Key Takeaways:
- Billie debuts its first interactive OOH campaign with armpit-inspired posters scented like its new Coco Villa deodorant, embedding the brand experience through scent.
- The brand delivers a tactile "sniff test" straight from the street instead of relying on QR codes, turning passersby into active participants.
- The coconut-vanilla scratch-and-sniff posters are placed across NYC, tapping into triggers of nostalgia, comfort, and indulgence to link product experience to personal memory.
Billie is betting big on armpits.
To celebrate the launch of its Coco Villa All Day Deodorant, the personal care brand has rolled out its first-ever interactive out-of-home (OOH) campaign in New York City.
Located at 505 8th Ave and scattered across other high-traffic NYC locations, the playful creative invites passersby to scratch and sniff its posters.
Each installation features an underarm-inspired visual infused with Billie's new coconut-vanilla scent, allowing curious pedestrians to experience the fragrance firsthand.
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It's not a QR code or a product demo, but a literal sniff test, right on the street.
In a statement exclusive to DesignRush, Billie Co-General Manager Catherine Wolpe, shared her thoughts behind the creative campaign.
“Scent is a big deal when it comes to body care, so we needed an unconventional way to get ours into the hands (and nostrils) of the people, instead of waiting for them to find it on a shelf.
We thought giant scratch-and-sniff armpits around New York City would do the trick with a cheeky nod to our nostalgic roots and our unapologetic mission to bend taboos until they break."
This effort is a sensory extension of Billie's experiential marketing strategy, inviting consumers to interact with its product physically.
It's also a new chapter of the brand's continued mission to rethink how self-care is marketed.
A Pit Stop Worth Making
The Coco Villa scent is the latest addition to Billie's growing deodorant lineup and plays into the brand's signature blend of bold product design and irreverent marketing.
The coconut-vanilla profile was developed to feel fresh but familiar — something that leans beachy, nostalgic, and just a little indulgent.
Billie has carved a niche for itself by flipping traditional beauty standards and hygiene taboos on their head, from showing body hair in razor ads to using humor in self-care conversations.
With this campaign, the brand goes beyond just promoting a product, inviting people to rethink what "clean" smells like and how beauty brand marketing can show up in public spaces.
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Instead of pushing a polished lifestyle, Billie is giving the public a literal whiff of its personality: cheeky, direct, and confident enough to build a campaign around a pit.
The posters will be live through the end of the month.
For those intrigued by the scent but hesitant to sniff a public poster, Coco Villa All Day Deodorant is available now on Billie's website.
Other notable OOH ads from the past month include Spotify's fan-focused billboards, which were shot on film.
Meanwhile, last month's DREAMIES placement saw cat sculptures attacking a delicious-looking billboard.