Magnum Ad at King’s Cross Sparks Nausea Complaints

A fresh advertising campaign for Magnum ice cream at King’s Cross St. Pancras station in London is drawing criticism from commuters and staff due to an overwhelming chocolate scent and sound effects.

Sensory Overload at King’s Cross

The advertisement, promoting Magnum’s Milk Chocolate and Cherry Bon Bons, aims to create a multi-sensory experience by pumping a strong chocolate smell into a tunnel connecting St. Pancras railway station and Kings Cross tube station. It also plays a sound designed to mimic the cracking of chocolate being bitten into. Whereas, the intensity of the scent has proven to be too much for some.

Complaints from Commuters and Staff

Passengers have taken to social media to express their discomfort, with one Reddit user describing the scent as “far too strong and makes me perceive a bit nauseous.” Another characterized it as a “weird artificial chocolate smell like a chocolate-scented bubble bath” and “not really appetising at all.”

Transport for London (TfL) workers at Kings Cross have also reportedly complained, stating that the smell has permeated their break room, according to The Sun.

Magnum’s Response

A spokesperson for Magnum stated that the activation is “designed to bring a moment of enjoyment for commuters” and recreates the experience of enjoying a Magnum through sight, sound and scent. They added that, since the campaign began on March 9, they have received mostly positive feedback and will continue to optimize the campaign, scheduled to run until March 22, based on consumer feedback. Magnum intends for its campaigns to be “engaging and enjoyable.”

TfL and Network Rail Involvement

A TfL spokesman confirmed awareness of the issue and has raised it with Network Rail, which is responsible for the area where the advertisement is located. This is not the first time advertising on Network Rail property has raised concerns. in October 2024, the then-transport secretary Louise Haigh ordered Network Rail to stop using a large screen at Euston station for advertisements. The Sun has reached out to Network Rail for comment.