, two of the strongest drivers of loyalty. Whether in a store, a train station, or a theater, the opportunity is the same: create a moment that feels human, not transactional.
Kudos to Bath & Body Works for innovating around connection rather than conversion.
The campaign leverages experiential marketing by immersing potential customers in the brand’s scents in unexpected locations. By creating memorable sensory experiences in high-traffic areas, Bath & Body Works aims to increase brand awareness and encourage consumers to visit its stores. This strategy not only captures attention but also encourages direct engagement with the products in a way that traditional advertising cannot.
Bath & Body Works’ holiday campaign is technically sophisticated, bringing signature scents to Grand Central Terminal and movie theaters, and shows creative ambition; most TikTok reactions were positive. But tactical cleverness doesn’t validate strategic overreach. Here’s the fundamental issue: you can decline a sample, ignore a billboard, or skip an ad, but you cannot stop breathing in Grand Central Terminal. Bath & Body Works is imposing sensory experiences on captive audiences who cannot opt out. Commuters with migraines, asthma, scent sensitivities, or pregnancy-related nausea aren’t “choosing” to engage with this campaign. In-store scenting is an opt-in experience; this is commercial trespassing in public spaces.
Your comments seem so obvious to me. Do you think anyone at BBW considered the negative effects?
This upends the old advice: keep your nose out my business keep your business out of my nose!
Well played, Craig.
I am genuinely a fan of Bath & Body Works’ campaign to bring its holiday scents into high-traffic train stations, movie theaters and mall kiosks. According to the article, the brand is diffusing its signature Fresh Balsam scent into iconic venues such as Grand Central Terminal and select theaters, along with interactive kiosks across 46 malls and 30 pilot stores featuring “try-and-smell” stations. This kind of multisensory activation is, in my view, a strong example of a merchant willing to “test and learn” — a hallmark of great retailing — especially when the brand’s core product is literally about fragrance and experience.
That said, the broader question of whether scent marketing should be employed more widely in retail and advertising campaigns deserves nuance. On the positive side, the science supports it: humans tend to remember smells more reliably than visual cues across time. When done thoughtfully, scent can create emotional connection, differentiate a brand, and enhance immersion. However, it also carries risk: diffusing aroma in public transportation hubs or theaters means some consumers may opt-out or react negatively (e.g., sensitivity to fragrance, nausea or asthma) as some commentators in the article noted. So the recommendation is clear: yes—scent marketing should be more boldly explored, but only when it’s opt-in, contextually appropriate, and aligned with the brand’s promise—and with the testing mindset that measures both uplift and potential backlash.
If the science says, “humans can only remember 50% of visual images after just three months, while after a year, they can recall 65% of smells,” does that apply to annoying aromas?
Our sense of smell is evocative, so I hope the reminiscences are pleasant for consumers who interact with this campaign. As long as the scent isn’t overwhelming like perfume section of a department store, this campaign should be a hit.
I’m also curious if there will be on-site kiosks, nearby stores or QR codes at the theaters and train stations to support this out of home activation, shorten the path to purchase and maximize conversions.
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Smell is one of the most powerful senses and, in general terms, it is probably under-utilized in retail. However, smell and fragrance are at the heart of what Bath & Body Works does; so, this activation makes a lot of sense and is a way of capturing consumer attention and driving interest in the various holiday products and scents the company offers. It’s also fun which is very much in keeping with the ethos of the brand. And the railroad theme matches all of the in-store merchandising which has a train and travel theme this year. Smart!
It’s Grand Central Terminal...unless they’re mailing something into the Post Office of that name; which maybe would have been a better idea: even in days past – before everyone seemed to be hypersensitized to fragrances – pumping a public place full of an unsolicited aroma would have been a questionable idea. Today it seems like pure folly.
Love seeing Bath & Body Works leaning into sensory storytelling this season.
Turning everyday environments into extensions of the brand experience is bold and memorable.
When brands move beyond sight and sound to engage scent, they tap directly into emotion and memory, two of the strongest drivers of loyalty. Whether in a store, a train station, or a theater, the opportunity is the same: create a moment that feels human, not transactional.
Kudos to Bath & Body Works for innovating around connection rather than conversion.
The campaign leverages experiential marketing by immersing potential customers in the brand’s scents in unexpected locations. By creating memorable sensory experiences in high-traffic areas, Bath & Body Works aims to increase brand awareness and encourage consumers to visit its stores. This strategy not only captures attention but also encourages direct engagement with the products in a way that traditional advertising cannot.
Bath & Body Works’ holiday campaign is technically sophisticated, bringing signature scents to Grand Central Terminal and movie theaters, and shows creative ambition; most TikTok reactions were positive. But tactical cleverness doesn’t validate strategic overreach. Here’s the fundamental issue: you can decline a sample, ignore a billboard, or skip an ad, but you cannot stop breathing in Grand Central Terminal. Bath & Body Works is imposing sensory experiences on captive audiences who cannot opt out. Commuters with migraines, asthma, scent sensitivities, or pregnancy-related nausea aren’t “choosing” to engage with this campaign. In-store scenting is an opt-in experience; this is commercial trespassing in public spaces.
Your comments seem so obvious to me. Do you think anyone at BBW considered the negative effects?
This upends the old advice:
keep your nose out my businesskeep your business out of my nose!Well played, Craig.
I am genuinely a fan of Bath & Body Works’ campaign to bring its holiday scents into high-traffic train stations, movie theaters and mall kiosks. According to the article, the brand is diffusing its signature Fresh Balsam scent into iconic venues such as Grand Central Terminal and select theaters, along with interactive kiosks across 46 malls and 30 pilot stores featuring “try-and-smell” stations. This kind of multisensory activation is, in my view, a strong example of a merchant willing to “test and learn” — a hallmark of great retailing — especially when the brand’s core product is literally about fragrance and experience.
That said, the broader question of whether scent marketing should be employed more widely in retail and advertising campaigns deserves nuance. On the positive side, the science supports it: humans tend to remember smells more reliably than visual cues across time. When done thoughtfully, scent can create emotional connection, differentiate a brand, and enhance immersion. However, it also carries risk: diffusing aroma in public transportation hubs or theaters means some consumers may opt-out or react negatively (e.g., sensitivity to fragrance, nausea or asthma) as some commentators in the article noted. So the recommendation is clear: yes—scent marketing should be more boldly explored, but only when it’s opt-in, contextually appropriate, and aligned with the brand’s promise—and with the testing mindset that measures both uplift and potential backlash.
If the science says, “humans can only remember 50% of visual images after just three months, while after a year, they can recall 65% of smells,” does that apply to annoying aromas?
Our sense of smell is evocative, so I hope the reminiscences are pleasant for consumers who interact with this campaign. As long as the scent isn’t overwhelming like perfume section of a department store, this campaign should be a hit.
I’m also curious if there will be on-site kiosks, nearby stores or QR codes at the theaters and train stations to support this out of home activation, shorten the path to purchase and maximize conversions.