Connecting Consumers and Perfume Brands through Packaging

From the ancient civilizations of Egypt, Greece, Persia and Rome to the courts of Kings and Queens across the ages, perfume has been omnipresent. Throughout its long history, it has been used to communicate with the gods, served as a symbol of status and wealth and played a key role in the art of romance.

Today, perfumery is a multi-billion dollar industry and its influence is reflected in the annual celebration of International Fragrance Day (March 21). Part of the appeal of perfume is the power of scent itself to evoke memories and its ability to serve as an outward expression of an individual’s personality. 

With a seemingly endless array of options available to consumers, many perfume manufacturers rely on creative packaging to not only help break through the retail clutter but to capture the essence of the brand and appeal to its target consumer. An example of a brand that has successfully pushed the envelope is fashion designer Jean Paul Gaultier, whose perfumes have consistently been marketed in elegant, decorative tins from Crown. 

The versatility of metal makes it an ideal packaging option for perfume. For example, its ability to be manipulated into a vast variety of shapes can be leveraged to communicate the distinct attributes of each brand and to convey a sense of luxury and quality. Brand differentiation can be boosted even further by incorporating one (or more) decorative options that range from finishes such as crackle, gloss, matte, holographic to enhancements like embossing and mesh technology. Finally, the inherent properties of metal protect products from light and oxygen – both of which have the potential to affect a fragrance’s shelf life – and its sturdiness helps ensure products make their way through the supply chain without damage.