A Wren Says

If you haven’t heard of the fragrance Baccarat Rouge 540 (BR540), I would like to know where you live. Is it possible that you just never get data, or perhaps you are completely out of wifi range? I am surprised you’re able to read this post. The truth is that the fragrance from Maison Francis Kurkdijan went viral and still continues to be extremely popular. And all that from a niche fragrance brand without much of a marketing and advertising strategy to promote it.

Maison Francis Kurkdijan originally developed the fragrance for the crystal maker, Baccarat. Then years later it took off on TikTok. Yes, you could speak the scent itself as to being a big part of that. And if you want a breakdown of the notes and why it smells so good, you can find that on a different blog. Let’s talk about the moment.

As BR540 took off, the world was in a different place. The CoVid-19 pandemic left many people alone in their homes. To smell something became a key way of connecting to the world, a world that we were increasingly becoming afraid of touching. And many of those people would find themselves losing their sense of smell. Fragrance became a luxury that was appreciated with new found joy.

As we were confined, we were also seeking community. TikTok became a place to connect with people around the world. To jump on a trend was to be a part of something bigger than ourselves. It was a way to join a conversation and not feel alone.

As many people had to cancel their vacations, were no longer driving and filling up their gas tanks, and had no need to buy new clothes, they sought new ways to use up their disposable income. All of that money had to go somewhere. Why not find a new luxury to buy?

If you take the increased power of fragrance, a need for community/increased trend seeking, and greater disposable income, you could create the perfect storm for a successful fragrance launch. Even though, BR540 had already been on the market for years, the shifting social and economic environment made it the right time for the lesser-known brand to surge in popularity. The product was always good, but now the market finally wanted it.

Maybe you have a product idea? Or maybe you already have launched? Have you taken the time to do your environmental analysis? What are the trends and conditions that could be highly in your favor?