The Les Exclusifs de Chanel fragrances
French fashion house Chanel is sharing the backstories of its most exclusive fragrances with an email campaign and shoppable content page.
Sent specifically to consumers on Chanel’s mailing list regarding its beauty and fragrance sector, the email’s subject line mentions “Exclusivity in 14 forms” but does not call out a specific product. This was paired with “complimentary overnight shipping” which may be the house’s attempt to compete with online deals on Cyber Monday Dec. 1, since many luxury brands do not participate.
“While adjusting the price of the products on Black Friday or Cyber Monday might suggest that certain products are lesser quality, or worth less than their initial asking price, offering an exclusive timeframe for free shipping provides consumers with an incentive to purchase Chanel’s products without lessening their value,” said Shamin Abas, president of Shamin Abas Public Relations, New York.
“The simple and elegant format of Chanel’s campaign effectively perpetuates the brand’s existing persona,” she said. “Although the campaign is facilitated through modern marketing tactics, the bold product imagery juxtaposed with classic black and white text speaks to Chanel’s timeless and sophisticated style.
“Rather than distracting the viewer with animations or complex graphics, the campaign is clearly focused on the product; the dictionary-like format of the text presents the individual product stories as fact rather than strategically crafted marketing language. While enhancing the campaign would not necessarily cause for the sophistication of the product to be lost, it could potentially suggest a more modernized brand image and contrast with the larger objective of promoting Chanel’s history.”
Ms. Abas is not affiliated with Chanel, but agreed to comment as an industry expert.
Chanel did not respond by press deadline.
Exclusive scents
Within Chanel’s email body received on Nov. 19, the consumer learns that the 14 forms of exclusivity are the brand’s line of Les Exclusifs de Chanel fragrances. The 14 scents in the collection are rare and were inspired by the life and love of brand founder, Gabrielle “Coco” Chanel, according to the email’s imagery.
Below in small print, reads text that explains that with a purchase consumers can select Les Exclusifs de Chanel fragrance samples for a limited time. Another section further down on the email informs consumers that the complimentary shipping, with the use of a provided code, was only valid until Nov. 20 at 5 p.m. ET.
Les Exclusifs de Chanel email body
A click-through on the text box and Les Exclusifs de Chanel imagery lands on the main product page for the 14 fragrances. A slideshow appears at the top of the page showing all 14 fragrance bottles in a row.
After the introduction slide a second appears that tells the story of the “14 pure forms” and “exceptional fragrances.” In a small paragraph, copy gives credit to master perfumer Ernest Beaux, the creator of Chanel N°5, for creating a number of Les Exclusifs de Chanel in the past, while modern day perfumer Jacques Polge composed the present scents.
The works created by Mr. Beaux and Mr. Polge drew inspiration from Coco Chanel, according to the blurb, and are considered “poetic testimonies to legendary places, materials she loves and the symbols that always followed.” Essentially, Chanel considers these fragrances “an essay” in the art of perfumery and a “timeless statement of style.”
Les Exclusifs de Chanel’s The Story
In the following 14 slides, the fragrances from the Les Exclusifs de Chanel collection scroll past automatically. When clicked, the slide will freeze slightly allowing the consumer to read the backstory or click “quick buy” to purchase.
Some consumers may find that the slides rush past too quickly, preventing them from reading the inspiration of the fragrance in full before the next scent appears. The speed of the slides may also result in consumers becoming frustrated and not engaging with this aspect of Chanel’s storied heritage.
The core collection of Les Exclusifs de Chanel includes N°22, Bois des Iles, Eau de Cologne, N°18, Bel Respiro, Sycomore, Jersey, Gardenia, Cuir de Russie, 31 Rue Cambon, Coromandel, 28 La Pausa, Beige and 1932. Well-versed fans of the brand may recognize the names of these fragrances as significant codes of the house that are commonly used in its marketing and products.
For example, Les Exclusifs de Chanel N°18 represents the address of Chanel’s jewelry boutique in Paris, whereas N°22 was created a year after N°5 in 1922, thus earning its name, and Jersey recalls Coco Chanel’s use of the fabric in the 1920s, before it was commonly used for women’s fashions.
Les Exclusifs de Chanel’s The Story for N°18
In the bottom portion of the consumer’s browser window, the full series is available for purchase. Chanel has organized the Les Exclusifs de Chanel bottles by size with 2.5 fl. oz. selling for $160 and the larger 6.8 fl. oz. version for $280 while the 15 ML Parfum editions have an asking price of $200.
Click-throughs on individual fragrances present the product pages where the scents’ backstories are retold.
Also on the product page is Chanel’s Gardenia Parfum Grand Extrait. The fragrance was created by Coco Chanel in 1924 and the Grand Extrait version is the house’s rarest and most collectible in form.
The $3,800 classic faceted bottle’s topper is secured by the baudruchage technique and comes in a handmade case for protection.
Origin stories
When marketing its products, Chanel often looks inward to tell the tales of its culture and heritage rather than using abstract narratives.
For example, the French couturier explored its Parisian routes with the latest chapter of its “Inside Chanel” series.
“Paris by Chanel” takes consumers on a tour of the five locations in the city that are most important to the house, including the Grand Palais, where the runway shows are now held, and its atelier on Rue Cambon.
Showing the spaces where important events in the brand have taken place helps to bridge the gap between the label’s past and present, while presenting Chanel as the most important Parisian brand (see story).
Chanel also explored aspects of its fashion designs through eyeshadow palettes inspired by its iconic use of tweed fabric to appeal to both established and aspirational consumers.
Connecting the Les 4 Ombres eyeshadow palettes to Chanel’s use of tweed fabric in its apparel allows aspirational consumers to access a code of the brand at an entry-level price point. Fashion houses often examine the history of their designs and incorporate these pillars into all facets of the brand (see story).
“Beginning with her involvement in the turn of the century women’s liberation movements, Coco Chanel built her namesake brand upon a foundation of rich cultural history,” Ms. Abas said. “By presenting their fragrances as having been inspired by Coco Chanel, and tying each product into either a specific element of her character, aspect of her life, or time in her career Chanel is promoting the idea that consumers can be a part of the larger story, and own a piece of the brand’s history for themselves.
“Referring to Coco Chanel [in this specific campaign] by her given name “Gabrielle,” Chanel is communicating with the consumer on an intimate level, encouraging an emotional tie to brand’s story and further promoting a personal relationship between the consumer and the brand,” she said.
“In addition, through promoting these individual stories over the quality or unique features of the fragrances, Chanel is selling the history, and lifestyle of their brand rather than just the products themselves. This approach allows current consumers to further their existing relationship with the brand by owning yet another element or piece of it’s history, while also providing an aspirational audience with a more attainable opportunity to be a part of the brand story.”
Final Take
Jen King, lead reporter on Luxury Daily, New York