Katrina Rosales
In perfumery, a flanker is a new fragrance that shares some attributes with an already existing perfume. These attributes may include the name, packaging, or notes of the original fragrance. Flankers are typically launched by major brands that are distributed by large retailers, and they are often used as a commercial strategy to maintain brand awareness without having to redevelop the bottle. While flankers can bring something new to an existing fragrance series, they may also dilute brand value if released too frequently.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Definition | A newly created perfume that shares some attributes of an already existing perfume |
| Examples | Dior's Poison (1985) was followed by flankers Tendre Poison (1994), Hypnotic Poison (1998), Pure Poison (2004), Midnight Poison (2007), and Poison Girl (2016) |
| Paco Rabanne's "1 Million" (2008) was followed by flanker "Lady Million" (2010) | |
| Kenzo World Power is a flanker of Kenzo World | |
| Ferragamo Sublime Leather is a flanker of Ferragamo (2020) | |
| Marc Jacobs' Daisy Wild is a flanker of Daisy (2007) | |
| Attributes shared with original perfume | Name, packaging, or notes of the existing fragrance |
| Commercial strategy | Flankers are a commercial strategy to leverage existing brand awareness without redeveloping the bottle |
| Brand impact | Flankers can dilute brand value in the long term due to repetitive rereleases |
| Niche brands | Flankers are rare in true niche brands as they may cannibalize sales of existing scents |
| Creative challenge | Flankers present an exciting creative challenge for fragrance developers |
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What You'll Learn
Flankers are a commercial strategy
Johanna Monange, founder of Maison 21G and former creative director for International Flavors and Fragrances, explains the commercial strategy behind flankers: "You don't need to redevelop the bottle. You just change the colour, and you keep the brand awareness, which is already there." This strategy allows perfume brands to make small changes to an existing fragrance, such as altering the colour or making subtle variations to the scent, without having to invest in creating a completely new product.
Flankers are typically released annually, much more frequently than new scents, which are usually launched every three to five years. This frequent release schedule helps to generate continuous interest and excitement among consumers, who are always anticipating the next variation of their favourite fragrance.
While flankers can be a successful commercial strategy, there is a risk of oversaturation and brand dilution if too many flankers are released. As Monange warns, "When you start to do flankers, when you start to do promotion, you're killing your brand in the long term. You're making short revenue, but you kill brand equity." Therefore, it is important for perfume brands to strike a balance and not rely too heavily on flankers as a commercial strategy.
Additionally, flankers are more commonly associated with major brands and mass-market fragrances. Niche brands that cater to a specific audience may risk cannibalizing their existing sales by releasing flankers. As fragrance developer and founder of Arquiste, Carlos Huber, explains, "Flankers are mostly launched and requested or demanded by big retailers... The brands that you are seeing launch flankers are because they're at Sephora, they're at Ulta."
Overall, flankers are a commercial strategy that allows perfume brands to capitalize on the success of an existing fragrance while offering new variations to consumers. Examples of successful flankers include Salvatore Ferragamo's Sublime Leather, a flanker to Ferragamo, and Marc Jacobs' Daisy Wild, a flanker to Daisy. While this strategy can be lucrative, it must be carefully managed to avoid negative long-term brand implications.
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They are offshoots of popular fragrances
A perfume flanker is a newly created 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 offshoots of popular fragrances, or "pillars", that bring something new to the series. For example, if we consider Marc Jacobs' Daisy as the pillar, Daisy Dream would be its flanker. Flankers are an easy way for brands to build upon an existing franchise while offering something novel to consumers.
The purest example of a flanker is a fragrance that takes the olfactory signature of the original and extends it in a natural direction, amplifying key facets and nuances, or subverting them. For instance, Girl of Now Forever is a flanker that stays true to the spirit of Girl of Now by playing with its signature sweet almond core. Girl of Now Forever amplifies the original's crunchy almond notes with succulent orange flower and raspberry and cassis fruitiness, resulting in a fragrance that feels both familiar and new.
Kenzo World Power is another example of a successful flanker. While Kenzo World is a pleasant abstract floral, World Power stands out with its unexpected composition, where the sweet creaminess of vanilla clashes against the savoury, mineral scent of sea salt crystals, creating a lasting impression.
Perfume flankers are often driven by commercial demands, particularly from large retailers. They allow major brands to shine a light on an existing franchise with minimal risk, as flankers typically retain brand awareness and only require minor changes to the bottle design or colour. However, releasing too many flankers can dilute brand value and equity over time.
While flankers are common in designer or mass fragrance lines, they are rarely seen in true niche brands. Niche brands cater to a narrow audience, and launching flankers may risk cannibalizing sales of their existing scents. Additionally, flankers often have a shorter lifespan and are continuously replaced by new releases to meet consumer demands for novelty and artistic expression.
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They share attributes with existing perfumes
A perfume flanker is a new version or variation of an existing fragrance. Flankers share attributes with their predecessor, but also offer something novel. They are often created to appeal to a new audience or to extend the life of a popular fragrance.
Perfumers will typically tweak one or more elements of the original perfume, such as enhancing certain notes, adding new ones, or changing the overall composition. For example, a perfumer might amplify a particular accord or add a new note to alter the impression of the original scent. This could be done by adding new ingredients or changing dosages to highlight a particular raw material. Flankers may also share the same name as the original fragrance, with an additional word or two, and come in similar packaging.
The creation of a flanker is a complex process. The perfumer must preserve the spirit and original universe of the perfume while giving it a different angle and orienting it in a new olfactory direction. Flankers are often criticised for their lack of creativity and originality, and the abundance of choices can lead to confusion and devaluation of perfume. However, some flankers are able to recreate the magic of the original while showcasing the perfumer's skill with new notes.
Some well-known examples of perfume flankers include Dior's Poison, which was followed by Tendre Poison, Hypnotic Poison, Pure Poison, Midnight Poison, and Poison Girl. Paco Rabanne's "1 Million" for men was followed by "Lady Million" for women, which shared very similar packaging with the original fragrance.
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Flankers can be better than the original
In perfumery, a flanker is a newly created 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 often considered inferior to their predecessor, as they are sometimes simply a marketing ploy to capitalize on the success of the original. However, there are several reasons why flankers can be better than the original scent.
Firstly, flankers allow perfumers to build upon and improve existing fragrances. By releasing a flanker, perfumers can refine and enhance the original scent, making it more interesting and charismatic. This is especially true in the luxury domain, where flankers from brands like Gucci, Guerlain, and Cartier have been noted to be much more captivating than their original versions.
Secondly, flankers provide an opportunity to explore different variations of a fragrance. They can amplify or twist certain nuances of the original scent, creating something entirely new and unique. For example, Mugler's Angel Muse takes the sharp, chocolate-patchouli-vanilla scent of Angel and smooths it out with a nutty blend of hazelnut, patchouli, and vanilla, resulting in a super creamy Nutella-like fragrance.
Thirdly, flankers can offer a more affordable option for consumers. While the original fragrance may be expensive and targeted towards luxury buyers, flankers often provide a similar scent at a more accessible price point. This makes the fragrance more widely available to those who may not be able to afford the original.
Additionally, flankers can cater to diverse consumer preferences. By releasing multiple flankers, perfumers can appeal to a wider range of tastes and preferences. For instance, Kenzo World Power, a flanker of Kenzo World, stands out by combining opposing forces of sweet vanilla and savoury sea salt crystals, creating an unexpected composition that leaves a lasting impression.
Lastly, flankers can extend the lifespan of a fragrance franchise. By releasing flankers, perfumers can keep the interest in the original fragrance alive and introduce it to new generations of consumers. This strategy can ensure the longevity and continued success of a perfume that may have otherwise faded in popularity.
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They are released annually by major brands
Flankers are a commercial strategy employed by major perfume brands to extend an existing fragrance line. They are released annually to meet consumer demand for novelty and to maintain brand awareness. Flankers typically make up about 30-40% of a major brand's overall production.
For example, Dior's 1985 fragrance Poison was followed by Tendre Poison in 1994, Hypnotic Poison in 1998, Pure Poison in 2004, Midnight Poison in 2007, and Poison Girl in 2016. Each of these flankers built on the success of the original Poison fragrance by offering a new twist or variation while retaining some of the original attributes, such as the name, packaging, or notes of the existing fragrance.
Another example is Paco Rabanne's highly successful 2008 perfume for men, "1 Million", which was followed by a flanker for women, "Lady Million", in 2010. The flanker shared similar packaging with the original fragrance, allowing the brand to maintain its brand awareness.
Some flankers can even surpass the success of the original fragrance they are based on. For instance, Kenzo World Power, a flanker to Kenzo World, stood out with its unique composition of sweet vanilla and savoury sea salt crystals, creating a lasting impression that overshadowed the simplicity of its predecessor.
While flankers are common among major brands, they are rarely seen in true niche brands. This is because flankers are often driven by commercial demands rather than creative instincts, and niche brands typically cater to a narrow audience that values unique, creative fragrances over repetitive rereleases.
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Frequently asked questions
A perfume flanker is a newly created fragrance that shares some attributes of an already existing perfume. These attributes may be the name, packaging, or notes of the existing fragrance.
Yes, an example of a perfume flanker is Dior's Tendre Poison, Hypnotic Poison, Pure Poison, Midnight Poison, and Poison Girl, which all share attributes with the original 1985 fragrance Poison.
Perfume flankers are a commercial strategy for brands to build on an existing franchise while offering something new. Flankers are also a way for brands to maintain brand awareness without having to redevelop a new bottle.
Flankers take the olfactory signature of the original fragrance and extend it in a natural direction, amplifying key facets and nuances, or subverting them. For example, a flanker might amplify a particular nuance of a familiar scent by adding a new note or twisting the original scent.
Not always. Sometimes a flanker might only share the name of the original fragrance, or it might have completely different notes. In these cases, it might not be considered a true flanker.
