Over the past couple of weeks, some of you have brought up the topic of perfume ads, and I couldn’t think of a better way to continue the discussion than by sharing Tinsel Creation’s Art and Perfume Advertising. It’s a series of articles and short posts exploring the evolution of perfume advertisements, the inspirations their creators drew from various art forms, and many other themes. Tinsel Creation is a blog by Jessica, whose perfume reviews you might know from Now Smell This. And if you don’t know this already, Jessica is a professional art historian and curator, and she’s perfectly qualified to explore this fascinating subject.
Jessica started her Art and Perfume Advertising series several years ago, so you have plenty of enjoyable reading ahead of you. For instance, you can learn how Estée Lauder’s Pleasures advertisement echoes the frothy charm of The Swing by Jean-Honoré Fragonard or ponder the similarities between a 1966 photograph of Jane Fonda on the beach and Jennifer Aniston’s fragrance image. Today the majority of a perfume’s budget is spent on the ads, and it’s interesting to reflect on which traditions they draw and what they mean to convey to us, the viewers and fragrance wearers.
Our reader Sofie proposes this question to you: has there been an ad that inspired you to try a perfume?
Image: Caron, 1961.
76 Comments
Karen: Perfect timing after all the discussions! Back in the 70’s, definitely influenced by the Charlie ads – cause didn’t want to be her? Striding so confidently and looking friendly but also so stylish.
Sometimes recently more likely to not try a fragrance because of the ads! December 26, 2014 at 7:27am
Annette Reynolds: Amen, Karen. Have seen some truly and stunningly off-putting fragrance ads over the past few years. (Don’t remember what they are right now, but know that I’ve looked at ads and said, “I will NEVER try that one…”) December 26, 2014 at 11:47am
Awfulknitter: Ha ha! Yes, modern fragrance adverts are more likely to put me off too. My absolute least favourites are the ads for Tom Ford’s Neroli Portofino. Somehow the cavorting couple seems preposterous to me – and maybe I also disapprove of the silly waste that they suggest! December 26, 2014 at 11:51am
Victoria: You know, that one rubs me the wrong way for the wastefulness of it all. Yes, I know, silly, but I just can’t look at it without cringing (and thinking how unpleasant it would be if someone dumped alcohol on my face). December 26, 2014 at 1:10pm
Victoria: Charlie, on the whole, was such a revolutionary perfume, and yes, those ads were great. December 26, 2014 at 1:08pm
Jack Sullivan: Funny you should bring that up Victoria – the reason I turned to niche perfumery in the first place was because of the wonderful ads that Serge Lutens made for Shiseido make-up line in the 80’s and 90’s. I thought that someone with such an acute sense of style could not do wrong with perfumes – and I was right, to this day this is still my go-to house. December 26, 2014 at 8:40am
Filomena813: Jack, I couldn’t agree more…Serge Lutens is also my go-to house. December 26, 2014 at 11:41am
Victoria: Those ads are amazing, and they really made me curious about makeup, photography and perfume! December 26, 2014 at 1:11pm
Alanagh Rea: I am loving 2 mini-films currently advertising perfume on tv. The first, an ad for Chanel No 5 directed by Baz Luhrmann, “The One That I Want”, with model Gisele Bundchen and Game of Thrones actor Michiel Huismann and Lo-Fang’s hauntingly beautiful version of “You’re The One That I Want”. The second, and maybe my favourite of the two, Dolce and Gabbana’s “The One” directed by Martin Scorsese and starring Scarlett Johansson and Matthew Mc Conaughey in “Street of Dreams”. Although not in the same league, I do think that Charlize Theron looks good in the ad for “J’adore” set to the music of London Grammar’s “Nightcall” but whereas the ad wouldn’t entice me back to “J’adore” after some years the D&C’s ad for “The One” might just do so. December 26, 2014 at 10:13am
Anne Sheffield: I agree with you on the Chanel n5 add. I love it, and so want to be that women! I love what she represent, a sporty women, a mother, a women and all that in the beautiful luxurious Chanel package. I even re tested N5, but infortunately it still disagree with me. I used to love the Coco chanel advert with Vanessa Paradis in a birds cage.
I am not a fan of the One advert. I don’t get the slogan ” we didn’t need anything back then”, bacause as far as I can see they didn t need anything appart from the pretty dress, the little sport car and the loft down town Manhattan… But it s probably just me misunderstanding it. Lots of love and happy festive time! December 26, 2014 at 10:31am
Filomena813: Anne, I also agree with you on the on both the Chanel ads and the D&C ads. December 26, 2014 at 11:44am
Alanagh Rea: “We didn’t need anything back then” refers to when they didn’t have anything/need anything except each other and love – even though they did need material things. They now have these material things – successful careers and all that goes with that but they don’t have each other. They are cryptic at the end when they discuss going back – are they going back for her to get her flight or are they going back to each other. December 26, 2014 at 1:36pm
annemarie: That’s how I interpret it too. I like the ad, and it certainly looks fabulous, but that exchange of lines (about needing anything/everything) almost doesn’t work. There are just a few too many brittle exchanges between the two of them already. By the time this one comes along, you half expect this one to be as meaningless as the others.
But I guess the point is that the two of them want to say some serious things to one another but don’t quite know how. December 26, 2014 at 5:58pm
Victoria: I’m going to take a look at those two films. I haven’t seen them yet. December 26, 2014 at 1:12pm
Alanagh Rea: Victoria, in reference to Anne’s comment above my reply to her comment on the ad for “The One” is “We didn’t need anything back then” refers to when they didn’t have anything/need anything except each other and love – even though they did need material things. They now have these material things – successful careers and all that goes with that but they don’t have each other. They are cryptic at the end when they discuss going back – are they going back for her to get her flight or are they going back to each other. December 26, 2014 at 1:40pm
Victoria: Gotcha! I saw your comment to Anne. December 26, 2014 at 1:50pm
Anne Sheffield: Yes, i understand and of course there was an underlying meaning, but to me it doesn t flow. There is something in the chanel ad that really touches me. Gisele is impossibly beautiful, but somehow this perception of am idéal hits home with me. I dont feel anything for The ONE ad. And as perfume is so Personal, people Probably want to be able to identify themselves in its advertising. What do you think? X December 26, 2014 at 2:13pm
solanace: I loved she surfing alone, found that very modern and empowering. And Gisele really can work her hair, even under water! December 27, 2014 at 4:12am
Kandice: Thank you so much for sharing this. It’s always fun to find another great website on perfume, and I love the historical and artistic background this one brings to the subject. I’ve already bookmarked it to follow regularly! December 26, 2014 at 10:31am
Victoria: It’s a wonderful blog, on the whole, and this topic is covered perfectly by Jessica. December 26, 2014 at 1:13pm
Joy: This is a great topic. I recall the original ad for Paris with the elegant woman in the large hat holding the most gorgeous bouguet of roses. To this day whenever I smell Paris by YSL I think of this ad even though the fragrance has changed somewhat. I am certain that it had an influence on my purchasing Paris.
I don’t spend a lot of time poring over fashion magazines as I used to, but the perfume ads always catch my eye. I also was very intrigued by the video on Chanel’s website on the creating of no.22 Poudre.
Joy December 26, 2014 at 11:30am
Victoria: It’s romantic and elegant. And of course, memorable. By contrast, I hated the ads for La Parisienne. December 26, 2014 at 1:17pm
annemarie: I loved those original ads for Paris, I used to cut them from the mags and keep them. And I wore the perfume like mad, until suddenly it smelled like bubble gum to me. Still does. I’m sure it’s me, not it. 🙂 December 26, 2014 at 6:00pm
Hannah: The Lolita Lempicka ad.
The Sicily by Dolce & Gabanna ad made me want to try it, but I don’t think I ever have.
Tom Ford was recently brought up negatively, but the Sahara Noir, Violet Blonde, and Santal Blush ads contributed to my interest in trying them. December 26, 2014 at 12:02pm
Victoria: I do like the ad for Violet Blonde, and I also liked the vintage, film noir feel of Black Orchid ad. December 26, 2014 at 1:18pm
andrea sd: Ad Films:
I loved Vanessa Paradis as Tweety in a cage whistling Gershwin for Coco de Chanel. December 26, 2014 at 12:39pm
Victoria: Me too! I loved that one. December 26, 2014 at 1:20pm
MontrealGirl: Like many of the other commentators, I’m turned off by the ads. The bigger the head or body shot, the less appealing I find it, such as Charlize Theron in J’Adore or Lady Gaga or Jennifer Lopez. I suppose it’s because it feels so manipulated, not at all about the perfume and I don’t want to be ‘them’. That’s not to say I don’t like a good ad. I stumbled across some of Serge Luten’s poster ads after I had smelled his line but I think had I seen them first they would have peaked my curiosity enough to seek them out. The beautiful shots of the bottles with the ingredients artistically place. I spend several hours scouring the internet looking for his various images. Gorgeous works of photographic art that convey the essence and beauty of perfume and the bottle. Fille En Aiguilles with the sand and pine backdrop, Vetiver oriental with the vertiver roots, even Nuit de Cellophane with the cellophane ‘crystal’… how original! Same goes for some of the Chanel poster ads with the focus on the shape of the bottle. It just feels classier and more authentic. The one ad that did work on me “Enchanted Forest” on the Fragrantica site which I went to seek out because of it.
On a related note, I just started re-watching the BBC 3-part documentary on Youtube called “Perfume” and watching the development of the advertising for Hilfiger’s LOUD perfume even before the ‘juice’ is made and the ra-ra of the marketing and sales people just reinforces my dislike of that kind of advertising. December 26, 2014 at 12:59pm
Victoria: These days the juice and the ads/bottles are developed separately. Of course, the perfumers might received guidance as to what the color of the product should be or might even see a picture of the bottle, but many brands simply collect juices and then market test several and pick whichever one scores better. In other words, it becomes hard to create a fragrance that has a seamless, perfect relationship with the other components.
And a bad marketing concept can kill a perfume easily, even if the fragrance itself is very good. December 26, 2014 at 1:24pm
George: The search for the patchouli plant- hilarious! December 26, 2014 at 3:31pm
Karen: It’s funny because there aren’t really any celebrities nowadays that inspire me to try the fragrance they are promoting/spokesperson for. But…. Catherine Deneuve, even if I did not already love #5, I would have been inspired to try it when she was their spokesperson.
Perhaps for me, the celebrities of the past seem to have had their own style, bought their own clothes and jewels, and weren’t simply a product placement body. December 26, 2014 at 5:20pm
Karen: Also, the BBC series was a bit disappointing to me. So much potential for information and inspiration, but was left a bit wondering why I had just wasted my time watching! December 26, 2014 at 5:22pm
MontrealGirl: Yes, that was the saddest looking patchouli plant ever but they acted like it was the greatest success. It was funny! December 26, 2014 at 9:59pm
Victoria: In which part of the documentary was this patchouli episode? I tried watching it, but it was really just too dull, so I never got to the patchouli. December 28, 2014 at 10:12am
George: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=annRzLYrRwM
watch 38:00 to 41:15 isn December 28, 2014 at 12:15pm
George: If you watch further, you will hear the PR person from Lauder use the phrase “genuine authenticity”, which I find very interesting. December 28, 2014 at 12:20pm
Victoria: Well, who knew that one could have fake authenticity…. December 28, 2014 at 12:28pm
Victoria: Thank you, it was really funny. December 28, 2014 at 12:34pm
Deborah: Egoiste. That was a crazy movie and it really did make me want to smell the fragrance. December 26, 2014 at 6:08pm
Victoria: One of the most memorable, and I wanted to try the perfume based on that commercial. December 28, 2014 at 10:12am
annemarie: Like others, I’m turned off many of the sexually explicit ads from Tom Ford. But compared to the earliest ads for Calvin Klein’s Obsession, the Tom Ford ads are explicit, yes, but because of that unambiguous and rather dull. The Obsession ads are much more subtle and enter dangerous territory because they are about sexual obsession, including, in one ad, the obsession of a boy for an older woman.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PFpTHWNIJMU December 26, 2014 at 6:11pm
Victoria: Yes, it’s open to so many more interpretations. December 28, 2014 at 10:14am
Katz: As much as Tom Ford’s ads can come across as overly crass sometimes, I appreciate that he uses models of color and older women in his perfume and makeup ads. I feel like young, white women star in 99.99999999% of perfume ads … as a black woman, it definitely makes me feel somewhat isolated and neglected by the perfume industry. (I’m not pointing fingers at any particular brand, by the way, it’s a collective industry problem.) You would think that fragrance companies would at least use more middle eastern and asian models in their ads, considering how much they’ve been targeting those markets in recent releases. December 26, 2014 at 10:21pm
annemarie: Good point indeed. Fragrance ads are even less likely than cosmetics ads to use models of colour, it seems. Estee Lauder has a reasonable record, a bit tokenistic perhaps but better than many others. The day Chanel employs a black woman for their ads I’ll eat my hat. Meanwhile Lupita Nyong’o for Lancome is absolutely stunning! December 27, 2014 at 1:41am
Hannah: Marilyn Monroe appearing in ads for Chanel No. 5 only got support, which means a deceased woman got that job before a black model or actress who is actually looking for work.
Tom Ford has Sahara Noir with Lais Ribeiro and White Patchouli with Erykah Badu. Betty Adewole is in the cosmetics ads. December 27, 2014 at 5:47am
solanace: Yes, very good point! They got a Brazilian model for Chanel, but it’s a German immigrant… December 27, 2014 at 4:19am
Victoria: I completely understand what you mean, and I find it very frustrating, simply because there is no diversity in the choice of models. Or very little. You can find more older ads with women of color, like Darnella Thomas in Charlie’s ad, Houbigant’s Chantilly or Pucci Vivara. December 28, 2014 at 10:20am
Tourmaline: Hi Victoria,
Thank you for this article and the link to Art and Perfume Advertising. I have collected perfume advertisements from magazines since about 1976, so I’m sure that I will enjoy exploring the articles.
In answer to Sofie’s question, I recall being intrigued by the ads for Poison when it was released in 1985. I loved the two-page spread with the closed-eyed, violet-lipped woman swathed in indigo satin robes and turban, offering a bottle of the perfume on her lace-gloved hand, with the logo, “Poison is my potion”. But my favourite is the one with the lady whose arms and fingers are arranged like the trunk and branches of a tree, sprouting glossy bottles like pieces of purple fruit. The original perfume remains one of my staples.
I like browsing through vintage magazines at second-hand stores, and I am always thrilled to find a magazine with an ad that I don’t have in my collection. Also, one of my aunts frequents garage sales, and she sometimes buys me old magazines that are a treasure trove of interesting articles and ads. A couple of years ago she gave me a magazine that had a wonderful seventies ad for Y, and a 1978 copy of “Belle” that had ads for Miss Dior and Eau Sauvage.
I particularly like some of the older ads, from the time before it became common to link a celebrity with a particular fragrance. Many of these ads are paintings that are timeless and elegant.
Amongst my books on perfume is one that hits the mark in this regard – “Classic Perfume Advertising, 1920-1970” (2007) by Jacqueline Johnson. I just checked Amazon and it is still available for as little as $27.00 for new, hardcover copies. As it says in the description, “this beautiful book has over 370 magnificent images, in full color”. I can recommend it to anyone who is interested in the older perfume ads.
Two related books that I bought in 2011 from a great Australian online book company called Clouston & Hall Booksellers Pty. Ltd. (otherwise known as Academic Remainders) are “All Made Up: 100 Years of Cosmetics Advertising” (2008) by Penny Dade, and “Drink Talking: 100 Years of Alcohol Advertising” (2008), also by Penny Dade. These are smallish paperback books. I just checked the website and they are still available for $15 each. Don’t use Amazon because the lowest price for a used copy of the first book is currently $88.48, although a used copy of the second book is $18.00.
(No, I don’t have shares in Clouston & Hall! However I have bought literally hundreds of books from the company since my father introduced me to it in 2009. The vast majority of their books are remainders, so they have the lowest prices that you are likely to find.) December 27, 2014 at 2:44am
Victoria: Terrific recommendations! I will have to take a look. Clearly, we are influenced by advertising, so it’s always interesting to learn more.
The Poison ads are so striking! December 28, 2014 at 10:21am
Karen: More books for the reading list! Thanks for the suggestions. December 29, 2014 at 7:48am
Victoria: These really sound like great books. They’re now on my reading list for 2015. December 29, 2014 at 10:26am
solanace: I not only bought, but insisted on wearing Magie Noire for years, until I liked it, because of the ad. Very educational. December 27, 2014 at 4:23am
Victoria: A stunning ad! Simple and powerful. December 28, 2014 at 10:25am
Karen: Just looked up the ads and they are striking, could definitely see trying it based on the ads. December 29, 2014 at 7:51am
Victoria: Aren’t they! You can really sense the character of this perfume just from the ad. December 29, 2014 at 10:25am
Villette: But no one has mentioned the ads for Dior scents illustrated by René Gruau! For Miss Dior, a white swan outlined in sweeping black brushstrokes, sailing over calm waters and sporting a black bow and a pearl necklace. For Diorama, Gruau drew a Louis XVI chair covered in Dior pink. An unseen wearer has tossed a pair of long white gloves and a spectacular black scarf on the seat… the ads make one want to embrace the scents and enter that world. Alas, I know that now the scents are nothing like the ones Dior offered in the 1950s and 1960s, so I am never tempted to buy, or even try. It would be too sad, a reminder of what we’ve lost. December 27, 2014 at 8:00am
Victoria: All of those Gruau ads are really marvelous, and the images are so memorable. In the other thread, Karen asked how such ads would be received today, and I wonder too. December 28, 2014 at 10:26am
Sofie: Haha, nice to see what a little rant can lead too :-). Thank you very much for the link Victoria, this will be so much fun to browse through!
The first ad that really inspired me to try its scent was Dior Eau Sauvage, via your blog. I read your description, and the ad made me smile, it all piqued my interest. I don’t really know exactly why this one, but I was intrigued. It wasn’t first love for my newbie nose though :-). I rather like it’s offspring O de Lancôme, I’m thinking of buying a FB of that. And now I find myself stealing spritzes of Eau Sauvage when I pass a Dior counter, because I really want to like it, for the ad :-). December 27, 2014 at 8:53am
Victoria: Thank you for inspiring the discussion, Sofie. 🙂 December 28, 2014 at 10:26am
spe: Those Dior ads sound spectacular!
The one ad that stays in my mind is by Caron titled “Coming to America”. It is a drawing of an enormous ship – the front of it – coming right at you…direct, powerful, exciting (for the time)!
The other ad that I liked was the Allure ad campaign. I purchased the fragrance because of those ads. They were typically in black and white. One of the models had my coloring. December 27, 2014 at 9:02am
Victoria: Caron has several beautiful ads. I also love their Poivre and Or et Noir ads. December 28, 2014 at 10:27am
Ariadne: The print ad for Tabu with the pianist’s and violinist’s torrid kiss. December 27, 2014 at 9:38am
Victoria: Yes! One simply wants to know about the perfume she’s wearing. 🙂 December 28, 2014 at 10:28am
Elisa: The CK One ads, for sure — those grungy black and white ones featuring Kate Moss et al. December 27, 2014 at 3:13pm
Victoria: And they seemed so different from anything that came before! December 28, 2014 at 10:29am
Maria B: Thank you for using the image of the Nuit de Noël ad. It’s one of my favorite fragrances, and, as I always wear it at Christmas because of the name, it’s particularly reminiscent of the beauty and warmth of the holiday. December 27, 2014 at 3:14pm
Victoria: I think that it’s one of the most perfectly named perfumes. I also reach for it a lot around this time of year, and its chestnut-like, mossy warmth is wonderful when you sit by the window and watch the snow blanket the cold city. December 28, 2014 at 10:31am
Jessica @ Tinsel Creation: Thank you, Victoria!! I really appreciate this mention… and I’ve enjoyed reading all the comments. They brought back some wonderful memories. December 28, 2014 at 1:20pm
Victoria: Thank you so much for the articles, Jessica! They are just a pleasure to read and I really learned a lot. Can’t wait for new posts! December 28, 2014 at 4:19pm
johanob: There was a print ad for Patou Joy in the local magazines,somewhere in the late 90’s.Bunches of flowers and a lady jumping for joy(lol).It looked so abundant and JOY-ful that eveb as a kid,that 1 left a lasting impression on me.I remember also being fascinated by the names of perfumes in ads back then:Amarige,Byzance,Tocade,Samsara…they all sounded so exotic when said out loud.YEARS later I would be even more fascinated by the actual perfumes,especially Byzance,and Samsara. December 29, 2014 at 2:16am
johanob: I just googled that Joy ad!It seems I imagined the bunches of flowers,but yes,she looks JOY-ful indeed! December 29, 2014 at 3:10am
Victoria: I googled Joy ads too, and I see what you mean. Samsara ads with a brunette wearing crimson red attracted me too. I wanted to be the woman who could pull off that look and that perfume. 🙂 December 29, 2014 at 10:27am
Anne-Catherine: Back in the 80’s, as a teenager, I collected advertisements about perfume, make-up and skincare: my favourites were Shiseido, Chanel, Cacharel, Estee Lauder. I stopped when I went to university. Now I feel like starting this again. I kept them all in folders, and I still have them (parents house).
I think the advertisement of Loulou made me buy it when it was new.
More recently, the ads (and film) of premier jour by Hermes convinced me of buying it. Most of the time I don’t like grapefruit, I got bored of it quite soon, but managed to empty the bottle.
Now I’m really fascinated by the ad of the new perfume True Lust (Etat libre d’orange). it’s edgy and so different and I can’t wait to try it. If I buy it, the ad will certainly have helped with it. January 24, 2015 at 5:52am
Victoria: I’m off to look at the ad for True Lust. I haven’t seen it yet. January 24, 2015 at 9:54am
Anne-Catherine: What do you think of it? To me it feels like a completely different approach to aesthetics. First you see a beautiful girl with bold red lips, she forces you to look at her and then you notice the artificial colour of her eyes. I prefer this a lot to the fake long legs and erased wrinkles, this is honest artificiality. More of this ambiguity in ads please! January 25, 2015 at 12:55pm
Victoria: You’re right, it’s striking because it’s ambiguous. A memorable ad. January 26, 2015 at 11:16am