FRANCE. Parfums Givenchy has expanded its masculine portfolio with two new launches: Play and Pi Neo.
Play, fronted by US singer-songwriter, producer and actor Justin Timberlake, is described as “extremely modern yet totally timeless”. It began rolling out into selected markets last month, including France, Belgium, the UK, Switzerland, Greece, Russia and Kuwait. The full roll-out will be completed in 2009.
 |
Singer-songwriter, producer and actor Justin Timberlake demonstrates how to Play in style onboard his private jet |
The fragrance name – and its corresponding arrow “Play” symbol – is acknowledged as a universal code in the world of music and images. According to Givenchy, that single icon represents entertainment, curiosity, energy, movement and rhythm.
The Play fragrance is available in two compositions, Play Eau de Toilette and Play Eau de Toilette Intense. These are described as two scent “links” – different interpretations based on a common structure – whose patterns trigger unique waves of emotion in each individual.
The former features notes of bergamot, mandarin and bitter orange, grapefruit, black pepper, amyris wood, coffee flower, vetiver and patchouli. The latter shares several of these notes, enhanced by other ingredients such as a pink pepper, labdanum and coffee wood.
 |
Futuristic fragrance: Givenchy’s new Pi Neo |
The Play bottle, inspired by mobile multimedia devices, aims to embody hi-tech simplicity. Designed by Serge Mansau, it is a slim rectangle with rounded corners.
The edt packaging is transparent glass with black edges; the intense version incorporates smoky black glass. The outer carton is a minimalist black and white, enlivened with a touch of red.
The Play product line-up features 50ml and 100ml edt sprays, a 100ml after shave lotion, a 100ml after shave gel, a 150ml deo spray and a 75ml roll-on deo.
The advertising campaign depicts Timberlake in a series of snapshots, as though taken from a day in his life, for example, reclining in his private jet or working in a recording studio, all while listening to music.
The striking black-and-white campaign was shot by Tom Munro.
As previously reported, also new this second-half is the men’s fragrance Pi Neo, a follow-up to the original Pi, which was launched in 1998.
The scent was inspired by The Matrix film, which starred Keanu Reeves as a character called Neo. Accordingly, the fragrance concept is modern, hi-tech and futuristic. It aims to represent another dimension of the person who wears it, and open a door to the world of imagination, cyber-travel and dreams, according to Givenchy.
Pi Neo is described as a bright, “neo-woody” juice, opening on notes of bergamot and mandarin oranges. Its heart features elements of cedar and patchouli; vanilla aspects characterise the base.
Importantly, the scent’s structure (or matrix) is composed of three patented “captives”: Toscanol, Safraleine and Cosmone. These three synthetic notes are said to offer new sensations – and to change the sensorial perception of the scent.
The fragrance flacon is a futuristic, pyramidal shape, topped with a silvery chrome cap. The outer carton features an optical illusion 3-D effect: from a distance it appears to be navy blue; closer inspection reveals it to be pixellated with dots, for a sci-fi graphics effect.
The advertising visual, shot by Sølve Sundsbø, features a male model emerging from a well of white light.
MORE STORIES ON PARFUM GIVENCHY
Givenchy offers Absolutely Irrésistible new fragrance – 01/09/08
DFS/Givenchy “˜Dancing with Butterflies’ promotion creates 195 smiles for cleft children – 12/08/08
DFS and Givenchy start major Smile Train promotion – 29/07/08
Givenchy prepares for key second-half introductions – 03/07/08
