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Paco Rabanne Olympéa: Travel retail will be a vital platform for the brand, says Puig |
Puig has unveiled Olympéa, the new feminine fragrance from the house of Paco Rabanne. It is one of the group’s biggest initiatives of the year and is among Puig’s most ambitious beauty launches yet.
The new pillar fragrance is the women’s counterpart to men’s brand Invictus, launched in 2013. Where possible, Olympéa will be merchandised as a master brand alongside Invictus – and the company said it hopes it can exceed the sales success of the men’s fragrance.
Olympéa was initially presented to selected international media in March in Paris (embargoed until now). The Moodie Report was the exclusive travel retail media at the launch event, which took place at the city’s Musée Bourdelle (home to sculptor Antoine Bourdelle’s workshop and gallery).
Paco Rabanne Fragrances International Marketing Director Jean Holtzmann told The Moodie Report that travel retail would be a key platform for the launch, and was a proven channel for raising awareness of the Paco Rabanne range, from One Million to Invictus.
The full travel retail range includes an edp in 80ml, 50ml and 30ml sizes (30ml only in the Americas); body lotion, shower gel and deo-spray, plus a tri-pack launch set exclusive to the channel – which will be available in Europe and Middle East travel retail.
In Europe travel retail, there are over 160 animations planned with key partners including Gebr Heinemann, Word Duty Free Group (WDFG), Aelia and Dufry/Nuance. This will include an emphasis on “retail-tainment”, featuring a photocall initiative, encouraging female passengers to pose like goddesses. This will be accompanied by significant airport media investment through digital networks at Paris Charles de Gaulle, Paris Orly, Palma de Mallorca, Madrid T4 and Heathrow, as well as a special media site at Barcelona T1. To date, there are also 26 inflight listings in the region including Air France, Iberia, British Airways, South African Airlines, Corsaire and Alitalia.
In Americas travel retail there are over 380 animations planned with key partners, including retail-tainment activity at major locations and a mega-event with Dufry Brazil during November. On-airport media investment will take place at Buenos Aires, Panama, Lima, Santiago and New York JFK airports.
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The company plans travel retail activations with key partners worldwide |
In Middle East travel retail, activity is planned at all major airports, starting with Qatar Duty Free and WDFG in Kuwait. There is major digital media investment planned with Dubai Duty Free from September to support the launch.
In Asia Pacific travel retail, activity is planned with key partners at all major airports for the Paco Rabanne brand in the region, including Bangkok, Manila, Singapore, Bali, Colombo, New Delhi and Mumbai.
The marketing drive will be supported by an advertising film by Alexandre Courtès, set in a mixed antique-contemporary setting, which includes a whimsical play on the idea of women as goddesses and conquerors.
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Olympéa is the feminine counterpart to male line Invictus, released in 2013; Puig says it hopes the new fragrance can exceed the performance of Invictus |
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On the fragrance itself, Puig described Olympéa as “a new olfactory adventure,” combining “a salty vanilla accord and the freshness of floral notes”. The product was a collaboration between perfume specialists Loc Dong, Anne Flipo, Dominique Ropion and IFF.
Speaking at the media launch event, Perfumer Loc Dong said the development of Olympéa had been a three-year project and “an exploration of “˜new freshness’ with a salty component.”
He noted: “On one side there is a floral influence that is all about freshness and marine influences. On the other side there is salt, which is connected to and comes from water.
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Paco Rabanne Fragrances International Marketing Director Jean Holtzmann introduces the new line to media at a major event in March |
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Perfumer Loc Dong outlines the inspiration for the feminine line |
“In the region of Vietnam where I was born, salt is harvested through the evaporation of sea water. Salt rapidly appeared to me as the starting point, as the symbol of freshness for Olympéa. For the floral and feminine aspect, I suggested working essentially with hydroponic jasmine. This soilless technique removes the earthy notes and exalts the bouquet. When creating my fragrances, I like to play on opposing universes, like yin and yang. To counter-balance this freshness, I brought roundness with a very sensual, enveloping vanilla.”
He added: “Paco Rabanne stands for boldness, daring, modernity – yet it doesn’t take itself too seriously. It should be fun.”
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The fragrance combines both salty and floral ingredients |
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The Marc Ange-created bottle has a circular design, said to represent femininity, with art deco codes, copper wings and a diamond-cut cap.
Brazilian model Luma is the face of the new fragrance. Speaking at the media launch event, she said: “For me it is an honour to work with such a creative brand. It’s a dream come true. I see Olympéa as a fragrance with power, charm and sensuality.”
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Brazilian model Luma is the face of the new fragrance; below she talks with Jean Holtzmann about her involvement in the project | |
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Jean Holtzmann said: “Over 50 years ago Paco Rabanne imagined women as modern heroes and goddesses; that was the dream of Invictus but the idea of power is not only a masculine dream, it’s also feminine. It brings into focus a contemporary view of women as goddesses. It is a new universe and a new fantasy. Olympéa is a very feminine symbol of power.”
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The Musée Bourdelle in Paris was home to a stunning media reveal in March |
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Puig and Paco Rabanne hosted a stunning evening for international press at the Musée Bourdelle after the reveal |
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