Out-of-home advertising is undergoing a fundamental transformation. For decades, billboards and transit advertisements relied almost exclusively on visual impact—striking imagery designed to capture attention in the fraction of a second a commuter passes by. Today, forward-thinking brands are breaking free from this single-sensory constraint, layering in sound, scent, touch, and even taste to create campaigns that engage audiences on multiple levels simultaneously.
The shift toward multisensory out-of-home advertising represents more than novelty. Research consistently demonstrates that campaigns engaging multiple senses generate substantially stronger results than traditional static or digital displays. According to advertising experts, multisensory activations often produce three to four times more audience interaction compared with standard campaigns. This isn’t coincidental—neuroscience supports what marketers are discovering through practice: the more senses involved in an experience, the more likely it is to be remembered.
Scent has emerged as one of the most powerful sensory additions to outdoor campaigns. Starbucks’ coffee-scented bus shelters in London exemplify this approach, releasing fresh coffee aromas during morning rush hours and increasing dwell time by 25 percent while driving foot traffic to nearby stores. The effectiveness lies partly in scent’s unique connection to memory and emotion—olfactory experiences bypass certain cognitive filters and trigger powerful associative responses. Similarly, brands like Baileys have integrated scent into digital outdoor formats, combining visual elements with carefully calibrated aromatic profiles to create holiday campaigns that stick with audiences far longer than traditional advertisements.
Audio represents another frontier in sensory outdoor advertising. Nike’s talking billboards in New York deployed dynamic voiceovers synchronized to digital visuals, generating over 1.2 million social media impressions through audio storytelling alone. These campaigns don’t simply add sound for its own sake; they integrate audio narratives that enhance the brand message and create emotional resonance with passersby. The combination of synchronized sight and sound creates cognitive reinforcement that elevates recall and engagement.
Interactive and tactile experiences push sensory advertising even further. Pepsi Max’s augmented reality bus shelter campaign created viral moments by projecting thrilling scenarios—a tiger approaching commuters or a UFO descending from the sky—that engaged both visual and emotional senses simultaneously. McDonald’s “Pick n’ Play” interactive billboard in Sweden invited smartphone participation, rewarding winners with free products while creating memorable brand interactions. KitKat’s massage billboards in Colombia took touch literally, allowing passersby to lean back and receive physical massage experiences directly aligned with the brand’s relaxation messaging.
The most sophisticated campaigns orchestrate multiple sensory elements into unified experiences. HOKA’s desert activation in Manhattan transformed an entire city block into an immersive environment, combining visual scenery generated in real time by Unreal Engine software with actual heat, wind, native flora, and layered desert soundscapes. Runners experienced their performance reflected not just visually but environmentally, with lighting shifting from morning through dusk depending on their pace. This represents sensory marketing at its apex—every element reinforcing the core brand narrative.
Even niche applications are emerging. Finland’s Hau-Hau Champion dog food brand deployed an AI-powered billboard-integrated vending machine that appeals to dogs’ primary senses: hearing, smell, and taste. The innovation allows canines to sample kibbles through a digital billboard, while owners can immediately purchase via QR codes. The campaign demonstrates that sensory OOH can target specific audiences with precision, not just broaden appeal.
The business case for sensory expansion is compelling. These campaigns drive longer dwell times, increased social sharing, stronger emotional connections, and enhanced brand differentiation. In an increasingly cluttered advertising landscape where standard displays struggle to break through ambient noise, multisensory experiences create genuine moments of surprise and delight—the kind that compel people to pause, engage, and share.
As technology advances and creative agencies grow bolder, sensory OOH will likely become standard rather than exceptional. The brands leading this transition aren’t simply adding sensory elements for gimmickry; they’re recognizing that meaningful brand experiences must engage the full human sensory apparatus. In doing so, they’re transforming public spaces into moments of genuine connection—advertising that doesn’t just interrupt attention but genuinely moves audiences.