Secrets of Perfume Bottles 2

There are some brands out there with some really fabulous bottles and in this post I would like to highlight just a few of my favorites:

Thierry Mugler

Thierry Mugler’s avant-garde style has been successfully translated into each and every bottle design. His bottles create a touch of nobility.A jewel,talisman or curved flask - each bottle enhances the Muglerian scents. There is something space-age about the designs and they emulate the fantasy of the Mugler brand. For Mugler the bottle is a vision -crafting a bluecrystal star for Angel took more than 2 years to create.

Thierry Mugler’s avant-garde style has been successfully translated into each and every bottle design. His bottles create a touch of nobility.A jewel,talisman or curved flask - each bottle enhances the Muglerian scents. There is something space-age about the designs and they emulate the fantasy of the Mugler brand. For Mugler the bottle is a vision -crafting a bluecrystal star for Angel took more than 2 years to create.

Guerlain

Guerlain has always attached great importance to its bottles, which are like jewels, works of art, sculptures with rounded forms and precious, gilded colours. I discovered a droplet of gold in Idylle's bottle. A form at once simple and complete, a feminine form with a woman’s shapely hips, a form that soars like a tower, full of grace and sensuality.

Insolence bottle was created by French sculptor - Serge Mansau, who created theas three stacked, tilting half spheres, resembling a spinning top or spiral in movement to fit the fragnance's "olfactive spiral"structure.People had divided opinions on the look. Some found it innovative and beautifully shaped, while others thought it was too futuristic for Guerlain, or even a bit silly, often mentioned as the "dishes in the kitchen sink" bottle. Cardiet Design, a Parisian firm, filed a lawsuit alleging that Guerlain had copied one of their designs, but Guerlain maintained that the Insolence bottle was inspired by a sculpture Serge Mansau made in 1973, and Cardiet Design later dropped the case.

Secrets of the Perfume Bottles

A major part of the allure of a fragrance is actually found in the perfume bottles, not only in the scent. The marketing gurus and the collectors know that true scent pleasure arrives in a highly attractive container.
Perfume bottles - offered in a variety of sizes, colors, and materials - reflect the personality of the scent and invariably draw the attention of consumers who are attracted to the packaging. 
The bottle's personality is just as significant as that of the fragrance and can be just as responsible for overall sales. For those who have not even tested the perfume, the bottle itself can be the selling point; the thing that prompts them to try the perfume initially. Rare materials, designer presentation, sophisticated ranges - nothing is left to chance in the quest to tease the senses and create the illusion. Limited editions and vintage versions also play a significant role in enabling timeless scents to constantly renew their image and acquire new devotees.

Few Key Points to consider about Perfume Bottles:

Importance of Branding

o    The perfume bottle's design serves to communicate the product's entire brand. A recognizable bottle instantly identifies the scent.

Attraction

o    Perfume bottles are made to stand out from the crowd. Using bright colors, sleek shapes, beautiful glass work and attractive packaging, bottles help catch a customer's eye.

Why Glass?

o    Most high-end fragrances are sold in glass bottles. Glass keeps a scent contained, and can be sculpted into a variety of beautiful designs.

Cultural and Social Forces Affecting Perfumes Purchase

Smell is not just a biological and psychological experience, it is also a social and cultural phenomenon.  The choice of perfumes is a complex decision making process that the customer has to go through. There are different elements that marketing gurus such as Kottler and Keller recognized as consumer behaviors factors : cultural, social and personal factors.

Culture is one of the most major influencers in consumer behaviour. Consumption choices cannot be understood without taking into consideration the culture in which they are made. Consumer products and services are a part of the system of meaning. The system is often culturally shared and culture specific and it is passed on from one generation to another. One of the world’s largest cosmetics companies L’Oreal has realized the importance of tailoring products according to consumers’ culture. 

Family, social roles and statuses as well as different reference groups are some of the social factors that, in addition to culture, affect consumer behaviour. In terms of choosing the perfume one’s decision can be easily influenced by the fact that someone in the family has used the perfume before or simply has recommended it.  Social roles and statuses also affect the way people choose to buy or not to buy a certain product or a service. Therefore the  choice of a certain perfume distinguish one from the different social classes and gives other a hint on the message the person is sending to the society. Furthermore, personal characteristics also influence a consumer’s behaviour. Examples of personal characteristics include the consumer’s age, occupation, economic circumstances, personality, self-concept, lifestyle and values.Last but not least ,probably the most important factor while choosing the perfume is personality of the customer. It refers to the person’s way of living as expressed in activities, interests and opinions  that often reflect unconscious motives underlying purchasing decisions.

Perfumes show the personality of the person who is using it, or who are we trying to be that is why  personality is probably one of the most important traits while trying to identify why customers are choosing this and not the other brand .

References:

http://www.sirc.org/publik/smell_culture.html

https://publications.theseus.fi/bitstream/handle/10024/26464/Thesis.pdf?sequence=1

http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2008/dec/22/recession-cosmetics-lipstick