On the day of the launch, Rebecca Mann spoke with Parfums Cacharel International General Manager Marie-Paule Thauzies about the Promesse concept and objectives. Back to the main story.
The Moodie Report: How would you define the role of the Cacharel brand within the L’Oréal group? What does it bring to the group’s wide and varied portfolio?
“Promesse is a new classic for us. It embodies all the feminine values of the brand. And this sort of classic is something we no longer had in the Cacharel portfolio… Our customers wanted us to keep a fantasy element, while coming closer to reality. And they also wanted to see a relationship with men. Because the other women didn’t have one and they asked us where they were.” |
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The Cacharel Promesse body lotion and coffret, available in November 2005 |
Marie-Paule Thauzies: Within fragrance, Cacharel is really an entry brand into the luxury market. We have the most democratic positioning, compared with other L’Oréal brands such as Armani, Lancôme and Viktor & Rolf. Cacharel is widely accessible and able to speak to a large target audience of women and men.
The Moodie Report: Given this accessibility, does it reach all ages?
Marie-Paule Thauzies: For the moment, with the exception of Anaïs Anaïs, Cacharel is a very young brand. The core target for Noa, for example, is 25-30, while for Amor Amor it is 15-25.
Anaïs Anaïs has both young and older consumers – in fact the average age of consumers in Europe is about 40-43. That’s because a lot of women who used it when they were young, in their teens, go back to it at other times in their life. They are very faithful to the product.
We believe that Cacharel has always been a brand for young people, but that the brand is young more in terms of spirit, than in terms of just age. And we think that we can reach all age groups by keeping this young, fresh spirit and emotional feeling. It’s more about a way to look at life, than just how old you are.
It’s the same for Cacharel fashion. It’s very feminine, free and colourful. You can wear it if you’re 20 or if you’re 40.
The Moodie Report: How important is the link between fragrance and fashion for Cacharel? There are many more high-profile fashion brands on the market, but what effect has the Clements Ribeiro renaissance had on the business [the duo were appointed creative directors of Cacharel in 2000]?
Marie-Paul Thauzies: For a very long time Cacharel fragrance lived by itself, without an existing fashion image. But since 2000 and the brand renewal achieved by Clements Ribeiro, we have been really inspired.
The designers have re-positioned Cacharel fashion a little higher in terms of price, but the fragrance needs to keep its democratic positioning. But that’s not an issue; in fact it’s normal”¦The fragrance market is so different in terms of price positioning and target compared with fashion, and we know that the people who buy fragrance are not often the same as those who buy the fashion.
But naturally, looking ahead we are working to be more and more linked to the fashion image. Of course, Promesse is not a representation of the fashion. But it has the same spirit as the fashion: freshness, freedom, tenderness, femininity.
The Moodie Report: How did the Promesse concept originate?
“Cacharel has never before had a story which speaks to a lot of women. Everyone, [regardless of age] is interested in life together as a couple, and the idea of happiness together. The emotion is totally universal and the name helps to express it.” |
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The TV spot shows the couple enjoying tender, intimate but playful moments together in their cocoon-like bedroom |
Marie-Paul Thauzies: The concept came from the necessity to develop the Cacharel portfolio of fragrances and to enlarge the brand’s target audience. Gloria was dedicated to very young women; Amor Amor is too and so now we really have to work on additional targets. The core target market for Promesse is aged 25-35.
Secondly, we wanted to create a new focal product, emblematic of the Cacharel femininity. Promesse is a new classic for us.
It embodies all the feminine values of the brand. And this sort of classic is something we no longer had in the Cacharel portfolio; Anaïs Anaïs is still important but it is considered to be an old fragrance, an old story.
What we discovered some years ago, through the research we did, is that Cacharel customers were waiting for the brand to become closer to “˜real life’. LouLou was different, but for Anaïs Anaïs and even Noa, the concept was all about a girl alone, seen as being too isolated in her own universe.
Our customers wanted us to keep a fantasy element, while coming closer to reality. And they also wanted to see a relationship with men. Because the other women didn’t have one and they asked us where they were.
The Moodie Report: Where do you anticipate Promesse will perform best?
Marie-Paule Thauzies: France and Spain, because historically these have been our most important markets in Europe. The UK is also a strong country for Anaïs Anaïs; it still ranks top six in England. Amor Amor is in the top 20, whereas it is top three/four in Spain and top ten in France.
The Moodie Report: How important is the consistent choice of French names for Cacharel fragrances? Why Promesse and not Promise?
Marie-Paule Thauzies: The brand has to keep a French touch; it’s a key part of Cacharel and it’s part of the specificity we have. And for the US market, for example, which is a major issue for us because we really have to develop this region as a priority, it’s very important to keep this French touch and French positioning. That’s why we prefer to use French and not English names.
With Promesse we were lucky to find a French word that is easy for Anglo-Saxons to understand and pronounce. Such an international name is so difficult to find for a fragrance.
It’s also “˜very Cacharel’ in terms of pronunciation. All Cacharel names are sweet to say, not strong or hard. Promesse is a poetic word, in line with the spirit of the brand.
“The brand has to keep a French touch; it’s a key part of Cacharel and it’s part of the specificity we have. And for the US market, for example, which is a major issue for us because we really have to develop this region as a priority, it’s very important to keep this French touch and French positioning. That’s why we prefer to use French and not English names. With Promesse we were lucky to find a French word that is easy for Anglo-Saxons to understand and pronounce.” |
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The Promesse flacon is a two-tone mix of clear and lilac-coloured glass, topped with a silver cap adorned with a ribbon design. The outer carton is also a mix of white and lilac, with a delicate flower motif |
The Moodie Report: Can you talk me through the launch schedule?
Marie-Paule Thauzies: The launch is scheduled for the beginning of September for all European countries and also North America. It’s the first time that Cacharel has launched Europe and the US markets at the same time. In fact, we launch worldwide this year with the exception of South America which is scheduled for the beginning of 2006.
The Moodie Report: Will Promesse be introduced to Asia?
Marie-Paule Thauzies: Yes, but it depends on which country. It should enter selected Asian doors sometime in 2006…Japan for example is a very small country for us, but we want to increase our presence there. We plan to start by introducing the Cacharel fragrance lines into the Cacharel boutiques, because the fashion is very dynamic and successful in Japan.
The boutiques are a better channel for us, because department stores are much more difficult, especially when you don’t have a cosmetics offer.
The Moodie Report: Ultimately, are there plans to extend Cacharel beyond fragrance and into the make-up or skincare sector at some point?
Marie-Paule Thauzies: It’s possible but it’s not a priority. We believe that we have a huge territory of expression still to explore on fragrance. We have lots of possibilities for feminine and masculine, young and less young lines. We have a lot of ideas about how to develop the brand in terms of fragrance in the years ahead, so at this point cosmetics is not a big concern.
We have a major opportunity now with Promesse. It’s new, and it’s easy to appreciate. The juice is very attractive, and we have had great test results for it.
At the same time, Cacharel has never before had a story which speaks to a lot of women. Everyone, [regardless of age] is interested in life together as a couple, and the idea of happiness together. The emotion is totally universal and the name helps to express it.
The concept is clear, consistent and accessible and we believe it can really touch all women.
MORE STORIES ON CACHAREL
Parfums Cacharel unveils new fragrant promise – 06/06/05
Amor Amor harnesses the lucrative power of love – 11/04/04
