marketing and branding

the why behind the cologne mix

OK, there we go: I mixed enough stock of my all natural, all botanical “COLOGNE DU MAGHREB” on Sunday for about 200 flacons. A few of these will go to friends and family and fans on facebook or with the blog.

But most of them will actually, provided there is an interest, retail in the US. Let us call it a “trial phase”. Not for the product in itself. There is no doubt on my side that the quality is fine. I feel very strongly since more than a year that this all natural cologne is actually going to be a part of the Tauer family at some point. It is as good a cologne as it might be an “eau fraiche” or a gentle eau de toilette with a cologne citrus burst. The Cologne du Maghreb together with a “cologne à la lavande” and a “cologne au vetiver” might ad wonderfully into my Tauer family of scents. All three are ready and sit there in the excel and wait for the decision at some time in 2012.

Thus, the trial is not about its scent quality. For me test is more on the side: How to communicate this totally different scent? It is different in terms of scent language (all botanical), it is also different as it follows the rules of how colognes are constructed.  Although, being Andy, I slightly bend these rules.

The trial is also about: What price level to set for such a scent. And the test is: Is there going to be a marke? I cannot figure a better test ground right now than Luckyscent.

Ultimately, being out there with this cologne baby with a retailer, will kick start the process of how to offer it.

The trial will be done with my “standard” 50 ml flacon, in my “standard” box with a “standard” ribbon that you might know from 3 years ago. Ultimately, I want to offer the colognes in about 70-100 ml size new flacons.  But at the core of it all is communication: Communication and maybe even sales channels for this line of scents might be different and very crucial. And after yesterday’s comments: Here is an idea for the claim that might go with a cologne line. “Sun, bottled. ”

Love it!

PS: the picture of today shows you what I have seen yesterday on my way home from the warehouse. A little water stream with three origami paper boats and some colored leaves. An allegory for the flow of things.