Fragrances focus on teen girls, men, `woodsy’ & lighter scents

This year, there seem to be at least three major trends developing in fragrance product launches.

There is a new and dramatic emphasis on teenage girls, with more lines launched aimed at this particularly lucrative market.

There’s a lot of attention being paid to men, where most of the growth in fragrances is currently concetrated; the most popular scents seem to emphasize woodsy or musk tones.

In women, the trend is toward more oriental scents and lighter floral scents.

This year, some drug chains are trying to get a jump on the trends by being the first in their markets to merchandise what their buyers consider hot. In the teen category, this means many buyers are taking at least two or three of the new scents being introduced in this category, and some chains are creating teen centers in their planogram where all the teen fragrances will be merchandised.

Most popular intros

Buyers are most positive about the new Debbie Gibson signature fragrance from Revlon, Electric Youth, and about Prince Matchabelli’s Night Rhythms. Many chains are also taking on either Bonne Bell’s new Friday or MEM’s new Wild. A few chains are taking them all in with the expectation that teens are ready to buy fragrances made specifically for them.

In the men’s market, most buyers are optimistic about the new “woodsy-amber” outdoor scent from Quintessence, Aspen, and about Revlon’s That Man. Both formulas seem to be right for today’s “vigorous” market, buyers say, and the television campaign for Aspen which suggests that the scent “combines the best qualities of man and nature,” looks very good to many buyers.

To some buyers, the Revlon ad campaign is a little less appealing, but the consensus is that That Man will find its niche. Whether it will be as hot as Hero was last year, however, is up for debate.

In women’s, Quintessence has already scored big with its spring launch of Dare and now Max Factor looks like it has a winner with its signature fragrance, Jacyln Smith’s California.

California had its “exclusive” launch in April at Bloomingdale’s, and sources say it’s done well so far.

Right in step with today’s trends, it is a floral-woodsy fragrance with some oriental notes.

Situation may reverse

To date, many chain drug store buyers say fragrance sales have been flat, but the hope now is that by moving with the trends as early as possible that situation can be reversed.

“It’s up to us to make this category grow,” said one buyer. “We can’t sit by passively any longer and wait for manufacturers to do all the acting. As retailers, we have to take the initiative in merchandising fragrances in the strongest ways possible.”

At its annual recognition awards night, the Fragrance Foundation recently singled out Coty’s Ex Cla Ma Tion! and Prince Matchabelli’s Hero as the best women’s and men’s fragrances of 1988, respectively, in “broad or specialized distribution.”

Revlon’s Trouble, the Almay fragrance and Avon’s Facets were runners-up in the women’s category and Shulton’s Sante Fe, Avon’s Legacy and Benetton’s Uomo were runners-up in men’s.

Ex Cla Ma Tion! also won two additional awards: Best Women’s Fragrance Package in broad/specialized distribution and Best Women’s TV campaign.

Although many retailers feel that Matchabelli’s Hero had the best men’s TV campaign last year, Hero lost out in the finals to Estee Lauder’s New West.

Hero was also nominated for an award for the best packaging in broad/specialized distribution. The winner, however, was Benetton’s Uomo.

Parfums Stern’s Uninhibited by Cher received the award for The Best Women’s Fragrance in exclusive/limited distribution. Uninhibited is currently in just 270 doors, but Sterns intends to slowly roll out it out to 1,700 doors.

Calvin Klein’s Eternity, Cacharel’s LouLou and Parfums Boucheron’s Boucheron were also given awards in the exclusive distribution categories.

Shalimar, the 63-year-old brand from Guerlain, won the third annual Perennial Success Award for a fragrance 15 years or older. Previous winners were Nina Ricci’s L’Air du Temps and Chanel No. 5.

In the men’s exclusive distribution category, Yves Saint Laurent’s Jazz won three awards, including Best Men’s Fragrance in Exclusive Distribution.

Retailer of the year

This year, the Fragrance Foundation also honored Longs Drug as their “retailer of the year,” and the foundation paid a special tribute to Annette Green, executive director.

The Fragrance Foundation describes its awards, which are nicknamed Fifi’s, as the equivalent to the “Oscars” of the motion picture industry.