Understanding Flanker Fragrances: Exploring The Scent Families

In the world of perfumery, a flanker is a new fragrance that builds on the success of an existing one. It shares some attributes of its predecessor, such as its name, packaging, or notes, but is distinct enough to be marketed as a separate product. Flankers are often criticised for their lack of creativity, but they can also be seen as an opportunity for perfumers to experiment with new notes and target new demographics. They are a way for fragrance brands to capitalise on the popularity of a successful launch at a lower cost than starting from scratch.

Flankers are a cost-effective way for perfume brands to capitalise on the success of a previous launch

In the world of perfume, a flanker is a new fragrance that shares some attributes of an already existing perfume. These attributes may include the name, packaging, or notes of the original fragrance. Flankers are essentially sequels or spin-offs that build upon the success of a previous launch, allowing perfume brands to capitalise on a popular fragrance at a lower cost than starting from scratch.

Flankers offer a cost-effective way for perfume brands to extend their fragrance lines and increase market share. By tweaking an existing formula and packaging, brands can create a family of fragrances under the original pillar fragrance's brand. This strategy requires less investment than launching a new pillar fragrance, which would entail market research, new composition formulation, bottle and packaging design, and significant marketing expenses.

For example, Dior's 1985 fragrance Poison was followed by several flankers, including Tendre Poison (1994), Hypnotic Poison (1998), and Pure Poison (2004). Issey Miyake's 1992 fragrance "L'eau d'Issey" spawned multiple flankers, such as "L'eau d'Issey Pour Homme" (1994) and "L'Eau d'Issey Florale" (2011). These flankers maintained the original fragrance's name and olfactory scheme while offering a distinct composition.

Flankers can take various forms, the most common being a variation on the same theme, where certain notes are amplified or new notes are added. For instance, Chanel Gabrielle Essence is a flanker of the original Gabrielle, featuring 10 times the tuberose and a heavier base. Another type of flanker offers limited-edition variations on popular pillars, often released during the holiday season, such as CK One and Jean Paul Gaultier Classique.

Additionally, flankers can be designed to capture buyers in new demographics. For instance, a pillar fragrance may be softened to appeal to younger markets, as seen with Chanel N°5 L'Eau, or it may include oud to target the Middle Eastern market, as in Mugler Alien Oud Majestueux. In some cases, flankers may have little resemblance to their pillars beyond the bottle shape, such as Gucci Guilty Absolute pour Homme and Dior Hypnotic Poison, which both became bigger hits than their original fragrances.

While flankers have been criticised for their lack of creativity and originality, they can be a successful business strategy, allowing perfume brands to capitalise on the success of previous launches while minimising costs.

They are similar to sequels or spin-offs in the film industry

In the fragrance world, a flanker is a sequel or spin-off to a pillar fragrance. It is a new release that builds upon the success of an existing fragrance by offering a variation of its scent or theme. Flankers allow fragrance brands to capitalise on the popularity of a successful launch, at a lower cost than starting from scratch. This is similar to sequels or spin-offs in the film industry, which build upon the success of an existing film or franchise and often require less investment in marketing and brand establishment.

Like film sequels, flankers are often criticised for their lack of creativity and originality. They may be seen as cynical, hastily thrown-together products that don't honour the original. However, some flankers are carefully crafted and can even surpass the success of their predecessors. For example, Chanel's Coco Mademoiselle is considered one of the most successful flankers of all time and has become a top-seller.

Fragrance flankers usually share some attributes with the original, such as the name, packaging, or notes of the existing fragrance. They may be rejuvenated" versions of older bestsellers or may target new demographics by altering the composition to appeal to younger or different cultural markets. For example, Chanel No. 5 L'Eau was a flanker designed to appeal to younger consumers.

Flankers can also take the form of limited editions or annual releases, such as the summer editions of CK One. They provide an opportunity for brands to experiment with new notes, ingredients, and dosages while still capitalising on the recognition of an established fragrance.

Overall, flankers are a common strategy in the fragrance industry, allowing brands to increase market share and capture new customers at a lower cost. They are similar to sequels or spin-offs in the film industry, leveraging the success of an existing product to reach new audiences and generate additional revenue.

Flankers are not to be confused with collector's editions, which are limited re-releases of previously successful fragrances

Flankers are not to be confused with collector's editions. While flankers are variations of a fragrance that already exists, collector's editions are limited re-releases of previously successful fragrances.

Collector's editions are not to be confused with flankers, which are new fragrances that share attributes with an already existing perfume. These attributes may include the name, packaging, or notes of the original fragrance. Flankers are a way for perfume brands to capitalise on the popularity of a successful launch, at a lower cost than starting from scratch. They are often criticised for their lack of creativity and originality.

Collector's editions, on the other hand, are re-releases of fragrances that have already proven their worth. They are not reinterpretations of an existing fragrance but the exact same scent being sold again for a limited or unlimited time.

Flankers are often described as the "little brothers or sisters" of an existing perfume. They borrow the name and the olfactory scheme of the original fragrance but become very distinct compositions. They are the result of mass consumption and the need to occupy as much space as possible on perfumery shelves.

Collector's editions, by contrast, are not new fragrances but simply a re-launch of a previously successful scent. They are not reinterpretations or variations but the same fragrance being sold again, either for a limited time or indefinitely.

Flankers can be rejuvenated versions of older best-sellers or virilised formulas of feminine fragrances, and vice versa

Flankers are variations of existing perfumes. They are often referred to as "sequels" or "spin-offs" that build on the success of an existing fragrance. They are a way for perfume brands to capitalise on the popularity of a successful launch, usually by tweaking the existing formula and packaging, at a lower cost than creating a new scent from scratch.

Flankers can be "rejuvenated" versions of older best-sellers. For example, Chanel's Coco Mademoiselle, released in 2001, is a flanker of the brand's baroque and spicy Coco from 1984. While the original scent was candied and fruity, the flanker added a tobacco accord, resulting in a unisex gourmand fragrance.

Flankers can also be used to target new demographics. For instance, Chanel No.5 L'Eau was a softer version of the original, intended to appeal to younger customers who found the original scent too heavy. Similarly, Mugler Alien Oud Majestueux added oud to the original formula to target the Middle Eastern market.

Perfumers can also create flankers by "virilising" feminine fragrances, or vice versa. For example, Paco Rabanne's 2008 perfume for men, 1 Million, was followed by a perfume for women, Lady Million, in 2010. The two fragrances shared very similar packaging.

Flankers are often criticised for their lack of creativity and originality

Flankers in fragrances are often criticised for their lack of creativity and originality. This is because they are essentially sequels to popular perfumes, aiming to capitalise on the success of the original scent. In doing so, they save money on advertising and launching costs, by rehashing the same concept.

The term 'flanker' is used to describe a perfume that shares some attributes with an existing fragrance. These attributes may include the name, packaging, or notes of the original scent. For example, Dior's Poison was followed by flankers such as Hypnotic Poison and Pure Poison, which shared the same name and bottle shape but had different fragrances.

While flankers can be seen as an attempt to boost sales with minimal effort and creativity, they can also be viewed as a way for perfumers to reinterpret classics and create new and distinct compositions. They allow perfumers to add a touch of novelty to an existing fragrance, by reformulating the original composition and adding new ingredients or changing dosages to highlight specific raw materials.

Some flankers are simply variations on a theme, maintaining the basic structure of the original scent while amplifying certain accords or adding new top or heart notes. For example, Flowerbomb La Vie en Rose is a rosier version of the original gourmand fragrance. Other flankers may be completely unrelated to the original pillar fragrance, such as Dior's Hypnotic Poison, which has no resemblance to the original Poison aside from the bottle shape.

Flankers can be a successful business strategy, allowing brands to increase market share and capture new customers at a lower cost than launching a new fragrance. They can also help to extend the brand and create a family of fragrances under the original pillar. However, they are often seen as cynical, hastily thrown-together products that do not honour the original scent and can lead to confusion and devaluation of the perfume.

Ultimately, while flankers may be criticised for their lack of originality, they can also offer new and interesting takes on classic fragrances, providing perfumers with an opportunity to explore new olfactory directions while still preserving the spirit of the original scent.

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