branding the future
I haven’t been to Colette for a while, and a recent post in 1000fragrances certainly made me want to check out the store. It’s not surprising to hear that this hip store in Paris has done a good job of building its olfactive identity. After all this is the store in Paris run by an innovative trendsetter ‘sarah’.
Olfactive branding is a relatively new area in the fragrance business… but I see two problems here.
The first issue is whether to scent a space or to launch an olfactive campaign, it doesn’t require tons of fragrance oil to achieve these goals. This is not really a good business for the suppliers. To profit from this new trend the suppliers will need to change their old-fashioned billing system which has been spoiling their clients for many years and be prepared for a new business form. Not an easy thing to do.
Solving the second issue could be even more difficult. Today’s big companies are like young people. They want to be cool. However both fragrance business and its market are uncool, and worst of all, this is contagious – an example: Tom Ford used to be cool, and Estee Lauder wanted to borrow some of his leftover aura. In the beginning of Lauder-Ford alliance, some people in the industry made fun of one of the big bosses at Lauder who was trying to dress like Tom Ford. How does the relationship look today? I think Tom blended in with Estee Lauder so nicely that it’s hard to remember that he had been undeniably cool in the ’90s… will it be possible to change this uncool environment into a cool one, and how? That I don’t know yet.
N.F. Shioya
A sculptor living in New York
9 Comments
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Nobi
Hmmm… then, I don’t recall it. Was I too distracted by a girl named Leo there?
But if the scent is their olfactive identity, I think it shouldn’t change often.
And regarding colette not being trendy or cool any more, well, I won’t disagree with that even a few years ago (I prefer to be diplomatic with sarah :-D). They have been around for nearly ten years, and I think they have done a great job there. -
Octavian
It smells even around the shop,right from the entrance. Am I wrong about what is trendy/cool supposed to mean today? They still do a great job, but not for men fashion. I think that part is not quite well managed or neglected. They should do it also for the fragrance (the cosmetics are very well done) and reduce the candles ! They are just near the door and too many. I always have trouble to smell them.
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Octavian
But olfactive branding can be a goldmine for small supplier companies…maybe.
For branding:
Or something like…the “JLO” is scenting for you Colette store next week, come and smell the shop and feel like in JLO’s boudoir. A buzz to increase the traffic. π
If celebs were put in fragrances… why not “branding” their private area. Like… come in this restaurant and feel cosy like Brand and Angelina on their veranda. Or… in center of NY/Paris feel the emotion of Niagara through a recreated smell… etc
I believe that fragrancing the ambient can be more than just potpourri or rose candle. π -
Nobi
1. I won’t argue about trendy/cool with someone in Paris. I’m just a Brooklynite who admires the way young trendy Europeans are dressed.
2. I do not like candles, period. The only reason I don’t trash about the candles at colette is… some of them are from dear Alberto Morillas.
3. Yep, olfactive branding can become a great business. But I see it more like a consulting job, and I wonder how suppliers can shift to that direction. They need to start billing their clients for their presentations and all other kinds of services that are not billed to their clients at the moment.
4. One day big companies will be paying big bucks for what you are saying here. So keep it for yourself π -
Octavian
There are a lot of candles from Alberto Morillas there. I think the whole range. That’s why I get frustrated every time I go there. It’s hard to smell them (wrong placement).
4.I hope that will happen one day. I have dozens of them but ideas hidden in a drawer are useless.:( -
estetik
I think big brands need new ideas to sell their products. Olfactive branding is not really enough to achieve the goals.
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Octavian
Is not that strong, not that known and not that easy to achieve now. I agree estetik. There are other easy to do things like inspiration from massmarket put into prestige perfumes (I saw 4 examples, 2 Loreal, one Lauder). Even now, in winter, I smell Colette perfume in the street, more than 15 meters away from the door. It’s a strange feeling when you walk on a street and suddenly you smell Colette and see it 5 minutes after. π
I have another example of strong smelling space … but it’s not branding. Givaudan in Argenteuil has the same off smell (residual but pleasant) in the corridors in the past 6 months. -
ksevin
I think big brands are important to lead the auto-motor industry.
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Octavian
It’s the same scent as 3 years ago, but in my opinion it works. I have no idea how they diffuse it (with all the people and the bar downstairs) but it’s quite potent. There are not many new & cool fragrances since last year (except LeLabo). I like the store but it’s not anymore the cool trendy corner where you can find nice ideas. It’s a big showroom for some brands like a showcase for the press. I can almost predict what will be in the next weeks in the windows and I don’t think it’s quite cool to be predictable.