BEAUTY IN ASIA: INTER PARFUMS
Immersive brand strategy pays dividends for Inter Parfums in Asia
Carla Dupisson, International Operational Marketing Director, Inter Parfums tells Luke Barras-Hill why a 360-degree olfactive strategy centred on the right product, scent and packaging is resulting in heightened appeal for the firm’s brands in Asia Pacific.
I
nter Parfums Chairman and CEO Jean Madar pointed to the growing influence of Asia in the
publicly-traded firm’s year-end 2017 results. As the premier fragrance
company’s third biggest market, Asia sales growth of +8% tied in second with Western Europe, as total net sales at the group climbed by 13.5% to $591.3m. An enviable brand staple
features the likes of Abercrombie & Fitch, Coach, Anna Sui, Karl Lagerfeld, Oscar de la Renta, Paul Smith, Dunhill, Hollister and Agent Provocateur. Many of these perform well
in Asia, particularly frontrunner Anna Sui, which continues to carve out a reputation for novelty and innovation anchored firmly through its digital branding campaigns and engagement with bloggers and vloggers (video bloggers). “In Asia, we tend to provide
fragrances that are lighter, floral and fruity,” Carla Dupisson, International Operational Marketing Director, Inter Parfums tells TRBusiness. “Dependent on the brand, we will
focus on those that are successful and try to create merchandising and podiums instore to interact with the customer.”
Adaptation is key Unsurprisingly,
Inter Parfum’s
strategy is to focus on successful brands, but in a beauty market regularly feeling the pinch of increasing retail concession margins – not dissimilar from other categories in DF&TR – adaptation is key. “The price positioning depends
on the product, strategy, and image of the brand,” comments Dupisson when asked whether the firm has adopted specific pricing strategies for Asia GTR.
MAY 2018
Dupisson says novelty is a quality in abundance across Inter Parfum’s portfolio, with the established Asian travel favourite Anna Sui setting a benchmark for other labels such as Abercrombie & Fitch and Hollister in the region. One particular tactic is to launch
two scents at the same time, often men and women versions, to target specific markets such as Asia and rest of the world. Accordingly, this is playing out nicely for brands such as Hollister, says Dupisson. “To have men and women
(fragrances) is great because you have more space in store and it is more powerful,” she says. “It [Asia] is a huge market for us, so
we really try to adapt our packaging, and follow the trends.” During Chinese New Year in
February for example, Inter Parfums executed a series of impressive in-store animations.
Familiarity factor When it comes to the men’s fragrance sector, brand familiarity plays an even more important role. An example of this is Abercrombie
& Fitch, Dupisson explains. Despite already gaining a foothold in Asia as a fragrance brand in its own right, it continues to command strong recognition from males due to its strong fashion background. “Again, we try to immerse the
brand,” confirms Dupisson. “The challenge for some brands can be the brand awareness, but I feel with fragrances if you have a good 360-degree strategy – the right product, scent and packaging – they can work. You can see this with all the niche brands.” Inter Parfums’ Asia strategy will no
doubt be buoyed by a 15-year global licence agreement with Guess? To create, develop and distribute its
fragrances, announced in February. Inter Parfums now sells the Guess?
Brand into multiple channels, including department, speciality and duty free stores across the globe and supplies new and existing stores, including in Asia. In a statement at the time of the
annonucement in February, Madar expressed Inter Parfum’s desire to ‘fine-tune’ and build on the Guess? Fragrance portfolio of men’s and women’s scents, including launching its first new products in early 2020. “The brand has an international
recognition; we are really excited by this new acquisition,” concludes Dupisson. «
“The challenge for some brands can be brand awareness, but I feel with fragrances if you have a good 360-degree strategy – the right product, scent and packaging – they can work.”
Carla Dupisson, International Operational Marketing Director, Inter Parfums
TRBUSINESS 131
Above: Anna Sui gondola at Bangkok Airport.
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