They tested it for nearly a year now but today Japan’s telecommunications giant NTT announces their aroma-emitting digital signage system is finally available [JP] for advertising and promotion companies in and outside Nippon.

A limited test run of the so-called Kaoru Saineeji (aroma signage) system in a few selected places in Tokyo was finished successfully. NTT uses a proprietary digital signage technolgy as the basis for the new system to produce video and sound.

A web service dubbed Kaori Tsuushin (aroma transmission) is supposed to attract potential buyers by a nasal stimulus: Kaori Tsuushin will emit fragrances in correspondence with the sound and video displayed via the digital signage system.

The result wished for is obvious: Improve sales by improving the marketing of the product. A cosmetics maker that used a test machine in one of Tokyo’s busiest underground train stations last year supposedly reported a 100% growth in terms of awareness in comparison to convential signs.

NTT charges a base fee of $1,400 for a basic fragrance-emitting system (including software).