Mostly because I’m in marketing, I have followed the launch of Dita von Teese’s perfume with a lot of interest. More than any celebrity perfume I can think of since Sarah Jessica Parker’s Lovely, I’ve thought Dita’s perfume had the potential to be a commercial and artistic success. Dita is beautiful, has a unique point of view and a devoted fan base, and has spoken knowledgeably about her appreciation for perfume and the development process of her scent. She also appears to have curated her image with an extraordinary attention to detail and commitment to her unique aesthetic. In addition, the perfume itself was created by perfumer Nathalie Lorson, whose work includes the well-regarded perfumes Encre Noir by Lalique, Miroir des Voluptes by Thierry Mugler, and Olfactive Studio’s Autoportrait. All of these things point to the potential for a very special perfume that would be easy and fun to market — a dream account for an agency.
But, there have been missteps at almost every point since the marketing and PR machine was set in motion. As I wrote in my 2011 wrap-up post, I thought the marketing for Dita von Teese’s perfume was the biggest marketing failure of the year. Seeking (and getting) so much press in the UK and the US at the time of the soft launch in Germany was a bad idea. It generated excitement and didn’t give consumers outside Germany anywhere to direct that excitement (i.e., a place to buy the perfume). In my experience, they’ll have a hard time generating that amount of interest a second time.
And on top of this poor logistical decision, there have been problems with communication quality as well. The perfume page on Dita’s website is unattractive and uninformative. The initial press release created confusion that the perfume is called ‘Femme Totale’ (see here), while the corrected press release is occasionally nonsensical (“the opulent odeur of the glamorous sensualism”). And, all the materials are rife with grammatical errors. (The Facebook page and Twitter feed are currently administered by a German company [appropriately], and I overlook minor grammatical errors on those. Anyone who communicates well in a foreign language earns my respect.)
From the press, and Dita’s statements that she didn’t want a fruity or gourmand fragrance, I expected the scent to be different from most of the modern perfumes on the market, and to have a slightly vintage feel. The notes are bergamot, peony, pepper, jasmine, tiare, rose, patchouli, guaiac wood, sandalwood, incense, musk. (via) For some reason, what I did not expect was a white floral.
It has the cheap, strongly rubbing alcohol opening of the typical drugstore perfume. This is disappointing, but let’s be honest: many department store fragrances have this as well. It lasts less than a minute, and then the white florals become apparent. The peony and pepper combine for a sweet-spicy effect, while the jasmine and tiare are a surprisingly tactile background. Gradually, the rose emerges. It’s a kind of pralined rose, and with the jasmine and tiare also joining in, it is very pretty. Does it have a vintage feel? I would say it feels like a classic white floral feel with added tiare and without any dirty elements. Like a de-tuberosed Fracas with a hint of tropical-ity.
That it is romantic, warm, and sensual but also clean is what makes it feel unique to me. It reminds me of a garden at dusk, when the flowers are heady from the heat of the day, but everything is quiet in that moment just before dinner.
“I can remember how I stood waiting for you in the garden — holding all my self in my arms like a basket of flowers.” — F. Scott Fitzgerald, Tender is the Night
It’s a disarming quality, and I can’t help thinking of Dita von Teese’s voice; her California-girl accent is such an unexpected foil to her glamorous image. I have been happily wearing the perfume during the two or three hours that it inhabits this pretty space. Although there isn’t a ton of development, there is enough that it feels fairly multi-dimensional. What it accomplishes, without sweetness and using only floral notes, is interesting. It reminds me of other perfumes, but captures my attention in a way that most florals don’t. I truly like it.
Unfortunately, the drydown comes too soon. If I strain, I can catch the barest hint of dry incense, but the rest is just a cheap musky remnant on my wrist. It’s sad, like a hangover after a wonderful night.
I think it’s clear that the pricepoint works against this perfume. The concept is good and the problems with the execution seem to be the result of poor quality ingredients. I would happily pay more for a drydown that extended the pretty phase of the fragrance. And I think it is good enough to sell really well if it weren’t for that drydown. Of course, it’s probably too late to change the formula. It isn’t too late, though, to run a tighter marketing ship.
***
Rating is a 3: I like it! Why? The rating on this should probably be a 2.5, but I’m bumping it because it’s a perfume that I think succeeds in a genre I don’t much like, usually. And there’s just something about it. Anyway, it’s my rating system, and it’s subjective. Objectively, this is a pretty simple white floral comprised of inexpensive ingredients that flops in the drydown.
I haven’t read many reviews of Dita von Teese perfume that aren’t in German. As they begin to appear online, I’ll try to update this page with links. If you’ve seen reviews, please let me know in the comments!
My bottle of Dita von Teese parfum was my own acquisition. I’m never paid or otherwise compensated for my reviews. First photograph is from Askmen.com. Second is my own.
I too am interested in trying the scent in its own right when it gets here (UK).
However, I have to agree that that unfortunate dress and unhappy pose illustrate all too well the various “boobs” and mishaps that the campaign has experienced!
Anna, nice to “see” you.
I’m looking forward to wider distribution, as I’m curious to hear what others think. As I mentioned in the post, I like it, so it will be fun to hear if others agree or disagree.
Are you referring to the bondage-y dress she is wearing in the advertisements? I thought that one was not her most flattering, and indeed is a good metaphor for the marketing campaign! I just came across one today from the launch that was better, so I’ve replaced the generic one I had originally had with the post.
I was interested to get your take on both the marketing campaign and the perfume itself, which I tried in Switzerland recently. However, this was only on card, and the impression was fleeting but broadly positive. I immediately thought: “This is pleasant and pretty” and “I wouldn’t mind wearing this”, which is good going for me testing a scent on card at the best of times. I can’t therefore comment on the drydown, but will look out for this again, as I am in Germany next Wednesday as it happens and might bump into it at the airport.
If I come across any reviews in German, am happy to report back the topline verdict – as Olfactoria would too, of course!
Oh, thanks for reporting, Vanessa! It sounds like this might be one arena in which you and I are at a similar level of shyness in terms of shying away from the big massive white floral. Maybe. I’ll look forward to hearing what you think if you get your hands on it later this week.
And thanks for the offer on the German translation! I would be curious to know if you get a sense of consensus opinion from the SAs or if you run across anything interesting online.
At least, I think it was Switzerland. A German-speaking country, certainly!
You are so spot on with your view of the marketing, it has been an massive cock up right from the start. Just to clarify, is it not called ‘Femme Totale’?
As for the perfume, it sounds disappointing, I had very high hopes for it. I will still look to try it when it’s available here though.
Cock up is right! And yes, they completely revised the press release after that first issue. Obviously, most everyone thought it was called Femme Totale, since that was in the headline. Very bizarre.
I have to say I’m actually not disappointed in it. But that could be because to me it smells very much like California. I usually find white florals either too delicate and “miss-ish”, too full blown and diva-ish (as Vanessa suggested), or too tropical (which I consider a different category for a different mood). This one isn’t any of those “toos”, and thus works better for me. I’m most interested to hear your take and Sheila’s on it, so hopefully they will get themselves together soon and start distributing it!
Hopefully they will, I’m definitely intrigued, it sounds like it’s got the balance right.
Natalie, what I really found fascinating about your post was your assessment of the marketing of this perfume. If I had a company and was going to launch a product, I’d definitely want to hire you!
As for the perfume, I would expect a white floral for Dita Von Teese, as white florals can be such fabulous divas, and because DVT is famous for her alabaster skin, a white floral would be even more fitting. But it sounds like they took the safe, mainstream route with this scent — and that’s an even worse mistake than the marketing flubs, in my opinion.
Thank you so much, Suzanne. I’m glad you found it interesting. I was a bit worried I’d gone on too much!
As for the perfume, it may well be too mainstream. I’m afraid I don’t have the white floral knowledge to do much comparison. I’m looking forward to the Candy Perfume Boy’s review!
I know, it’s shallow but I like the bottle. And if I ever see this perfume in a store I’ll try it. And I think that actual customers (those real millions of buyers) haven’t even heard that this perfume has been released (I haven’t) – so for them it will be a completely new campaign (if they ever decide to run it in the US).
One thing I forgot to mention about this, and should have, is that the packaging is actually quite good. The box has a pinstriped theme that isn’t just printed on, it actually is tactile, almost like grosgrain ribbon or something. And the tassel that you see is affixed to the spray nozzle via a little clip that also prevents the sprayer from discharging (while at the same time the tassle prevents you from losing the clip). And then, although the bottle looks like a cylinder, one side of it is slightly flattened so it won’t roll off a shelf. So everything that I thought “Hmm, how will that work” about the bottle was solved.
I just can’t wait to try it, but not here yet, let’s see if someday arrives…
This seems to fit in with what I’m looking for in most perfumes: a bomb.
It looks bombastic, but who knows? Today it’s not easy to find this quality anymore.
(the most bombastic formulation I’ve experienced in years was the first 10 minutes of Lyric, but then you know…)
It is a bit outrageous, but not truly bombastic. (My opinion) We’ll see when it arrives to you!
oh, Outrageous sounds perfect!
Really enjoyed your take on the marketing of this perfume as well your impressions. I was rather worried when I clicked the website link and saw it was selling for 28 euros, which is really drustore cheap. What you say about the fragrance bears this out. At that budget you’re going to get that harsh opening blast and not much of a drydown however good your concept is. It’s such a shame that the company behind it didn’t invest more into it (or aim higher?), what with Dita’s persona and commitment and such a great perfumer onboard. Even if you like it, it’s hard not to think what it could have been with better quality ingredients. SJP was clearly very lucky with Coty, when you read Chandler Burr’s book about it.
You are right, of course, Tara. I just held out hope that maybe they would pull off a miracle at that lower pricepoint.
You’re right about SJP’s Lovely, too. Did you hear they are discontinuing her second scent ‘Covet’?
It was nowhere to be seen at the airport in Germany this week – but I will keep an eye out next time I am in proper shops over there!
Do you work in marketing? How funny, me and my husband were talking the other day that we would really need some friends with that area of expertise
It’s a pity all the mess with this perfume. I’m normally very uninterested in celebreties but I remembered seeing an interview with Dita von Teese some years ago, on Letterman I think it was, and she made a very good impression. Just because of that I’d loved to see the perfume succeed.
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