How To Use Fragrance To Create A Sense Of Opulence In Brands

Opulence may well be a state of being measured in material assets, but in terms of reflecting a brand’s message, it is also a state of mind. It is a mood induced by sensory experiences that evoke both sophistication and indulgence. Harnessing all the senses for this process is required, but scent is by far the most powerful tool in the marketing strategy arsenal. Perception is everything, and to perceive opulence is to experience in some far away corner of the mind a sensual lavish ambiance of quiet, classic beauty.

Advertising Opulence Becomes More Prolific

Creating opulence in a brand is the direct outgrowth of a falling away of gender stereotypes which have dominated fragrance marketing for years. In the past, floral scents have been directed to female tastes, with models posed among conventional symbols of femininity such as pink backdrops, exquisite gowns and sparkling jewels. A darker color palette was preferred for the male fragrances, which often focused on stark black and white images with women depicted as background and/or accessories.

Over the course of the last half century or so, as fragrance advertising became more and more prolific, scents for both sexes continued on a course of increased polarization. The marketing strategies of forward-thinking luxury fragrance perfumers, like the experts at Alpha Aromatics, slowly but surely began to change. One dramatic alteration occurred with the fairly recent endorsement of celebrities to appeal to those antiquated ideals of femininity and masculinity. Lovely Julia Roberts for Lancome’s sweet and floral La Vie Est Belle and Dior’s Savage featuring a macho tattooed Johnny Depp personify these old values.

Studies and Statistics Concerning Fragrance Consumption

A study was recently conducted involving two conspicuous consumer groups; namely, millennials and Generation Z. This study resulted in the creation of five future trend concepts and corresponding olfactory associations.

According to Doreen Bucher, a fine fragrance marketing expert, “Leading this important initiative was exciting. We explored the young consumers’ preferences across a spectrum of categories. They are a fragrance-savvy, fun, yet responsible generation, interacting with each other in ways much different from the other generations. We are excited to share the process, findings and fragrances from this platform with our clients.”

Luxury Perfume Tastes between Millennials and Generation X

While these two sectors share the fact that they both came of age in a digital world, they approach the consumption of fragrances differently. Life experiences and personality traits are key factors in separating these two consumer groups. Millennials range in age from 18-34 and include anyone born between the early 80s and the early 2000s. This demographic is responsible for the majority of all product purchases, including luxury perfumes, and they are a free thinking, individualistic generation that number about 80 million. Due to their wealth, they are the primary focus for brands everywhere. Their vast spending power, according to Accenture, is estimated to be around $600 billion a year.

For the most part, this consumer sector wants to reach a decision fast and they don’t trust a brand’s message. They have redefined the meaning of luxury in a brand to include experiences rather than tangible products. When it comes to purchasing an opulent perfume, the scent must cement the brand experience. For example, an initial scent for a millennial could be a Burberry fragrance, which might progress to a scarf during collegiate days and then graduate to a trench coat when that first big bonus from work arrives. The goal of perfume masters like Alpha Aromatics is to capture the craving inside all of us for luxurious things when we are young so that as financially secure adults, that extraordinary purchase of a signature scent becomes commonplace.

Generation X and Brand Opulence

In the case of entrepreneurial and the tech-savvy members of Generation Z, their media consumption habits are different. They seem to prefer cool products over cool experiences. One CEO referred to Generation X members born in 1995 or later as “coming out with an IP address embedded in their heads.” Although there is some dispute, most agree that anyone born after 1995 falls within the category. When selecting luxury brands, including perfume, quality over quantity is the name of the game. Pretty packaging might serve to attract, but it is the fragrance itself that must convince this highly selective generation of consumers.

The fragrance preferences of younger consumers are increasingly impacting marketing approaches. Brand building seems ingrained within these two highly digital groups and cementing a luxury experience with perfume and other products is the first step in captivating these two demographics. Viral marketing can promote interest, but it is only honest copy that truly attracts.

Take for example, Italy’s Prada Parfums. Each of its ten “potent concoctions of the unexpected” interprets the scents in a tangible way, subtly featuring the same rectangular glass bottle for all of them. At the same time, this digital campaign has created a visual means for consumers to explore the range of scents. They also utilize a series of still life collages rather than the traditional celebrity endorsements.

Sensploration, Sensory Stimulation and Opulent Scents

Recent research has triggered many industries to explore how sensory stimulation can change our feelings. This has been the logical consequence of modern consumers who are overwhelmed with the tremendous amount of data and information that they are barraged with every day of their lives.

This trend first appeared in the late 1990s as a psychological science involving the senses and how they interact with each another. This phenomenon has evolved with a particular appeal among the millennial generation, many of whom are living luxurious lifestyles. They have become the major target group for top perfumers, like Alpha Aromatics, and the vast possibilities they can offer in terms of crafting customized signature fragrances.

What Makes a Scent Opulent?

Everyone has different thoughts about opulence and what it means to them and that’s why scents relating to a luxurious state of being will differ from person to person. Sumptuous feasts with mouth-watering delicacies and soft shimmering fabrics like silks, satins and cashmeres all evoke a royal rush of tactile sensations and captivating aromas. Whether the business in question is a hotel, automobile showroom or a retail store, each environment can, via the proper scent, evoke lavish thoughts of luxury and extravagance. Superior ingredients and artistry are the two elements that set opulent fragrances above the others.

How Does Scent Affect Brand Perception?

Research indicates that humans are able to recall smells with 65% accuracy even a year after smelling them, compared to just 50% of visuals after only three months. This illustrates the importance of capturing the power of smell to lift our moods, influence customer behavior and create an enhanced experience. Scent affects brand perception because it is the only of the five that is connected with memory formation in the brain. Mental associations recalled by a signature scent are potent triggers for childhood memories. The recollection makes the association with the brand via the scent and this bonds them together.

Alpha Aromatics and Our Opulent Scents

For the fragrance makers at Alpha Aromatics, perfume is all they do and they have been at it for more than seven decades. As the leading manufacturer of fragrances used in every application, they are leaders in cutting edge fragrance technologies. Their compositions for fine perfumes, natural, organic or synthetic scents are enjoyed throughout the world and they are the unchallenged masters of fragrance creation.

A Few Modern Examples of Opulent Scents

The following are a few of the highly successful opulent scents created by the perfume masters at Alpha Aromatics. To better understand how to identify the top, middle and finish notes of a fragrance, be sure to check our industry guide to identifying each note.

Calabrian Bergamot & Jasmine

Sweet, citrusy, floral, bergamot; fresh, delicate, bright white peach; and bitter almondy apricot kernel comprise the opening notes of this luxurious fragrance that conjures images of the deep blue waters of the Ionian and Tyrrhenian Seas, pristine beaches, rugged mountainsides and old-fashioned villages untouched by the passage of time. Complex middle notes follow with a floral heart of warm, erotic wild honeysuckle, creamy sweet magnolia, light and sensual orange blossom and heady jasmine. The scent finishes with warm musky blends of vanilla, resinous amber, patchouli and earthy and rich sandalwood.

Apple Blossom Violet Leaf

A fruity, floral luxurious fragrance with just a hint of sweet apple, this scent, perhaps more than any other, symbolizes the promise of early Spring, renewed hope and energy. Top notes of warm, buttery casaba melon, grapefruit, apple and crisp, citrusy, exotic, litsea surrender to middle notes of sweet magnolia, white muguet, which greatly resembles lily-of-the-valley, enticing and lovely rose and delicate violet. A warm, rich and honey-like tinge of amber, velvety, feminine white musk and earthy sandalwood comprise the base note and complete this memorable luxurious scent.

Pink Hyacinth & Musk

Hyacinth is a flower often associated with spring and rebirth. This very fragrant elegant scent is wonderful in all types of opulent soaps and lotions. It begins with a top note that is tender, musky and floral, with a splash of citrusy grapefruit, sweet, aromatic orange and crispy anjou pear. A floral middle note of passionate night-blooming jasmine transforms the every day into warm nights of tropical splendor and sultry summer breezes. Luxurious and sensual rose, powdery and coldly elegant iris, hyacinth and traditional lily-of the valley complete the middle note. The scent finishes with a base note of warm amber, clean, smooth, animalistic musk and fuzzy, woody cedar.

D’anjou Orchid

The D’anjou pear is known for its sweet, fresh, crisp and juicy scent with a touch of citrus. This delicate floral fragrance is the essence of summer, recalling gentle breezes, lush gardens and rolling hills steeped in the redolence of wildflowers. D’anjou pear is one of several aromas that comprise the top note of exotic mandarin, luscious and juicy peach nectar, warm, buttery melon and bright, tangy cassis. The middle note is an aromatic mélange of creamy magnolia, fresh, strong and sweet freesia, rich, luxurious and sensual black orchid, lily of the valley, soft, light and almost otherworldly jasmine, carnal, creamy and fleshy tuberose and fragile violet. The scent finishes with a base note of very woody sandalwood, long-lasting musk and powdery, masculine Tonka bean.

Peony & Amber Musk

Oriental flourishes dominate this luxurious floral fragrance with its opening notes of tart, citrusy bergamot, lemony citron and sharp ammoniac and tangy cassis. Falling away to the middle notes of elusive passion flower, sweet and rosy peony, pungent jasmine, intoxicating Easter lily and rosy, milky almond lilac blossom, this scent finishes with a base note of sweet, heavy cocoa-vanilla, warm and musky amber, potent, slightly sweet and earthy patchouli and smooth, creamy sandalwood.

In Conclusion

Creating opulence in a brand boils down to perfume companies investing in understanding their target consumer base, which includes knowing their thoughts, needs, desires and behaviors. All luxury brands must cater to their clientele, which requires a gentle intrusion into customized tastes, preferences and expectations.

Call our team and start defining your brand with our vast array of opulent scents today.

Final thoughts about opulence:

Let me be surrounded by luxury. I can do without the necessities! ~ Oscar Wilde

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