A trip to Parfumerie Fragonard

Hi everyone! With the semester coming to an end, my final post will be about  Fragonard which is a perfume house that is native to the perfume capital of the world, Grasse.

To begin with, I thought it would be nice to share a a little background before we discuss Fragonard and it’s branding strategies.

Currently, I am on a semester abroad program in the South of France. Naturally,  I have done the most touristic activities to do around here and have been to places that are flocked with tourists. One of those places was the Fragonard perfumery that was actually not too far from the university that I attended for my exchange program.

Experience:

On our way to Grasse, Fragonard was the first perfumery that we came across and therefore, we decided to go there. To our surprise, it was really crowded for a late Sunday afternoon. However luckily, since my friend and I were the only ones that did not speak French, we had a “private tour” in English. It was lovely – the guide seemed to love her job and have a passion for perfumes, which helped us engage with her more.

It was a Sunday, so we did not see people working in the labs.  Also, since it was a free tour, we lowered our expections of what we would get out of it. However, they covered a lot more than we thought, which was good. The guide asked us some questions to test our knowledge on perfumes and we both fared well, but there were some questions we did not know.
Unfortunately, I did not take too many pictures due to low battery, but below are some that I did manage to capture:)

This was the first thing that they showed us – the origins of their ingredients.

 

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We were then taken to the labs where the packaging takes place. (PS this is the last step, that was just the way they did their tour)

Afterwards, we went into rooms where the real perfume making process happens, from cold press extraction, to adding alcohol, to other technical aspects of making perfume and soap.

Where the Nose (perfumer) sits

Not my picture – distiller of different scents

Soap fragrances

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It was fascintating to realize that to become a nose (perfumer), it takes 10-12 years to study, practice it and finally get a job in the industry (that is as long as a medical degree!)

Not only did most of the rooms smell divine, they were also filled with black and white pictures of old staff that did several crucial things by hand. It really got me thinking of how it was like to work back in the 1920s in this environment. Such as this one below

Example of a black and white image framed at Fragonard. (Not mine)

After looking at the process of how they made perfume and soap, we were taken to their shop to make some purchases. My friend’s grandmother’s birthday was coming up so we thought it would be a nice idea to get her something from here.

Fragonard’s shop (not my photo)

 

Café. (Not my photo)

After making our purchase, we went to Café de Musées that was right outside their museum,  where (I got to charge my phone) we had some delicious crepes!

 

 

 

Crepes and tea

In hindsight, I should have asked first-hand what some of their branding strategies were when I was there, because it truly was an interesting experience and perfume house. However, I did not know I was going to make a blog post on their parfumerie a few months down the road!

That sums up my wondeful experience at this historical perfume making site, but now we will discuss Fragonard and its brand strategies.

Parfumerie details:

Fragonard parfumerie was founded in 1926 by Eugène Fuchs and it was named after a famous French painter named Jean- Honore Fragonard. According to one of the owners (Agnès) in an interview, “the painter embodied the romance of perfumery”, therefore, this was the reason behind the name selected by her great-grandfather, and the whole family is behind it.

Four generations later, the perfumery is still owned by the family, they have 3 factories, 6 musuems and 20 shops.

 

Fragonard parfumerie, Grasse (not mine)

The perfume house creates perfumes for others in addition to their own line. They are most famous for the perfume “Blue Grass” that was made in 1936, and sold to Elizabeth Arden. The perfume is still on the market today.

On my recent trip to Fragonard, their own top selling perfume was the Belle De Nuit which translates to “Beauty of the night” and I loved it. It is a rose based scent that literally smells like femininity and beauty.

Business:

What makes Fragonard so interesting it was the first perfumery to sell perfumery products directly to customers (tourists and locals alike in the French Riviera). The perfumery has not been that different from what it was in the beginning. However, with the change in market, they are also being required to adapt along with it. In addition to that, they were the first to show tourists the process and art of making perfume from the extraction of raw material, distillation to its packaging in its museum. As metioned in my experience, we were also allowed to smell and touch the raw materials and scents that were about to be made which adds value to the experience. Moreover, Fragonard does not make large quantities of perfume. Therefore, they also do not expect to make large amounts of sales in that process.

Art & Creativity: One of the owners (3 sisters), Agnès travels around the world seeking inspiration from countries in the east such as India, Vietnam, Thailand, Iran, Uzbekistan, etc to keep their portfolio of perfume exotic and fresh. Also, besides their perfume collection, all the colours and inspiration she gets from the countries she travels to becomes a part of a lifestyle segment which she showcases in items such as clothes, ceramics. From my experience, the shop was beautifully designed and divided nicely into perfume, soap and gift sections. I can now see how Fragonard successfully displays their experiences through their products and merchandising.

Create your own perfume: 

At Fragonard, you can sign up for perfume making workshops to create your own scent. This could be taken as a form of souvenir for those that are not from the area. Personalization was one of it’s selling points and strategies.

Marketing Campaigns (or lack thereof):

Fragonard does not focus on marketing campagins or use celebrity endorsements. This allows them to both – sell products at lower prices and invest more in adding value to the experience of those that visit their museum.

Their packaging remains simple (aluminium) unless asked otherwise to glass or anything that you prefer. The reason being 1. it is cheaper 2. also keeps the scent fresh for longer. Therefore, their highest cost in making the perfume goes in the actual ingredients.

The main form of promotional/marketing strategy is through their museums, their tour guides whose job is to entice customers through their communication and make them feel inspired, which in turn leads to them purchasing Fragonard’s products. Once purchased, and the customers feel they need more, they can simply order it from online. It sells itself. Also, when bought within the musuem, Fragonard fragrances are priced well for their customers. However, when bought outside museums, the prices are significantly higher for little ounces of perfume. This also helps them recouperate some income. This however, it is not their main strategy.

Additionally, Grasse tourism makes for a massive part of their marketing. In my experience, when I searched “perfumeries”, Fragonard was the top result. It was also the first name we came across, so these subtle means help them draw visitors to their museum, who then become customers.

Therefore, the main brand marketing strategy of Fragonard is to involve customers in the experience (make them Co-producers, branding with feeling), and get them interested in their items (perfume, soap, gift packs,etc) in the process.

 

 

 

 

References:

https://www.mylittleroad.com/2015/02/le-doux-parfum-de-grasse/ (café de musées photo)

https://www.maison.com/decoration/marques/maison-fragonard-souffle-90-printemps-8738/ (Black and white image)

https://www.fragonard.com/en/about-fragonard

https://perfumesociety.org/perfume-house/fragonard/

https://www.hotel-etats-unis-opera.com/it/news-quartiere-parigi-francia/1160/the-sweet-history-of-perfume-at-the-musee-fragonard/

http://sellmyownperfume.blogspot.com/2007/09/fragonards-unique-approach-to-perfume.html

http://www.perfumeprojects.com/museum/marketers/Fragonard.shtml

http://www.nosewhoknows.com/author/sandy/

https://www.jaminidesign.com/en/smartblog/73_Jamini-x-Fragonard—Une-histoire-de-création.html

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/home/you/article-2386314/We-talk-Agnes-Costa-Frances-Fragonard-fragrance-empire.html

 

 

 

Chanel: Brand Personality and Identity

Brand Personality:

Coco Chanel

According to brand dimensions by Jennifer Aaker, personality traits can fall under any of the 5 core dimensions which are further segmented into different attributes.

Chanel is a brand that is based on and linked to founder Coco Chanel and now designer Karl Lagerfeld who has successfully kept her spirit alive through the brand (needless to say, I think we all know that by now!). Everything that she had a hand in making, all her iconic items including her perfume (which is what we are interested in here), are based on her personality or in general, aspirations to be someone like her. The brand has been humanized since Chanel No.5 was released to the market.

Diving deeper, the 5 dimensions of Brand personality accroding to Jennifer Aaker, and how the brand is associated includes –

Chanel mainly falls under Sophistication dimension and gets all points for the facets in it  – without doubt.

Next, Competence because of the quality and security of the products. Chanel’s humble background to riches shows the hard-working aspect of the brand. In all her videos, while there has been glitz, glamour and pretty aspects, it does not leave the “hard work” out in the making of success. Further, “successful” is also another one within competence which Chanel is. Leader in the field, the brand has revolutionized fashion and perfume as well as helped empower women in a time of change. Last but not least, the intelligent dimension has helped make Chanel a successful business over almost a century.

Excitement

Indeed, the brand oozes class and it is the main factor of the brand. However, the story and Coco herself was unique, daring – exciting, independent, which all translated to her products. Additionally, at this time, it also makes some effort to be young and contemporary which mainly due to the rise of competitors and digital world – however, I would not consider this to be crucial for now. Additionally, as we have seen in some ads, the brand is highly spirited which feeds to the excitement facet.

Sincerity 

Honest, Real and Original are all traits that make Chanel commonly known as a “pure” brand.

This then leads to authenticity because when a brand is true to itself and real, it is easier to find its roots (orignal aspect) and remain relevant at any time.

Humanization of the brand allows us to understand brand deeper and enables us to resonate with them quicker and with ease (thus helps form relationships).

Chanel has established Sophistication and Competence as its main brand identity (checks all boxes under the two categories) and thus consumers that look for the real deal, are looking for competency of their prouct and ultimate sophistication fall under Chanel.

Do you agree? 🙂

Karl Lagerfeld

Brand Identity Prism:

Next, the identiy prism tool helps us to better understand brand identity and image. It takes shape of a hexagon (below) and can be imagined as lights coming in from different sides portraying different attributes and perspectives of the brand. Thus, the overall picture you get of the brand is a combination of all the attributes that are in this prism.

On the one hand, you can control certain parts of the company – such as logo, slogan/tag line, colour code, and what we try to project outwards and on the other, theres a receiver who has his/her own interpretation of the same parts. The final image lies somewhere in between (relationship and culture).  Also the right hand deals with the essense of the brand, and the left hand side looks at the phsyical aspects of the brand.

Going forward, here’s a brand identity prism that I thought was accurate for Chanel.

1. Physique – determined by the logo, design, shape, size of products. Firstly it is easy to tell apart Chanel perfume bottles/ or the brand from others. The physical aspect of Chanel’s perfume bottles exude elegance, class and I would say completes the look for a woman (also through the ads that we have seen). Essentially, it is what it does to stay afloat or make it as successful as it is.
2. Relationship –  The relationship between the brand and target audience. Level of trust, pride, comfort wearing the product can come under this. Women and men that wear Chanel perfume like it because it is long lasting, it suits/ flatters their personality and their taste, and they enjoy the perfume that they wear.
3. Reflection – This is how the brand is perceived and what the value of the brand is perceived as. The brand is worn by people of good taste, usually have high social income and reflects a modern woman (in the case of the Chanel perfume).
4. Personality – Personality of the brand – how it relates to its customers. How the brand’s personality is perceived and reflected. The personality of the brand (we touched upon another version above) but, it is sophisticated, daring, innovative, understated (which makes it classy – less is more) and would have high self-esteem.
5. Culture – Origin of the brand – I would say that Paris and liberation would be a major part of Chanel’s culture.  Also, values and communities of customers are important in culture, which is where I would say sophistication is a major facet.
6. Self image – How it affects self image/ The realization of self image – 1.  the image you will have of yourself when you buy it, and 2. the self image Chanel (in this scenario) tries to sell.  It is important to note that luxury brands usually emphasize on the importance of this beause it tries to portray an image that people can aspire to be or have.
   How it can be applied here – When I wear a Chanel perfume, what does it say about me and vs what I want it to say.
   What is my image when I wear their perfume? Perhaps it perhaps it makes me feel sophisticated and elegant.
   What is the image you will have of yourself (or people have of you) when you purchase their product? and does it align with the self image Chanel tries to sell?
   Therefore, all of these aspects summarize the core of why Chanel is what it is. This helps Chanel define what it wants as a brand, and remains consistent in providing this image or reflection to its customers from using their products. Once again, Chanel sold an attitude/ way of thinking (through its story) to the market.

 

 

 

 

Sources:

http://www.valuebasedmanagement.net/methods_aaker_brand_personality_framework.html

http://www.imagibrand.com/5-key-dimensions-brand-personality/

http://www.digitalnewscoventry.wordpress.com/2015/02/03/dimensions-of-brand-personality/

http://www.slideshare.net/CarolPhillips/defining-brand-identity

 

Image source:

https://trendjackers.com/brand-personality-case-study/

http://www.slideshare.net/tebreb/chanel-project-50358248 (Chanel Project by Rebeecca Teboul)

google

 

 

Fresh approach to Chanel’s fragrances

N°5 Chanel L’eau (water)

Chanel N°5 was created and a hit especially for our mothers and/or grandmothers, but what about millennials? How does Chanel keep the brand from being outdated, or in other words, in trend for the current youth and the upcoming generation?

A New Take on Chanel N°5

“A fragrance for here, now and always”

– that’s how CHANEL describes Nº5 L’EAU.

Released on the 1^st of September 2016, Chanel L’eau is the successor of the Nº5 perfume, and was created for millennials, for people that dislike the original or, for customers that simply want a more casual but elegant and versatile alternative to the original. The main objective was for customers/ the market to see Chanel fragrances in a new light – created to give a modern take on a classic perfume.

Perfumer Olivier Polge whose father was Chanel’s main perfumer for decades, came up with his own perspective on this iconic scent. The scent consists of citrusy notes (Lemon, mandarin, orange), neroli, rose, jasmine, ylang ylang, vetiver, cedar and musk. Like its predecessor, it also uses Aldehydes.

The wearer of the perfume is modern, youthful, soft but exciting, sophisticated and charming in nature. Notice how it was the same for its grandmother perfume when it was released almost 100 years ago? This is all due to the strong values and legacy of the brand. It keeps going back to the roots as to why it was created.

 

Brand marketing strategies:

Name:

Most of the time, choice of perfume not only deals with taste but also has to do with memories and experience that come from it. The aim was to connect emotionally with the users of the original edition (or family that uses it) automatically, solely by selling Nº5 with its name.

However, some other marketing strategies include:

Celebrity endorsements (in the form of story telling):

Lily-Rose Depp

Lily-Rose Depp posing with the transparent bottle

 

Involving Lily-Rose Depp, the next generation of Hollywood was completely appropriate – in fact, perfect choice for this campaign. She is a direct target for the perfume, and has had older ladies in her family who used the luxurious original Nº5 perfume before.  Her mother was the face of the original perfume, and they’re continuing the legacy with her.

Going forward, below is the ad film for  No.5 L’eau –

 

This ad is different from the ones Chanel Nº5. The music is up-beat, more intense, which denotes freshness and energy. This could be to support the hustle that a modern girl always finds herself in – indeed, inevitable. The video’s visuals aspects (black and white in some parts, but very vibrant and colorful in the remaining with beautiful effects) are modern too, and it is fitting to the way they project a day in the life of Lily-Rose Depp.

The constant element (which is the roots of the brand) is glamour, sophistication, composure and personality of the wearer – regardless of the activity they are engaging in. The tag line “you know me, and you don’t” also remains constant to the brand as it has always had an elusive feel. She comes into your life, full of positive energy, you think you know her completely and, in the end, there is always something about her that escapes you.

It shows the rising of millennial ladies and conveys a message that they are out there and are unstoppable. It is interesting to note that “vulnerable and invincible” are used right after each other, and in that moment Lily-Rose enjoys that – she does her own thing and appears as though she is celebrating herself by smiling and twirling around in circles.

As a direct target, this commercial is perfect and delivers the message it aims to with it. To me, it represents a story of a beautiful young and sophisticated girl who is independent, involved, and mysterious. She uses the perfume – that gives her the confidence she needs, whether during the day, at work/ social events or night for parties and is living her best life. In addition, even though she is born into a wealthy family within Hollywood, she still works hard the way every young woman does at her age. Long story short – the smell of success.

Influencer Marketing:

• Derived from a millennial lingo in the age of Instagram.

Besides celebrities, Chanel also invited popular Instagram bloggers like as “Sincerely Jules” to the perfume capital of the world, Grasse, where it’s flower fields and production facilities are located to document the entire process of the making of the iconic Chanel Nº5 perfume. This was all further hyped with hashtags of the new perfume to help build anticipation.

Promotion strategy – she built awareness, increased target reach, and was an accessible link between the brand and target audience.

Bottle:

Maintains the same structural integrity to that of the original perfume. Transparent – made of expensive glass which looks sturdy yet delicate at the same time. The only difference is that the liquid enclosed is clear with perhaps the slightest hint of yellow. Light, silky, and elegant.

 

 

 

Wrapping up…

 

Moreover, there are other exceedingly popular scents like the Coco Mademoiselle perfume (probably next to Nº5) in which Kiera Knightly (leading actress) features/ endorses.

It follows the same strategy which is story telling with a powerful message –  incorporating elements of femininity, a carefree attitude, indpendence, individuality, success, which is targeted to young women that have “good taste” and consider themselves elegant.

Therefore, I would say that is the strategy that is common across all products and has worked well for Chanel (also helped by the brand value it has and its legacy).

 

 

references:

https://www.liveabout.com/chanel-no-5-review-of-chanel-no-5-perfume-346120

https://www.cosmeticsdesign-europe.com/Article/2017/09/05/Chanel-releases-first-fragrance-in-15-years

https://perfumesociety.org/perfume-house/chanel/

Structural Integrity – CHANEL Nº5 L’EAU Perfume Review

http://mediakix.com/2016/05/instagram-marketing-case-study-chanel-fashion-beauty/#gs.BfR0nQA

https://nstperfume.com/2016/09/19/chanel-no-5-leau-fragrance-review/

https://prezi.com/qqlvba7rpvwq/chanel-no5-marketing-plan/

Image sources:

Google

 

In a league of its own, the Iconic Chanel N°5 Pt. 2

.. countinued post.

Bottle:

Minimalistic – Transparent, made of crystal which symbolizes purity and Chanel wanted to give more importance to the smell. Enclosed within is the fragrance that is a rich, goldish-amber colour.,

Bottle shape –Square with a very distinct cap, with the intricate logo details on the top of the bottle. Also, the lid of the bottle was unique at the time, it represents the place Vendôme in Paris.

Strong Logo – Interlocked double C – Simple and Bold. Simplicity is the ultimate form of elegance and sophistication. The logo is derived from the founder’s name Coco Chanel. The logo of the brand has not changed since its inception.

The bottle reinforces that Chanel sold an attitude (independence and individuality) with the brand from its products with this respect.

 

Story:

The exact story behind how the bottle came to be is surprisingly still a mystery. However, the most common version that I’ve read was that its design was inspired by a whisky decanter used by Coco Chanel’s lover at the time who unfortunately was taken away from her life too soon.

 

The iconic bottle

 

Going forward, the history of how the bottle developed

Bottle’s development over time.

You can see that the bottle has not changed much – it is the same now as it was in 1995.

 

Retail: 

I have not been to a Chanel boutique of late, but I took a quick look at the Chanel counters in a mall in Nice and the Munich airport to observe it’s merchandising.

Cap 3000, Nice

Nice –

My apologies, I must admit that photography is not exactly my strong suit. However, what you see above is the female side of the counter at the upscale department store, Galeries Lafayette in Cap3000, Nice (taken around the end of October). Currently, Chanel is promoting its new fragrances (one of which is Gabrielle Chanel featuring Kristen Stewart) and right in the middle of all of these beautiful bottles lies the classic Chanel No.5 EDP.

In a time where bottles take the utmost importance in every perfume making company, where there has been a plethora of beautifully and creatively designed bottles of all shapes and sizes, Chanel’s unwavering design is truly a representation of its success and class. Chanel’s following bottles have followed several aspects of the brand’s first perfume. Transparent, unique lid/ stopper, sturdy glass with luxurious colors within. Shades of Gold, Amber, Rose, Green to name a few.

That being said, the variations in the collection include the round one “Chance”, the luxurious black glass bottle “Coco Noir” and the long rectangle one with a simple lid “Allure” as opposed to the classic square – whiskey bottle shaped one. However, from a glance, they still represent the classic bottle in some form such as the study glass used in Chanel Chance and Allure as well as the, the bottle shape for the Coco Noir. All of these bottles have a reason for being shaped the way they are and still follow Coco’s values as a person in their product descriptions.

The classic bottle is iconic and will always have a luxurious element to it. However, I especially like how the pink ones (Chanel Coco Mademoiselle and Chance) look as it makes me think of this quote “la vie en rose”. Yes, it’s a cliché, but it is true. It has a feel-good factor when you look at it.

Finally, regarding the sales assistant – she was friendly and tried to sell a more recent perfume to me, which I expected.

 

Munich Airport, terminal 2

Munich – 

 Here is a more recent picture taken in one of the busier airports in Europe. Once again, I apologize for my photography.

The male and female perfume collections are on shelves and is separated by the black border. The counter did not have pictures of celebrities. Also, the classic No.5 bottle is on the top and the bottle is placed right in the middle of the shelves (or on top of the black line/border). It is huge and can be spotted from afar. The two golden 5’s as well as the bottle’s outline are also positioned next to the bottle. Ninety-seven years after the release of this fragrance, it is still as highlighted and hyped as it was.

Besides that, Chanel is now promoting its limited edition of the N°5 (on the second row within a frame) which has become a top-seller. The bottle takes the exact same shape of classic N°5 with the glass that is red – rouge, to be more specific (quintessentially Chanel) – instead of transparent. Just in time for the holiday season.

The iconic bottle can be modified in so many ways and still consistent – it largely resembles the original bottles of Chanel. This proves the relevance of the perfume to date.

As mentioned above, the brand does not change the bottle’s shapes to a completely new design because the essence of the brand is Coco herself. The brand stays with the way she designed the bottle/ liked her perfume to appear because when customers think of Chanel’s perfume, this is the image they want to keep on their mind.

Finally, there was no sales assistant in this Chanel counter.

 

Ads and tributes:

 

An eternal homage to Chanel No.5 designed by architect, Peter Marino.

 The building takes shape of the perfume bottle’s box and is located on New York City’s East 57^th street (flagship store).

 

Hong Kong Airport

Showcasing the perfume’s popularity in the Asian market

 

Pop up exhibition in 2015 “No.5 in a new light” that honored the iconic Chanel No.5 fragrance.

With brand purpose and story being an important factor of the brand, this was to guide viewers through the history and universe of Chanel.

 

Artist Andy Warhol’s tribute to the iconic bottle at the Museum of Modern Art in New York City.

 

One of the earlier ads of Chanel No.5, it describes attributes and shares stories of the founder and perfume.

 

Wrapping up this post, word of mouth marketing, social media, digital, art, books, and exhibitions are some of Chanel’s brand marketing strategies that can be noticed for this perfume.

 

 

Sources for pt. 1 & pt. 2

 

https://www.slideshare.net/ChristellePierreJose/fragrance-brand-identity

https://sbrowneadvertising.wordpress.com/2012/11/11/chanel-welcome-to-the-brand-that-represents-amazing-fashion-beauty-and-class/

https://brandstrategymanagement.wordpress.com/tag/brand-image/

https://perfumesociety.org/perfume-house/chanel/

https://fashion.luxury/beauty/how-its-made-the-iconic-chanel-no-5/

https://www.pursebop.com/chanel-no-5-nyc-exhibit/

https://perfumesociety.org/perfume-house/chanel/

https://www.artsy.net/artwork/andy-warhol-chanel-no-5-set-of-4

http://fashion.telegraph.co.uk/beauty/news-features/TMG10862749/The-history-of-Chanel-No.5.html

https://www.campaignlive.co.uk/article/champions-design-chanel-no-5/1142311

http://www.dedeceblog.com/2013/10/18/a-love-story-no-5-culture-chanel/

https://www.wsj.com/articles/peter-marino-opens-a-timeless-homage-to-coco-chanel-1540911689

 

 

In a league of its own, the Iconic Chanel N°5 Pt. 1

As mentioned in an earlier post, Chanel has several fragrances that are extremely popular. It is indeed for a reason (maybe even too much to count)! This post is about Chanel’s breakthrough product across the whole brand, the Chanel N°5 perfume, that completely revolutionized the way women smell.

Chanel N°5 Story:

Instead of creating a single note scent which was common till the 1920s, Chanel N°5 was imbued with notes of vetiver, ylang ylang, orange blossom, sandalwood, essence of neroli, tonka bean, Mai rose, jasmine and aldehydes (Coco introduced Aldehydes) which was what made it so distinct.

Based on Coco Chanel’s experience working with rich people when she was younger, and having had to smell people that reeked of unpleasant body odor/scents, she was determined not come across those scents or moments again. Furthermore, with the scents that were tolerable, she believed that they were simply not the smell of a woman– it was too strong, fruity, sweet or musky for her liking. Also, these fresh scents unfortunately did not last too long on the skin. Hence, she wanted to create a fragrance that exudes class, sensuality, as well as last long on the skin for her clientele as she was just starting out in the industry.

In quest of creating her perfect scent – “one that other perfumers will be jealous of”, “to create a woman’s perfume, with a woman’s scent” to quote Chanel exactly, she recruited a well-read person and an even better perfumer, Ernest Beaux.  He created several scents out of which the 5^th scent was selected by Coco Chanel.

Marketing:

Word of mouth –  

Upon the creation of the scent in 1921, Coco Chanel wore the smell and would spritz some of the perfume on the ladies at events and parties she attented/hosted. To say the least, it turned out to be a hit.

It was confirmed then that this could be a revolutionary perfume for her to sell. So she did, and the rest was history.

In the world of TV and Digital means like Social Media –

Chanel stays on top of innovation trends to market its products and remains distinct from other brands. It’s fragrance appeared in a television commercial immediately once the television became common in the United states back in the 1950s. It was also the first fragrance ever to be advertised at the superbowl, showing the power it had in those days. “I own that, I am that.” is what comes to my mind when I think of what Coco wished to achieve from this perfume, and it was transferred to those that owned this iconic perfume.

It is admirable that even being a classic brand, Chanel acknowledges the volatility of the industry and to minimize its impacts, so the brand keeps in touch with latest technology and social media trends to promote itself. Further, it is important to note that Chanel is active on social media channels like instagram (31.5m followers), facebook (21m likes) and twitter (13.2m followers) and actively engages with users to date by producing enticing content and providing updates on launches, shows, etc.

The brand per its facebook info page –

Chanel N°5, one of the world’s best-selling fragrance.

Going forward, Marilyn Monroe’s take on the fragrance –

Marilyn Monroe & the bottle

Marilyn Monroe, the most glamorous actress of the time voiced her love and devotion for the fragrance in an interview. The perfume went “viral” after she admitted wearing a few drops of Chanel N°5 right before she went to bed. The reason that I did not put this under celebrity endorsement is because she was not an official sponser until 50 years later from the date of the interview. She merely loved the perfume and answered the question as candidly as one could.

There was also a time when the fragrance became so popular that practically everyone owned one bottle. Therefore, Coco slightly modified it’s price and stock to make it less accessible. She was afraid that Chanel N°5’s “luxury element” was depleting, which was not the direction she wanted any of her products/ brand to take.

Furthermore, during a conservative period that was slowly turning into a time of rebellion, Marilyn Monroe showed that it was indeed possible for a woman to both be classy and have a strong sexual appeal at the same time – it is not a crime and should be embraced. That is exactly what Chanel N°5  stood for and every girl has been transitioning into the modern, forward thinking woman ever since. It sold an attitude, and was successfully able to create the notion of an independent woman.

I would consider this the significance of Chanel N°5 and why it was so popular through our grandmother’s time to now.

Fun fact: She was the first celebrity to ever endorse (although not officially) a perfume! She took the perfume industry to the next level.

Brand Story telling through website –

Chanel’s official website (www.chanel.com) is the epitome of class. The theme is minimalistic and the website is extremely easy to maneuver; you can easily find what you’re looking for.

Chanel’s home page

Moreover (and very importantly), they have a section called “Inside Chanel” with different chapters of short films that shows Chanel from it’s roots. Story telling is an extremely essential part of the brand because it guides the customer to knowing more about why/ how the brand was founded.

Chapters and Film that depicts Chanel’s journey, accomplishments and even some setbacks.

The vintage feel of the film brought me right back to the time. While watching the film, it felt like I was cruising along the website and soaking up the rich aura and vibes of the brand. Elements of art, romance, Paris, fine European taste and elegance (Venice, craftsmanship, etc), history,  and more are portrayed with beautiful and carefully selected visuals that are brought to life – truly inspiring and legendary. I was not born at that time but somehow, it almost evokes a strong sense of nostalgia. Also, since online stores are popular and people are likely to do their research on products first, they aim to make sure that your first point of contact or journey is as distinct as possible.

As aforementioned, Chanel N°5 was the breakthrough product which can be seen as chapter 1. The film, takes you through the entire journey of the perfume and its milestones. From its chemical compouds, ingredients, to changes in bottles over the years, advertisements, celebrity endorsements, among a plethora of other factors of the perfume.

Below is a screenshot of a part of the short film, which is Coco Chanel’s the drive behind creating a perfume.

“A woman’s perfume with a woman’s scent”

After the film, there are some promiment advertisements that feature top-notch celebrities all in one page.

Advertisements page under Chanel No.5

Example of an image under advertisement.

As you can see above, there are succinctly written captions that gives you the gist of the advertisement.  To me, this segment proves the pioneering and authenticity aspect of the brand and its products, that is much respected. It truly answers the questions of 1.Why the brand holds so much value in today’s market 2. How it became what it is today. It helps consumers to position the brand and differentiate it from other luxury brands.

Celebrity advertisements and endorsements – 

Chanel’s advertisement campaigns are short, vibrant and aims to urge consumers to get the perfume because they create the need for it. Not only does it evoke a great level of sensuality but it also resonates with consumers that makes the perfume on top of a wish-list immediately; it has to be your next designer perfume purchase. With their fragrances, it makes customers feel like they relate to the personality, values and image of the brand, alongside enabling them to be envision the version of themselves they want to be.

A big part of the fragrance’s marketing is Celebrity endorsements. It works because perfumes are towards the affordable side of a luxury brand/ it is in the entry level spectrum of luxury which in turn does not seem to be a far reach to them. It also guides users with demographic aspects such as age, interests as well as with the personality which makes a consumer think “I resonate with that person/character, it would be perfect for me!”.

You can see that Chanel uses the finest celebrities in different categories to catch the attention of its target audience.

Nicole Kidman (Actress):

This advertisement feels to me like a baton or a torch was passed from Marilyn Monroe’s persona to that of Nicole Kidman’s here. It is predominantly a love story in New York between the man and the woman(and her perfume). There is a glamorous setting and feel all around the video. Nicole Kidman as usual, looks elegant and stunning. Mysterious at first but she changed the world of the protagonist. Her personality playful, adventurous with her “I don’t care about tomorrow” attitude, alluring, loving, elusive and her identity was tied to her perfume. Chanel N°5 laid a foundation to that personality and the person he loves or says is unforgettable in this case “I know I will not (forget her)… Her kiss, her smile, her perfume”. The notion of individuality is strong here. She is a force of nature and extremely confident that remains in your mind, she may love you but she does what she likes at all cost – even if it hurts others.  However, it can also be noted that, in the midst of all chaos of the city and the Nicole Kidman’s life, there was still peace to be found when she was where she belonged, the interlocked C sky-high, and with him. The perfume that is on her and the sparkly interlocked C on the other side, with her lover.

Brad pitt (Actor):

This is an interesting selection of endorser for the perfume after a whole list of leading models and actresses. Brad Pitt is not considered a direct target market/ user of the perfume per se, but everyone pays attention to him, knows him and remembers him.

In this black and white commercial containing a short monologue (where he speaks in a rather pensive tone),  he refers to “we” and “us” throughout the video that makes us think that he is talking to a woman, when in the end it was about the Chanel N°5. To me, it felt like he was describing an adventure with a woman which is common in everyday life, but perhaps should have sounded more hopeful, or created a romantic feel with the product/ woman as it would align with Chanel N°5 more.

Finally, other top celebrities with the likes of Gisele Bündchen(top model) and Carole Bouquet (one of Bond’s former girlfriends) have also endorsed the perfume. They are not only beautiful but also personality wise- charming, elegant, stars and versatile. Every celebrity endorsement video (not posted here) has a common message which is that the Chanel N°5 evokes a strong sense of individuality, but they all take different means to delivering the message.

PT2. next post.

Chanel

A blog in the realm of perfume and brands is incomplete without the iconic Chanel No.5. But first, let’s briefly go over Chanel’s background and then a bit deeper on what the brand stands for —

Background:

Chanel is a high fashion house that prides itself in the world of haute couture and ready to wear clothes, luxury goods, fashion accessories, make up, skin care and premium perfume. The Parisian brand was founded by Gabrielle Bonheur “Coco” Chanel in 1910, and is currently headquartered in London.

(Source : Chanel official site)

1.Coco Chanel

It is not one of the most valuable brands in the world for nothing.

Due to the pivotol role played by Coco Chanel in changing the scene of the luxury & fashion industry for women, her legacy lives on till today and Chanel still boasts a dominant position in the premium and luxury market.

What does the brand stand for?

It is widely known that the very essense of the brand is Coco Chanel herself. Immediately upon being founded, every woman, whether young or old wished to emulate the personality and the values of Chanel, which would then affect their lifestyle.

Firstly, Coco Chanel embodied the quintessential  modern “chic” woman 108 years ago, which is still extremely relevant today, and will continue to do so for a long time.  Next, the Parisian DNA. the exceedingly romanticized and liberating Parisian vibes were in much closer reach to her clients through the brand. Also, she was known to be daring, strong-willed, independent, sensual, classy, sophisticated, very feminine with a hint of masculine wherever needed or in a way that perfects structure in life, a person that strove for individualilty, among several other qualities and attributes (I know, as if there could be more!) all of which were translated through her products. End result – Classic and Elegant inside and out.  To women, it also showed that they were of a high social status or belonged to that soceity due to the nature of the brand. This was due to Chanel who wanted to to be in that position exactly, to be able to transfer that to all her values, ideas and vision of life to her clients — and she successfully did. Her perceptions on fashion and lifestyle aligned with those of her clients which connected them to the brand immensely.

The point is that, not only did she have a phenomenal taste in fashion and a great sense in envisioning trends at the time (a pioneer within the brutal fashion & luxury industry),  she also resonated with the inner workings of a girl, a lady, a woman – anyone as a matter of fact, that tends to remain the same over years. This asepct of her brand was also applied and felt through her perfume, an integral and core part of her brand, which we will cover more in detail later in the blog with some brand identity tools.

2. The House of Chanel at 31 rue Cambon in Paris, France.

Alongside evolving fashion and revolutionizing the perfume and fragrance industry, she did not fail to inspire as she spoke aloud some thoughts.

You might have already come across several of them by now… however, the magnitude of impact that these quotes had back when she created her brand was something to note.
Let’s take a look at a few of her famous quotes on life, fashion and elegance – all of which were candid and authentic to her through her experience in life:

1. “My life didn’t please me, so I created my life”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                           2. “In order to be irreplaceable one must always be different”

 

 

 

 

 

 

3. “You can be gorgeous at thirty, charming at forty, and irrestible for the rest of your life”

 

 

Now, that is indeed empowering.

…and that to me, is Chanel.

 

 

 

Image Sources:

1. Hal Vaughan. Sleeping with the Enemy: Coco Chanel’s Secret War. Random House
2. Google.com

The Journey Begins

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Good company in a journey makes the way seem shorter. — Izaak Walton