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 Station, with commuters encountering the aroma of Fresh Balsam, one of the chain’s three signature holiday scents. Commuters at Chicago’s Clark and Lake station are sharing the experience.

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 Station 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 Station 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.”