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M.T.A. Debuts Scented Ad at Grand Central With Bath & Body Works’ Fresh Balsam

The agency casts the fragrance activation as a revenue experiment, reporting no complaints to date.

Overview

  • Four high‑capacity diffusers are releasing visible bursts of Bath & Body Works’ Fresh Balsam in the tunnel linking the 42nd Street shuttle and the Lexington Avenue line, with coordinated signage explaining the mist.
  • The seasonal activation, branded by the company as part of its holiday campaign, is scheduled to run through Nov. 30 in the high‑traffic passageway.
  • Bath & Body Works estimates dispersing 20 to 30 pounds (9 to 14 kilograms) of fragrance over the course of the campaign.
  • M.T.A. officials describe the placement as the first of its kind in the subway system and part of a broader push to monetize station space after prior aroma‑ad pilots in Queens and Brooklyn.
  • Commuter reactions have ranged from noticing a Christmassy pine scent and welcoming the change to not detecting it at all, while the M.T.A. says it is monitoring feedback and has not disclosed the campaign cost.