It’s been a big year for Beauté Prestige International (BPI). In January the company extended its fragrance portfolio via a licence agreement with fashion designer Azzedine Alaïa. In April it further strengthened its distribution business, by becoming the exclusive distributor of Burberry fragrances and cosmetics in Spain, France and the US, as well as for most travel retail markets in Europe and some Asia Pacific doors. Moreover, those new developments have been complemented by a selection of high-profile launches from its existing beauty brands, such as Le Beau Male and the 20th anniversary edition of Classique from Jean Paul Gaultier; L’Eau d’Issey Absolue from Issey Miyake; and the 10th anniversary edition of For Her from Narciso Rodriguez.
“2013 has been a good year,” BPI Operational Marketing Director Travel Retail Sarah-Alix Pailloncy-Xuriguera told The Moodie Report, at this year’s Tax Free World Exhibition in Cannes. “The end will be a bit more challenging compared with the beginning – simply because we had so many strong activities and launches in the first semester – but globally our results are good. Our travel retail business is around +3% year to date.”
Pailloncy-Xuriguera revealed that Narciso Rodriguez and Elie Saab had performed particularly well this year. “All of our first-half launches have done well, but Narciso and Eli Saab are really driving growth”¦and market share,” she explained.
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A selection of BPI’s first-semester fragrance launches | |
There are equally high hopes for the debut Azzedine Alaïa fragrance, expected in spring 2015, the year before BPI is set to lose its successful Jean Paul Gaultier business, when that fragrance licence expires in 2016.
“Azzedine Alaïa couture is just amazing,” noted Pailloncy-Xuriguera. “We are very, very proud to have signed this contract to develop the brand’s first fragrance.
“I cannot say too much about the strategy at this stage, as it is very early days, and we are still fine-tuning everything. But Azzedine Alaïa brings a territory of expression that is completely different from all our existing fragrances. So once again we have partnered with a designer that has no history in fragrance, who will bring something completely unique to our portfolio.”
The impending Gaultier loss – though undoubtedly a blow – has prompted BPI to focus firmly on the future, and on other business opportunities, including distribution.
“The business model of BPI has changed,” confirmed Pailloncy-Xuriguera. “We now have two different arms: the licences and the distribution.” She added: “The Burberry deal is not completely new, in the sense that we already had domestic agreements in place with Hermès and Ferragamo Parfums. But [the Burberry deal] includes travel retail too, which is a new type of mission.”
High-profile promotions
Another focus for BPI’s travel retail team this year has been the creation of impactful airport animations.
“We have continued to implement big projects and big events in key airports,” Pailloncy-Xuriguera confirmed. “For example, in March we created a multi-brand event in Frankfurt with Gebr Heinemann – our new version of the Journey of Scents.”
She added: “We targeted two other airports this year: Dubai and Barcelona. We had four events in Barcelona, one each for Issey Miyake, Gaultier, Narciso and Burberry. We installed podiums and hostesses to encourage sampling and distribute flyers inviting consumers to visit the shop. It worked very well, generating high levels of sales.
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An artist’s impression of the “Journey of Scents” podium |
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BPI and Gebr Heinemann’s successful 2012 “Scented Tour Around the World” event |
“There is huge traffic in Barcelona, which is a strategic airport for us,” Pailloncy-Xuriguera commented. “We perform strongly there with all of our brands. In addition, we have a good relationship with the travel retailer [World Duty Free Group], which allows us to experiment in a very impactful way, which is not possible everywhere.”
She continued: “In Dubai we partnered with Dubai Duty Free to create a retail-tainment initiative in the airport concourse, as opposed to inside the store. The event we held to mark the launch of Elie Saab Eau de Parfum Intense, in May and June, was a huge success. We managed to sell up to 270 products a day.”
Looking ahead to 2014, BPI will introduce new launches from all of its existing brands – including Jean Paul Gaultier. “Until 2016 it is business as usual for Gaultier,” Pailloncy-Xuriguera noted firmly. “We still have more than two years of sales ahead of us so it’s a brand we will continue to innovate on and support.”
“Azzedine Alaïa brings a territory of expression that is completely different from all our existing fragrances. So once again we have partnered with a designer that has no history in [scent], who will bring something completely unique to our portfolio.“ |
Sarah-Alix Pailloncy-Xuriguera Operational Marketing Director Travel Retail Beauté Prestige International |
Next year, both Classique and Le Male will be promoted via a new “On The Docks” ad campaign. At the beginning of 2014, each fragrance will be further promoted with limited-edition Anchor and Boudoir versions, complete with accessories: an anchor key chain for La Male; and a mirror for Classique. Lastly, a new Classique Eau de Parfum Intense feminine fragrance will be unveiled in September 2014.
That same month will see the launch of a key new masculine scent from Issey Miyake, described by the brand as a “deep and strong fragrance based on the mutual attraction between man and nature”.
In addition, next year Miyake will be updated with a new visual identity that marks the return of the presence of water within the brand’s universe. And the spring animation will feature an “Ode to Nature” theme based on three olfactory ingredients: yuzu, lotus and mint.
The Narciso Rodriguez portfolio will be extended in January 2014 with a larger 150ml version of For Her. New gift packs will be also be available. In addition, For Her Amber Musc – originally available only in the Gulf region – will be offered to the travel retail channel worldwide.
The 2014 novelties for Elie Saab will include the oriental Le Parfum L’Eau Couture scent, which features a pastel sea-green colour scheme. At the end of the year BPI will introduce a luxury, limited edition of the designer’s debut Le Parfum fragrance, in gold-plated packaging.
“We have major launches coming next year for all our brands,” Pailloncy-Xuriguera concluded. “And we will continue to invest strongly in POS animation and airport events.”
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