Monthly Archives: November 2011

What does success smell like?

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After reading a blog post by Khadija Zeeshan called Ralph Lauren Rocks and also discussing Rihanna’s latest perfume called Reb’l Fleur I began thinking more and more about the fragrance industry, specifically the ones made by celebrities.  Khadija made a great point by using Kotler’s model to say that marketers must connect the core values of their product to the personality traits of the individual wearing it.

Personally, I never buy a perfume just because it smells nice, there are many other factors to consider like the warmth, intensity, notes, and spices.  Maybe I overcomplicate it but I think what a person smells like says a lot about who they are.  I am someone who is sweet, funny, compassionate, and full of life and what I want is for my perfume to represent the brand that is Naz, so my current perfume is Flower bomb by Viktor and Rofl because it represented me the best.

It’s description is: “Creamy, balmy notes reveal a sensuous, almost “tactile” perfume. The amber in the base note is enriched by a pure vanilla absolute and benzoin, giving the strength of a powerful elixir.”

Despite the fact that a lot of people may use it as well, I believe this scent to be my own. Even my friends say it suits me perfectly! 🙂

So what does any of this have to do with Rihanna’s perfume ad? Well when I first saw the interactive video I thought it was a very cool and unique idea; however, I knew right away that I would never buy it.  I am not a Rihanna hater but I am also not her biggest fan; i’m indifferent to her.  Conversely, one of my friends, who recently bought this perfume, is a huge fan and constantly talks about how beautiful and successful she is.  I wonder if she thinks buying Reb’l Fleur will make her more beautiful and successful like Rihanna….

Like I said before, there is so much more to marketing a perfume that simply “it smells good”, and I think that celebrity scents are especially difficult to promote.  They may have target markets and be geared to people with a specific style but unless that person likes that celebrity then I don’t think they will buy it.  My scent is a part of my style, it is what my friends recognize me by, and it’s a small taste of my personality.  A smell can bring on a flood of memories and even influence people’s moods so why would I buy something that constantly reminds me of a celebrity I don’t particularly care for?

In the words of Christine Dior ” A woman’s perfume tells more about her than her handwriting”.

Welcome to our brand! How may I befriend you today?

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When I first started working in retail I was around 14 years old. I did not have any work experience and I had no clue about what it meant to give excellent customer service.  Much like Eliza Lee, I didn’t think that a sales associate could significantly change the store sales let alone the brand image.  After a few weeks working at Banana Republic, I realized I was completely wrong.  I saw that sales people and customers had a mutually beneficial relationship that was built on trust and genuine care.  Numerous members of my team have met their close friends because they were once customers at our store.  Often times some customers will walk in and ask for a certain person by name to help them, and if that person is busy or not scheduled that day the customer will walk out not buying anything.  Some people may see that as a bad thing, but actually that is what a long-term customer who experiences brand love acts like.  That customer will be back again to buy very soon.  Conversely, if the customer who did shop was not satisfied with the service they received they would have a negative image of the store in their mind and they would probably voice their opinion to their social network, which would not be good for the company image.  It isn’t about who can sell the most today anymore; many companies aim to create these bonds because they know that they generate the most amount of revenue in the long term.  

       As we have been going through this course, I understand that the sales person takes a huge role in the positioning of the brand.  The company knows that customers cannot understand what Banana Republic is about through TV advertisements, billboards, and visual displays alone, so they rely on us to show them.  All associates in my store represent the image of the company: assessable luxury that is elegant, versatile, and soulful.  Everything about us from the way we dress to the way we interact with out customers embodies this image.  Positioning happens from the time they see our window displays to the time one of our associates tells them “see you later, and have a great day!” 

       Essentially, it is up to the associates in the store to support the brand image and whether or not they can do a good job of that directly influences store sales and positioning in the minds of customers.