Australia: Fox Sports to release smells of grass and crowd cheers in bus shelters

To promote the English Premier League in Australia, Fox Sports, holder of the broadcasting rights, has launched a promotional campaign using some JC Decaux and Adshel bus shelters.

The sports channel has used advertising agencies Reed Pacific Media, Foxtel and Mediacom to develop an innovative advertising campaign: sensors have been installed in some bus shelters. When a button is pushed, they release a smell of freshly-cut grass, typical of a football field. Chants of supporters are also suggested to produce a sound effect.

"Fox Sports’ full coverage of the English Premier League is all about bringing fans closer to their game and their team. What better way to demonstrate this closeness than being so close to the game you love that you can smell the grass?" said Ed Smith, Foxtel's executive director of sales and marketing.

Fox Sports holds the TV rights to the Premier League in Australia until 2016. The channel also broadcasts Serie A (Italy) and La Liga (Spain).