Scented Obscurity

Fragrance brands embrace unusual smells amid competitive markets

Implications - Obscure scents are being adopted by fragrance brands looking to stand out online and in-store. As competition intensifies in markets flooded with the latest consumer services and products, increasingly unusual routes are being used to attract attention. This speaks to the longstanding significance of shock value, which continues to spark public interest.
Workshop Question - How can you increase your reach and expand into adjacent categories through sensorial engagement?

Trend Themes

  1. Unusual Scents — Fragrance brands are adopting obscure scents for shock value and to stand out in competitive markets.
  2. Iconography-inspired Fragrances — Fragrance brands are finding inspiration for scents from popular culture, like Star Wars and iconic company products.
  3. Mature Candy Scents — Perfume scents are incorporating darker, deeper notes to take candy scents in a more mature direction.

Industry Implications

  1. Fragrance — The fragrance industry is constantly innovating by experimenting with new scents and finding inspiration from popular culture.
  2. Personal Care — While some fragrance products are inspired by iconic company products, personal care companies can explore this trend further by innovating in new scent directions while using logos and packaging from their most successful product lines.
  3. Pet Care — While cat lovers may appreciate the company that created a perfume mimicking cat's foreheads, new pet care brands can explore different scents as well as any gaps in the market such as dog scent sprays for owners with allergies.
3.1
Score
Popularity
Activity
Freshness
Patterns
Megatrends
5 Featured, 43 Examples:
303,125 Total Clicks
Date Range:
Jul 15 — Dec 15
Trending:
Mild
Consumer Insight Topics:

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