Vera Wang Aims For Perfect Union With Men’s Market
This article was originally published in The Rose Sheet
Executive Summary
Unilever will launch an $18 mil. marketing campaign to support the January debut of Vera Wang for Men, marking the wedding gown designer's first effort to target the men's fragrance market, Unilever Prestige said
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Unilever will launch an $18 mil. marketing campaign to support the January debut of Vera Wang for Men , marking the wedding gown designer's first effort to target the men's fragrance market, Unilever Prestige said. Marketing plans call for 30 mil. scented fragrance impressions, including print ads and samples. Print ads are slated to break in February issues of women's fashion and beauty books, as well as men's lifestyle books. Ads will carry a dual scented strip of Vera Wang for Men coupled with Vera Wang for Women . The ad visual features a bride and groom in an embrace and the tagline, "Vera Wang for Men. Make him your own." Ads were shot in Paris by photographer Paolo Roversi and feature models Vivien Solari and Jason Elliott. The ad image captures the positioning of the fragrance, which is inspired by partnership and the intimacy and romance shared by a couple, according to Unilever. A sampling initiative will include distribution of deluxe minis, vial-on-card samples and dual women's and men's deluxe samples. The introduction of the men's fragrance comes two years after the launch of Wang's eponymous women's scent (1 (Also see "Unilever Lifts Veil On Premiere Vera Wang Fragrance" - HBW Insight, 10 Dec, 2001.), p. 7). The fragrance is continuing to perform above expectations, according to Unilever. In designing the women's scent, Unilever focused on the concept of a couple with the intention of adding a men's counterpart to the brand, the company noted. The ad visual for Vera Wang for Men was shot simultaneously with the women's ad campaign to reflect the same positioning. The men's version will be targeted to both men and women, Unilever said, adding, "Women play a critical role in the fragrance decision making purchases for men and obviously are a key audience for this brand." Vera Wang for Men will roll out gradually, bowing in January exclusively in Saks Fifth Avenue's 62 doors. Distribution will then be expanded to include an additional 250 department store doors such as Nordstrom, Neiman Marcus and Bloomingdale's. Vera Wang's women's fragrance is sold in 800 doors, a distribution level the men's counterpart is expected to reach in May. The fragrance will not be widely distributed internationally; it will be launched in Holt Renfrew doors in Canada in January and will bow in the UK in February. Vera Wang for Men is expected to generate first-year sales of $10 mil., industry sources estimate. The women's scent will remain the predominant sales driver; the two fragrances combined are targeted to achieve $42 mil. next year. Designed by International Flavors and Fragrances, Vera Wang for Men is an aromatic Oriental scent. The fragrance notes are divided into three different categories described as the "attraction," the "seduction" and the "commitment." The attraction notes include green mandarin leaf and yuzu zest, while the seduction comprises nutmeg, leather and anise. The commitment features sandalwood and tobacco accords. The cognac-colored juice is housed in a weighted glass decanter with a platinum-colored collar and a wood-grained cap with "Vera Wang for Men" embossed on the front. The bottle is designed to complement the elegant, sophisticated packaging of the women's fragrance, the firm said. Vera Wang for Men will be available in 3.4 oz. and 1.7 oz. eau de toilettes, which will retail for $65 and $45, respectively. The fragrance will be accompanied by ancillaries including aftershave balm ($45), hair and body wash ($30) and deodorant ($18.50). The introduction is the first under a new management team at Unilever Cosmetics International. The company appointed Laura Klauberg senior VP-Marketing of Unilever Cosmetics International, succeeding three presidents 2 ('The Rose Sheet' Oct. 13, 2003, In Brief). Klauberg still reports to UCI President Kevin Boyce. Unilever recently said it intends to ramp up its innovation program in the prestige fragrance division (3 (Also see "Unilever Cosmetics International Innovation Revival Underway" - HBW Insight, 3 Nov, 2003.), p. 10). |