Brands: Perfumers Tone Down the "Sexy" in the #MeToo Era

-Glossy

You could count on perfume marketers to go heavy on the sex, seduction and Hollywood glamour. But times are changing. Nowadays, perfume marketers are operating in a far more hard-edged environment, and they’re responding with message that ring a bit more like a self-help manifesto, positioning perfumes as empowerment tools for women to assert their true selves.

For example, Pinrose perfumes (sold on its website and at Sephora) are “made for real women, by real women.” Skylar Body, a direct-to-consumer brand, is “dedicated to helping each woman discover their unique, signature scent.” Philosophy’s Amazing Grace perfume is “an intimate expression of confidence and inner beauty.” Modern perfume marketing these days treats scents less as a way to lure men and more as a fierce declaration of independence.

“It’s less prescriptive and more about being your ‘authentic’ self,” said Cristina Black, the founder of C. Black Content, which works with brands including Givenchy and Hourglass to hone their voice and copy.

Indeed, it’s as if the omnipresent “You are enough” imagery on Instagram has been bottled and scented. This is in stark contrast to fragrance marketing of yore, when perfume was seen largely as a status symbol, and the market dominated by big-name designers like Chanel and Dior. Those companies trafficked in aspiration, channeling a luxurious lifestyle or the perfect sex life in their ads.

“You see a lot of romance and sex appeal in traditional perfume ads, but when we asked women why they actually wear perfume, there was really only one answer: because it makes them feel good,” said Cat Chen, a former executive at The Honest Company who founded Skylar Body. “It’s more about them and the way they feet than about the people they’re trying to impress.”

It’s niche brands like Skylar Body that are said to be fueling the current growth in the global fragrance market, which is expected to reach $70,000 billion by 2022, at a compound annual growth rate of 6.2 percent.

Perhaps as a result, even some of the original stalwarts are taking a pause with past practices, attempting to follow the lead of niche brands and reframe their scents as a personal token, unique to the wearer.

“It’s gotten very witchy and metaphysical,” said Black of this new angle. “The implication is: You’re going to wear this fragrance and send your special vibe out into the world.”