There is a growing trend  in the fragrance market to tap into social media with high profile brands using a variety of online tools to market their products.

1.2 billion people, or 20% of the world population, are between the ages of 15 and 24. Of this population, 96% have joined a social network.

The average millennial, those born between 1982 and 1995 and now aged 15 and 28 has an average 426 facebook friends spread throughout the world, due in part to online virtual gaming.

Because of this exposure on social networks, the future of fragrance has to be through word of mouth utilizing digital media.

Some recent examples of high profile companies jumping on the social media bandwagon are as follows…

The website for DKNYMEN  asked participants to produce web spots for its new men’s fragrance, requesting users to create videos and soundtracks that best capture ‘the essence’ of the perfume. The competition winner had his video promoted on the DKNYMEN website, as well as receiving a $3,000 prize, together with DKNY branded goods.

Earlier last year, Old Spice launched a series of ads featuring former NFL  player Isaiah Mustafa as an over the top, narcissistic suave guy in a towel. The commercial was an instant hit and has received over 26 million hits on YouTube so far.

Givaudan has unveiled the ultimate fragrance selection tool called i-perfumer, which is an i-phone application that will guide the consumer in their choice of fragrance. i-Perfumer has been developed around a database of 4,000 masculine and feminine prestige fragrances, and is based on a special algorithm which combines your data, the perfumes you like and your olfactory preferences in order to select fragrances it thinks will most closely suit your preferences.

The campaign for Unilever’s new Lynx Excite range will launch on Apple’s iAd mobile advertising network, as part of the brand’s strategy to find innovative ways to engage with its audience. The iAd campaign will be followed by print, TV, digital, gaming and out-of-home advertising and PR, as part of an £8.3m marketing spend. Lynx brand manager Selina Sykes says: We are now leading marketing into the digital age where the key will be to unlock the potential of mobile.”

Brazilian cosmetics company Natura used a scented, online banner, to promote the reformulation of its Kaiak cologne, which is claimed to be the number one selling fragrance brand in the country. In order to communicate the fact that the fragrance had changed, a ‘scented banner’ concept was designed that would allow internet users to smell the redesigned fragrance. Internet users were invited to click on the banner, which read: “The best selling men’s fragrance in the country just changed. Want to try it. Click this banner, its scented.” Upon clicking on the banner, the device next to the computer ejected a scented paper strip, enabling the user to sample the new fragrance. The campaign was very successful with over 10,000 strips being printed in just one weekend.

The next 5 years will be crammed full of innovative scent delivery systems. The required technology already exists, so it is only a matter of time before they will become part of everyday life…

And so in conclusion, Scent is part of nature and triggers one’s olfactory memories. It enlivens one’s taste buds and it ignites one’s desires. It is the industry’s responsibility to excite and re-engage consumers. The time is now to embrace tomorrows technology. Today’s new consumer loves fragrance and we need to find new ways to communicate with them through story telling, quality product, interactive retail space and innovative technology.

I hope today’s post has been informative and will be useful when looking at new, modern ways to market your products. If you need any further information on the best types of fragrances for use in any of the mediums discussed above then please get in touch and we will be only too happy to help.