The Weird World Of Cologne Ads: Why So Strange?

Perfume and cologne commercials have become known for their bizarre content, often featuring celebrities or models acting out strange scenarios. The reason behind this unusual approach to advertising lies in the nature of the product itself. As scent is impossible to convey through television or computer screens, advertisers have to rely on imagination and fantasy to sell their products. This results in commercials that are surreal, intriguing, and sometimes provocative, aiming to confuse and excite viewers. The challenge of marketing a product based on scent has led to some memorable and odd advertising moments.

Selling a scent without the scent

The challenge of selling scent

Cologne and perfume advertisements have to rely on imagination, as it is impossible to convey a scent through a TV or computer screen. This means advertisers have to get creative and come up with ways to sell a product that cannot be seen or smelled.

Creating a fantasy

One way to tackle this challenge is to create a fantasy. Barbara Herman, the author of "Scent and Subversion: Decoding a Century of Provocative Perfume," explains that perfume offers a fantasy and sells a lifestyle. These ads often feature provocative and intriguing imagery, such as celebrities or models in exotic locations or taking part in unusual activities. They might also include sexual innuendos or promises that the product will make the wearer more desirable, powerful, or glamorous.

Standing out from the crowd

Another reason for the unusual nature of these ads is the need to stand out. As Jeffrey Carr, a clinical professor of marketing and entrepreneurship, points out, most people don't like advertising in general and may use ad breaks as an opportunity to do something else. Advertisers, therefore, have the challenge of making people stop and look, and a weird or intriguing ad is more likely to capture someone's attention.

Effectiveness

While it may be difficult to determine the direct impact of these unusual ads on sales, companies are likely to continue investing in them as long as they believe they are effective. Celebrities are often featured in these ads, and the fees they command would suggest that companies see value in this form of advertising.

A history of provocation

Perfume ads have a long history of being provocative. Before the 1950s, many ads sold the idea of "trapping" men through perfume. As feminism evolved, some perfume ads began to feature the idea of the "independent woman." For example, the fragrance Charlie, released in the early 1970s, offered the freedom for women to "traipse about town" and wear slacks.

So, while cologne and perfume ads may seem weird, there is a method to the madness. By creating a fantasy, standing out from the crowd, and drawing on a history of provocation, these ads find creative ways to sell a scent without the scent.

Selling a fantasy and a lifestyle

Cologne and perfume advertisements are selling a fantasy and a lifestyle. They are selling an idea and a promise of what you could become if you buy their product.

Barbara Herman, the author of "Scent and Subversion: Decoding a Century of Provocative Perfume", explains that perfume is a nonessential beauty product that is also invisible. This means that these ads have to do some "heavy lifting" to sell these products. They do this by creating a sense of mystery and intrigue, and by offering an escape into a fantasy world.

Jeffrey Carr, a clinical professor of marketing and entrepreneurship, adds that fragrance ads are also selling a lifestyle. They often feature extremely attractive couples in exotic locations, implying that if you buy this perfume, you too could be living a life of luxury and romance.

The challenge for advertisers is that they can't rely on showing the product to sell it, as you can with clothing or cars. Instead, they have to rely on imagination and create a world that you want to be a part of. They are selling a promise that your life will be better and more exciting if you buy this product.

This strategy seems to be working, as companies continue to invest heavily in these types of advertisements. When Charlize Theron became the face of Dior's J'adore perfume in 2004, she reportedly signed a three-year deal worth between $3 million and $5 million.

So, while these ads may seem weird, they are effective at selling a fantasy and a lifestyle that appeals to consumers.

Targeting the right audience

Cologne and perfume advertisements are often surreal and bizarre, and that's because advertisers are trying to sell a scent without actually being able to let the audience smell it. This is a unique challenge that marketers have to overcome. They have to rely on imagination and intrigue to sell the product.

So, how do you sell a smell without the smell? Well, you have to get creative. You have to sell the 'product's product'. In other words, you're selling the feeling that someone will get when wearing that cologne or perfume. This might be a sense of masculinity or femininity, or a feeling of power, freedom, or glamour. The advertisement has to be memorable and intriguing, and it has to convey a fantasy.

For example, an advertisement might feature a famous celebrity or a trusted brand ambassador. This personifies the fragrance and adds an element of trust and aspiration. The celebrity might be shown doing something adventurous or exciting, like riding a horse through the streets of Los Angeles or climbing into a helicopter. These advertisements often have a sense of mystery and intrigue, leaving the audience wondering what the fragrance might smell like.

The target audience for these advertisements is often women, as they are the primary purchasers of male perfumes. The ads, therefore, need to appeal to women, and they do so by selling a fantasy and a lifestyle. The ads might feature a couple on a sailing yacht or a beautiful woman emerging from a golden pool. They are selling a promise of a better life, a more desirable self, and an enhanced attractiveness.

These advertisements are also trying to cut through the noise. People don't like ads; they find them intrusive and often use ad breaks as an opportunity to do something else. So, cologne and perfume ads have to be weird and memorable to capture people's attention and prevent them from tuning out.

While it might be challenging to determine the direct impact of these ads on sales, companies continue to invest significant amounts of money into them. They believe that these unusual and creative advertisements are effective in selling their fragrances and conveying the right message to the target audience.

Provocation and sexual innuendo

Cologne and perfume advertisements have long been criticised for their provocative and risqué nature. The use of sexual innuendo and suggestive imagery is a common tactic employed by advertisers to sell their products. These advertisements often feature attractive celebrities or models who embody the aspirational lifestyle that the fragrance promises to deliver. By associating the product with sex appeal and glamour, advertisers can tap into consumers' desires for a more exciting and luxurious life.

The use of provocation in cologne and perfume ads can be traced back decades. Before the 1950s, for instance, it was common for these ads to sell the idea of "trapping" men through the use of fragrance. However, as social norms evolved, some perfume ads began to reflect the changing times by featuring strong, independent women. An example of this shift is the fragrance "Charlie," released in the early 1970s, which was marketed as offering freedom and a more modern lifestyle for women.

Despite these shifts, one constant in perfume and cologne advertising has been the promise of enhanced desirability and eroticism. As Barbara Herman, author of "Scent and Subversion: Decoding a Century of Provocative Perfume," notes, "Perfume ads have always promised to help you become more erotically enticing, more powerful, more glamorous, more mysterious, all through the lens of what that means for the era in which the ad was created."

The challenge of selling a scent without allowing the consumer to smell it often leads to unusual creative decisions in cologne and perfume ads. As a result, these advertisements often rely on surreal and fantastical imagery to capture viewers' attention and create a sense of intrigue. By presenting an aspirational and fantastical world, advertisers can induce consumers into a fantasy and create a sense of desire for the product.

While some may find these advertisements entertaining or intriguing, others may view them as ridiculous or excessive. Ultimately, the effectiveness of these ads is difficult to measure directly. However, the continued investment by companies in expensive celebrity endorsements and elaborate ad campaigns suggests that they believe these provocative and unusual ads are successful in driving sales.

Confusing, exciting, and creating mystery

Cologne and perfume advertisements are well-known for their peculiarity, and people have come to accept their weirdness. The challenge of marketing a scent is that you cannot showcase it using audio-visual media. This is why companies have to rely on imagination to sell their products.

Barbara Herman, author of "Scent and Subversion: Decoding a Century of Provocative Perfume" and founder of Eris Parfums, a luxury niche perfume brand, explains that these ads have to do some "heavy lifting" to sell these products. One way to do this is to confuse, excite, and create mystery. In other words, to be weird and intriguing and induct you into a fantasy. If perfume offers anything, it's fantasy.

The fact that you can't tell what a scent is like might be a perfume ad's greatest asset as well as its greatest liability. When something is an enigma, the fantasy can't be broken. This is why perfume ads often feature surreal and provocative scenarios that are hard to forget. For example, Natalie Portman climbing into a helicopter in mid-air after fleeing her own wedding, Zendaya riding a horse through the streets of downtown Los Angeles, or Emma Mackey running up a hill with lions. These ads create a sense of intrigue and fascination that captures the viewer's attention.

Additionally, cologne and perfume are non-essential beauty products that are invisible. This means that advertisers have to work harder to sell these products and create a desire for them. They do this by selling a lifestyle and a fantasy that the consumer can aspire to. Ads often feature impossibly beautiful couples in exotic locations or famous celebrities, creating a sense of glamour and luxury.

By creating weird and intriguing ads, cologne and perfume companies are able to cut through the noise and capture the attention of their target audience. While it may be confusing at first, these ads are designed to excite and create a sense of mystery that leaves a lasting impression.

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