perfumery Archives

How can we afford product innovation in a recession?

May 31, 2018

can we afford to innovate in a recession?

The advantage of innovating in a recession A savvy company will focus on product innovation to create new products to satisfy new consumer needs even during downturns. Many successful companies use the recession as a chance to get ahead of the competition. This will position the company as a leader instead of a follower. According to EY Parthenon group innovation during a downturn makes a company stronger and leaner. As a good example of this strategy you can take the Apple iPod. Apple launched this in 2001 – the same year that the Nasdaq 100 took a 30% hit. Operating costs are usually cheaper in a recession and talent is easier to find due to layoffs by other companies. Competition is less fierce during a recession because so many other players are laying low. They choose to wait until the recession is over to fund their own innovation. Whatever product innovations are created during a recession, they will stand out strongly due to the decreased level of competition. Consumers don’t stop buying goods altogether in a recession. But they do become more discriminatory and more selective in their approach. They buy products which resonate with them and have meaningful additions which somehow change their lives. Or products which meet an unfulfilled need. To achieve the best results you should conduct detailed market research. If you also have a product innovation team with deep understanding of product use you have the key to success. Outsourcing of product innovation Sometimes it is better to outsource product innovation to other companies if you cannot afford to hire your own team of innovators. Our company Anisha perfumes offers design resources to our regular perfumery clients free of charge. We include the product innovation development charges in the cost of the final packaging supply. This model works well for smaller factories who do not have the time and expertise to pay for their own team of product and graphic designers. Or maybe they don’t have the time to fly around the world finding the right supply partners. We need strong leadership for product innovation It takes a strong leader to focus on product innovation in a recession. It’s too easy to prune resources which are not going to give an immediate return. But lack of product innovation means that you will lose your long term differentiation and competitive advantage. Therefore your company will lose out on long term sales to your competition. It has been historically shown that a period of economic boom three times as long as the recession itself usually follows a downturn. For this reason it makes more sense to prepare for the upturn. If you found this article interesting and you are interested to innovate in your own range of perfumes, you may enjoy our article “How to Design a perfume”. […]

Top 10 Color Trends for Perfumes 2018

May 16, 2018

Peach colours are trending at the moment

What are the popular colour trends for perfume nowadays? Which perfumes are people following? In this article we investigate the most popular colours and who set off the perfume colour trends. 1: Skin tones and nudes The skin tone trend has been in fashion for a few years Since Burberry Skin and Ellie Saab launches. These tones generally have floral and slightly sweet fragrances for ladies. 2: Dark Green trends, a theme of nature and peacocks Colour trends in perfumery are often a reflection of fashion trends. Since nowadays fashion is more fragmented and eclectic, there are often many conflicting influences merging together. Despite this, strong repeating trends can be identified from the fashion journals and latest perfume product launches. 3. Dark blue and Cobalt blue The Cobalt blue colour trend has reappeared after a long absence. Blue de Chanel started the trend of darkest blue which has continued to be popular. 5: Glamorous gold. A constant favorite and this color has now become popular colour trend for perfume even for new male fragrances. We are seeing a lot of gold and white combinations nowadays. 6. Purple Dream Since the advent of brands like Loverdose and Roberto Cavalli Paradiso purple has rocked. It is a particularly popular colour trend for younger women. Brands usually use much darker shades of purple for intense perfumes targeted at older ladies. 4. Denim and mid blues Denim and mid blues have made an appearance in 2017 and are increasing in popularity amongst mens perfumes in particular. 7. Red and Black colour trends This trend has emerged over the past year and a dramatic new example of this is Giorgio Armani Si Passione 8. Baby Pink – a forever loved colour trend Baby Pink. This color trend for perfume continues to enchant younger and older women alike year after year. Every year we are treated to several new launches in this colour scheme and consumers never seem to tire of it. 9. Dark Greys and Slate Dark greys and slate are always a popular choice for both classic and modern perfumes for men. They convey strength without appearing as intense as blacks. A must have colour in any discerning mans wardrobe. 9. Pastel colour trends Varying shades of pastels continue to be a favourite colour trend for perfume, especially for teen or young womens perfumes. Ice cream shades of pastel are performing very well at the moment for brands such as Miu Miu. Colour choice is a very important consideration for perfume, as it creates the brand personality. Colours create different moods and personalities and create expectatations for the type of perfume. Ifragance cover The theory of perfume colours is covered in more detail. If you would like to know more about packaging design, why not read our ultimate guide to perfume design. […]

Want to find sexy perfumes?

April 30, 2018

Pumpkin is a popular comforting fragrance and fragrances with this note are very sexy

The Science of Sexy Perfumes The hunt for sexy perfumes is on! Did you know that research into fragrance and arousal by Hirsch in the 1994 shows that sweet fragrances increase arousal in men by up to 30%? According to Vogue India Pumpkin, Bergamot, Rose, Sandalwood and Musk are very attractive to the opposite sex. pumpkin pie notes are very arousing In 1997 Dr Hirsch conducted more research about what was attractive to women. Smells such as candy, cucumber, banana bread and lavender pumpkin pie all increased women’s arousal between 11 to 13%. However mens perfumes decreased arousal by 1%. The smells of cherry and smoke both had drastic results on arousal, causing a decrease of 18 and 14% respectively. The largest effect on men’s arousal was the smell of cinnamon rolls.The most sexy perfumes which caused the biggest arousal of around 32 percent in men were pumpkin pie and lavender. Buttered popcorn scored 9%. However, women’s fragrance scored only 3% arousal increase. Go for sweet fragrance to attract So – if you want to attract the opposite sex – better stop wearing those citrus, spicy colognes and start spraying sexy perfumes like lavender, vanilla and pumpkin! Azzaro’s sexy perfume is loaded with lavender notes Some noteworthy sexy perfumes which have lavender notes are Azzaro pour homme, Boss Bottled Night and the new Sauvage. Tom Ford’s relatively recent launch Lavender Extreme has a crisp, fresh, natural lavender scent. Etat Libre Perfume d’Orange has a pumpkin perfume with notes of cinnamon and orange. Pumpkin notes are less popular and we can find them in Sweet Cinnamon Pumpkin by Bath & Body works. Opium’s classic oriental fragrance is one of the most sexy perfumes. Cinnamon blends with jasmine, rose and vanilla to create a bewitching scent . Smell has the power to shape emotions and behaviour, hence the rapid growth in aromatherapy products. Smell connects directly to the limbic system, the emotional centre of the brain. If you enjoyed this article, you will surely enjoy our other article on fragrance notes. […]

10 trends to use for your perfume brands

April 10, 2018

niche perfumes are gaining in popularity

What are the new perfume trends? Following the new perfume trends is very important for any perfume business. Staying in touch with how the market is developing is vital to ensure you don’t lose market share to the competition. Millenials and Generation Z are big fans of small volume perfume collections. They prefer higher quality perfumes from the same supplier offering a range of options depending on the mood. Rollerball and small volume spray perfumes have risen for the past few years worldwide. The growth of niche perfumes Niche and personalized perfume sales are increasing worldwide. A desire for personalisation is driving new perfume trends for customised fragrance. , it is now possible to purchase a customized fragrance for a much cheaper price. Do not reinvent the wheel It’s all been done before. Most perfumes are versions of what has been done before with small creative twist. It is the unexpected style and ingredient additions which make a concept new and exciting. You don’t always have to reinvent the wheel every time making every element from scratch to get the best result. Many consumers nowadays prefer a good quality, simple bottle, as they feel this gives a greater feeling of luxury. The new perfume trends towards luxury mean that heavier bottles are more popular. The breakdown of gender barriers One of the more interesting new perfume trends is the growth of Unisex perfumes. Gender restrictions for perfumes are reducing. Ingredients which people used earlier only for women such as rose and vanilla are increasingly found in mens perfumes Research shows that millennials prefer concepts which have a more simple packaging and notes which appeal to both sexes. Research shows that millennials want to buy concepts which have a more simple packaging and notes which appeal to both sexes. New perfume trends of sustainability There is an increasing perfume trend towards natural materials .Although it is not always economically viable to put natural oils of certain ingredients into a perfume, many consumers would prefer a more natural composition whenever possible. New perfume trends towards cruelty free vegan ingredients are also developing in some markets. Interesting new ingredients Vegetable notes recently appeared, rhubarb has been particularly popular with brands such as Hermes Eau de Rhubarbe and Aura. The growth of Oud Both Western designer fragrances as well as oriental fragrances are is fascinated by oud. This new perfume trend is likely to be with us for some time to come. Celebrity perfumes Celebrity perfumes are declining worldwide, so don’t think that a celebrity endorsement will grant your brand success. Most consumers when polled express a feeling that Celebrity brands should be automatically cheaper and taken less seriously. Halal fragrances – a new perfume trend opportunity Halal certified fragrances are a growing new perfume trend and offer an opportunity which can be exploited by savvy marketers. If you enjoyed this blog article, why not take a look at how to judge perfume design For more information about perfume industry trends you can also check out Cosmetics business take on the situation. […]

Should perfume or packaging come first?

March 21, 2018

Thierry Mugler Angel perfume advert How perfume or packaging communicate Should perfume or packaging design come first? The design of a perfume’s packaging communicates via small elements such as name, font and colour selection. Textures on the box and accessories on the bottle complete the visual cues.This visual journey gives the consumer an expectation of the personality and quality of fragrance he or she is buying.A perfume communicates in terms of a person’s memory or association with different fragrance notes. For example, vanilla or sweet notes might bring back childhood memories. Fragrances with very green notes might bring you back to nature and feeling calm and relaxed. Many perfumes underperform in terms of fragrance communication because they do not match what the packaging is communicating. This can explain why so many perfume brands fail. This is particularly the case in mass market perfumes, but it can happen for luxury and niche perfumes too. Sometimes the packaging is telling one story but the perfume is communicating a different story which undermines its credibility. The creative story of Angel perfume In the case of designer and niche perfumery, the answer to the question ‘perfume or packaging’ is always PERFUME. Let’s look at the extremely popular fragrance by Thierry Mugler Angel. The company gave a brief to perfumers to capture memories of the childhood smells of the fairground. For this reason notes of candy floss, caramel and chocolate are in the fragrance. The team combined this with patchouli to balance out the sweetness. This was one of the first major gourmand fragrances in the designer perfumery industry. For additional information about the brand development story read more here. One could argue that the final name ‘Angel’, the blue box colors and advertising campaign don’t communicate anything of the fairground and therefore the concept is not clear. However, this perfume is not completely sweet, it asp has heavy notes of patchouli and oud. This concept may have started off in the fairground, but it finished somewhere else. The name Angel really has nothing to do with the original fairground concept. Often an original idea will lead in a different direction when true creativity is unleashed. Angel perfume itself managed to trigger enough fond past memories of sweet smells. However, maybe ladies attributed the sweet notes in the fragrance to other memories from their life. Perfume design – a clue to fragrance intensity Let’s look at a famous men’s fragrance: Drakkar Noir by Guy Laroche. This classic Aromatic Fougère scent is bold, spicy, and rich. Now, imagine we packaged our version of this fragrance in a white or silver box. The deep, aromatic sensuality of the scent wouldn’t come across. Customers might subconsciously expect something lighter, fresher, or more aquatic instead of a strong, spicy fragrance. Both elements of ‘perfume or packaging’ must work in harmony to communicate. For mass market perfumery people often select the perfume after the new product development is completed. The question of ‘should perfume or packaging first’ can be forgotten in the rush to get products to market fast. Many mass market perfume manufacturers who are too afraid to take a risk will simply choose a top selling designer fragrance and ask the fragrance house to supply something similar. In designer perfumery the whole creation process starts with the concept and we give briefs to perfumers to develop a fragrance to communicate the essence of the idea.We develop packaging later to reinforce the fragrance message. This gives a more credible result, the perfume and the packaging are communicating the same story. We create a perfume to arouse memories and to communicate an emotion. Drakkar noir 1980s ad Explore perfume is selling very well in Africa Mass Market perfume design Mass market perfumery often solves the issues related to ‘perfume or packaging’ in a haphazard, disorganised way. In West Africa one UAE export perfume Explorer has been a popular product. However, when you look at the packaging, it is extremely simple and there is nothing very special about it. The cap has been used time and time again by other fragrance manufacturers and the bottle is a simple square shape. But the reason why this brand sells well is the perfume. Extremely spicy and long lasting and if you spray it accidentally, then it doesn’t wash off your skin for days. Which is exactly what the market wants. A fragrance with this profile has a heavy price per kilo. Does perfume or packaging drive repeat purchase? In short, great packaging of a brand will persuade a client to buy first time, so it is a big influencer on decision making. But the fragrance itself cannot be overlooked and selected on a whim as a last minute thought, as this is the main factor which determines the likelihood of repeat purchase. Perfume factories should try whenever possible to ensure that the fragrance selection is reinforcing the packaging imagery and communication to achieve maximum credibility for the product. If you enjoy reading articles about perfume trends, why not try our article about the market growth in unisex perfumes. […]

The Niche Bandwagon

February 13, 2018

What is a niche perfume? Basically it is any perfume which is sold in limited distribution, in certain selected outlets only. We refer to the niche bandwagon as a phenomenon where everyone wants to jump on board this sector and gain sales from it. Niche perfume packaging design is evolving to adapt to the more crowded sales arena. Recently Niche perfumes have been growing their market share worldwide. This is largely because of the increased desire for individuality, a need for higher quality, bespoke products. Niche perfumery has traditionally been the most creative sector of perfumery. Small companies create new trends and experiment in limited quantities. Niche perfumery aimed to push the boundaries of perfumery. It tested out new ideas for the fearless few who don’t want to smell like everyone else. Niche perfumery has also attracted a certain amount of snobbery and many feel that the perfumes are always superior to the high street brands. However, limited distribution is not always a guarantee of better perfume. Nowadays niche perfumery is a high growth sector, this growth is fuelled by many ‘me too’ brands. Such brands don’t always have the same drive to create and be different.. Traditional packaging approaches Traditionally niche perfumes had ultra simple packaging, often a paper label on a standard bottle, in order to communicate that the focus is on the fragrance, not on packaging gimmicks. It was all about the quality of the perfume essence. The perfumer had freedom to express his originality and creativity. Because there used to be so few niche brands, this approach was highly effective. Added value to niche perfume packaging design However nowadays the market is different. We have seen many new entrants into niche perfumery in recent years, attracted by the growth in this sector. Nowadays it’s difficult to get a place for your brand in selective perfumery outlets just because it smells great. You must display added value in terms of packaging to attract clients. Not always an easy thing to achieve when you are a fledgling company and have limited funds to invest. A new cap or some other packaging design feature might give you a point of difference to will make it easier to sell to new clients. Brands such as Stephanie Humbert et Lucas, AK France, Kemi, Naso di Raza, Simimi and Tola are good examples of products with standard bottles and custom made caps to give brand differentiation. Combining standard perfume bottles with custom made caps Nasengold, Perris and Escentric Molecules have all used standard bottles in an interesting way. Some of the bottles don’t bother to put a cache pump or supply a cap, having a strictly modern and ‘less is more’ approach. In mass market perfumery, it would be seen as a way of cutting costs and thus ‘cheapening’ the brand. But in niche perfumery it can be seen positively, as a creative force. Heavy investment in new moulds Other brands such as House of Sillage, House of Oud, Moresque, and Menditorossa have invested heavily in creative new packaging and are reaping the rewards by having a brand which has a unique personality and attraction. Niche perfumery popularity will continue to grow for some time until it reaches a saturation point and some of the brands who do not have a strong personality or reputation for outstanding, creative fragrances will inevitably fail. In the meantime, brands who do not consider creative packaging a worthwhile investment will find that it is more difficult to gain entry to the traditional niche perfumery retail points. We are very interested in the growth of niche perfumery, if you would like to know more about the niche bandwagon, why not ready our other article about the growth of niche perfumery. Its growing popularity might threaten its very existence. […]