We can date the introduction of the marketing concept into the fragrance industry back to at most 20 years. Some of the key actors of this industry are still questioning the validity of these concepts, at least when considering the upper segment of the market. This article proposes a typology of the various marketing strategies that have been successfully developed, and it encompasses the various conceptions that each one could have about the marketing of luxury products. We have defined four typologies: - Those which are connected with "demand marketing" ,- The "marketing of positioning"- The "marketing of imitation" - Those which are connected with "supply marketing" - The "marketing of the brand"- The "marketing of anticipation". Those related to "demand marketing" refer more to the classical conception of marketing. The second one tries to integrate the vision that predominates among the corporations which question the validity of marketing techniques for this specific market.
We can date the introduction of the marketing concept into the fragrance industry back to at most 20 years. Some of the key actors of this industry are still questioning the validity of these concepts, at least when considering the upper segment of the market. This article proposes a typology of the various marketing strategies that have been successfully developed, and it encompasses the various conceptions that each one could have about the marketing of luxury products. We have defined four typologies : - Those which are connected with "demand marketing" : . The "marketing of positioning", . The "marketing of imitation". - Those which are connected with "supply marketing" : . The "marketing of the brand", . The "marketing of anticipation". Those related to "demand marketing" refer more to the classical conception of marketing. The second ones try to integrate the vision that predominates among the corporations which question the validity of marketing techniques for this specific market.
A generally accepted method to define target groups among consumers of cosmetics and fragrances is a socio-demographic analysis. However, demographics such as age, income or education will hardly reveal a person's aesthetical preferences. This paper explains a new psychology oriented test method to identify personality types among female fragrance users, their preferences and life-style perceptions. The interrelationship between personality and fragrance preference had been validated in two wide-scale studies in the early eighties. An essential tool in these studies to measure the basic emotions of an individual had been a newly designed psychological colour test. This new H&R Colour Test is based upon the following reasoning: Conclusions about an unknown factor - fragrance preference - can be drawn from a known factor - colour choice. Interpretation of our first test data led to more extensive market surveys to identify principal target groups among female fragrance users in the US and the main European countries. The findings of our German study will be quoted as an il- lustration . And finally the paper puts forward a theory how trends and developments in our society influence or even change aesthetical preferences and life-style perceptions, swaying at the same time fragrance product concepts and promotions.
This paper discusses in practical terms the problems which can affect research in the area of product optimisation and flavour development, as viewed from the standpoint of an agency researcher specialising in food and drink research. The conventional approach to product development tends to rely on consumer tests, such as product placement or taste tests, to identify perceived strengths and weaknesses of the product via rating scales and spontaneous comments. This information is used by technical personnel to guide product development, and one or two new formulations are subsequently tested and, if 'better', they are progressed. At best this approach will identify a possible product improvement, but at its worst it can be unproductive as technical personnel struggle to achieve viable improvements. The weakness underlying this approach is that it assumes a direct relationship between a product formulation and the consumer response to it: there is no such relationship. I will go on to explain why this is so. I argue, therefore, that the use of consumer opinions, as expressed via rating scales and spontaneous comments, to guide product reformulation, is unsatisfactory. We should instead ask the consumers to do only what they are really competent to do: to say how much they like something, and perhaps to say which product they prefer. This determines that we must identify the factors to assess in the research and to test these systematically and in a controlled way. I will go on to give examples of how this can be done. It should be noted that I will not attempt to discuss specific aspects of product testing, such as the difference between blind and branded tests, nor the merits of various types of semantic rating scales. The argument I present is concerned with product development and as such does not touch on other types of research such as concept and placement tests - within these limits, however, I feel the ideas I present are valid across a range of product types and situations, and do not depend on very specific aspects of detail research design.
This paper outlines how the Sandpiper Database and Fragrance Evaluation System can be utilised to assist the marketer and perfumer in understanding consumer preference for fragrances internationally and in creating distinctive fragrances with high levels of consumer appeal. Innovation and creativity in fragrance development are often thwarted by the inability of conventional research solutions to provide sensitive and actionable information. Sandpiper have developed a palette of reference fragrances that represent the likely fragrance areas for cosmetics, toiletries and household product fields. Additionally, Sandpiper have established a unique set of attributes that differentiate fragrances internationally. These attributes were arrived at using qualitative and quantitative techniques to generate descriptors and then refined to the optimum set of attributes internationally. The paper includes a case history that illustrates how the Sandpiper database and evaluation system was used to identify a major new fragrance opportunity in the UK hairspray market that was not being exploited by any of the major brands. The Sandpiper system has been used extensively in Europe, USA and Japan by multinational clients to identify new fragrance opportunities and develop fragrances to exploit those opportunities.
Sensory perception of smell and taste treated in a broad sense, including aspects like memory and emotion, is discussed from a point of view that takes practical application in the field of market research into account. Sensory perception of smell and taste is characterized by the large individual differences between observers, its subconscious nature and a lack of verbal terms to describe perceptual experiences. Recent developments in the area of stimulus intensity stimulus quality and stimulus pleasantness and unpleasantness lead to the conclusion that many of the often used methods in consumer research may lead to FALSE conclusions and that it is wise to follow a double strategy in which consumers are only asked for their preferences and special descriptive panels are set up for the translation of these preferences into product.
Flavours and fragrances are important ingredients in a large range of consumable products. If such products are to be successful, it is important that these aspects are not only optimised sensorially for different segments of the international community but are in harmony with potential customers functional and imagery concepts of the products within these segments. Utilising free choice profiling approaches, product maps, showing how different flavours and fragrances are being perceived in a particular product, in both real and imagery terms, can be produced, without the need for formal vocabularies. Requiring minimum training and being language independent, it consequently opens up the possibility of getting both perceptual and associated descriptive information directly from the consumer, (information which is bound to provide a more meaningful interpretation of consumer acceptance than that derived from in house panels). It also permits one to compare flavour and fragrance perceptions by consumers, (product producer, retailer or TRUE consumer) with in house personnel, (product development scientist, trained panellist, flavourists, perfumer or sales persons) finding out just how these people are assessing the products. The language independent aspects of the procedure means product perceptions in different countries and by different races can also be compared.
Aroma, taste, texture and thermal or pain sensations elicited by food products show a dynamic change in intensity over time. The process of mastication changes the structure of food and enhances flavour release in the mouth, changes in texture will develop during chewing, the temperature of the food product will change dramatically (both frozen and boiling products will reach body temperature before swallowing). In general, these sensations develop in 5 to 200 seconds, the time during which the food product is taken into the mouth and eaten. The classical sensory methodology does not take this dynamic process into account, subjects are only asked to indicate the overall sweetness, bitterness or saltiness of a product. There is no possibility to indicate differences in the time course of these sensations. By assessment of the temporal characteristics of sensory perception a better understanding of products and differences between products can be achieved. For example, two products can have a similar overall taste intensity but they can differ in the way the taste develops in time. In order to obtain insight in these dynamic processes, a different sensory methodology is needed: time dependent measurement. Time dependent or time-intensity (T-I) measurements have been carried out since 1950 but the methodology is becoming increasingly popular with the advancement of computerized methods, which made the complex data treatment a lot faster and easier. This paper will discuss the latest developments in time- intensity measurement and show some recent results of the time-dependent measurement of bitterness by a panel of 8 subjects.
The physiological and psychological processes involved in odour perception are still not properly understood. It is not surprising therefore that researchers can experience difficulties when conducting consumer research for perfume development purposes. However, despite these problems, consumer perception and evaluation of alternative odour submissions for mass-marketed brands can be measured on a multi-cultural basis. Perfume selection should be determined by the role that the odour of a product plays in relation to the total expression of the brand's marketing concept and its relevance to consumer characteristics and needs. It is not simply a question of whether an odour submission is liked or disliked. The precise role the odour needs to play will depend on the specific product, brand, usage, user, geo-demographic and cultural context of the market for which the product is intended.
Once upon a time, 10 year old Juliette is living in her own Wonderland; there, she is using her mothers perfume any time she thinks she can get away with it. That isnt often. Both mother and daughter despair. Juliette usually wears colourful clothes designed and sold by (Princess) Oilily who vividly recalls her own adult aspirations from when she was young herself. Now, Princess Oilily is in a position to help Juliette and her emancipatory Romeo-to-be. If only she would know what fragrances Juliette and Romeo really like and are a perfect match for the Oilily products as well. The Fairy Queens magicians (at Quest International) create 6 fragrances and the Wizard (Inter/View Nederland) is asked to test them with Juliette and her friends. The Wizard speaks with Juliette and her friends in the Princess Oilily environment using several child-friendly techniques like: a sniff-test (to simulate the purchase act) and a long-term usage test (to incorporate repeat purchase likelihood). One fragrance stands out for Juliette; another for Romeo. Princess Oilily gets Juliette her perfume; Romeo gets his hair gel. Juliette would have lived happily ever after, if she hadnt discovered that her mother is now secretly using Juliettes perfume when her mother is wearing her own Princess Oilily clothes. So, once upon another time Princess Oilily calls again the Fairy Queen who goes again to see the Wizard...
The accepted definition of a "brand" is reviewed, and discussed in the light of the need for both R and D and marketing to be aware of what makes up the totality of a brand. While marketing has accepted that a brand has a personality and is far more than just a cipher for the product, there is still a great deal of emphasis in product development on blind testing of the basic physical product, without full attention being paid to the effect not only on product preference but also product perception of the non-physical elements, adding up to the totality of the brand. Aspects of measurement which need to be considered in sensory evaluation are briefly discussed in the light of the further emphasis this places on ensuring that a product is tested in as realistic a context as possible. Examples are given of the impact of branding upon both preference and perception, and the need to define the type of product characteristic and its descriptor which is being used, is discussed. By clarifying the difference between a "pure" sensory descriptor and one which combines sensory and imagery elements, the role of marketing action, and R and D development is also clarified. It is suggested that the totality of the brand is always considered in designing product development studies, and that the distinction between the "real" physical product, and the perception of the marketed brand is a FALSE one. Sensory and Market Research can provide a valuable channel of information between marketing and R and D by addressing these issues, and also define more clearly for the product developer and marketer what is needed from each to produce a product which most accurately meets consumer needs.
Our research, carried out in the US in 1984 one year before its launch in France, was to determine whether the POISON project was an ugly duckling made of conflicting elements or a winner with a future on the American market, in which case we were to identify the most promising scent among competing submissions. The method we used is a precise, highly structured, intensive and creative one. Our approach is a fine-tuned version of what ESOMAR refers to as "new qualitative" research, designed specifically for up-market fragrance projects. It is an appropriate counterpart to Dior's innovative conceptual marketing. This most carefully designed and implemented method is based on: - extremely precise recruitment criteria and over-recruitment by 100% to allow for face-to-face screening by the group moderator; - multiple angles of investigation: individual and group situations, rational and emotional reactions; - minute examination of likes, dislikes and imagery in light of each respondent's personal frame of reference and vocabulary rather than imposing a benchmark; - interpretation beyond face-value reactions; - predominance in analysis of coherence over preference Our analysis allowed us to conclude that beyond violent face-value rejection of the name and the concept there was a fascination by the universal archetype of alchemy, which was strongly and clearly expressed by the name, the box and the bottle, and that among the scents tested, the least-liked one was preferable because, among other indicators of potential success, its imagery was compatible with the POISON concept.