Puig empowers consumers with new Ricci Ricci scent - 18/06/09Source: ©The Moodie ReportBy Rebecca MannFRANCE. In Paris on Tuesday, the Puig group unveiled the new feminine fragrance from the house of Nina Ricci. Ricci Ricci will make its debut in France at the end of August, before beginning its international roll-out in September.
“This is a significant and important moment for the brand,” declared Nina Ricci Brand Director Margerie Barbès Petit, as she introduced the launch event. “This amazing décor – the work of Alexandre de Betak – has been created to celebrate our new feminine perfume, and it is the perfect way for us to bring you into a new story, a new dream. “This new fragrance is an important step for Nina Ricci; it is rooted in the brand values of luxury and sophistication, but it also opens a new chapter, full of glamour and audacity.”
Petit emphasised that Ricci Ricci aims to express a new facet of femininity for the brand, quite different from the positioning of the house’s other flagship fragrances, L’Air du Temps and Nina. “Ricci Ricci is going to take us somewhere else,” she promised. “The Ricci Ricci woman is sure of her powers of seduction. She is a sophisticated “urban heroine”. She has a secret power that comes from her perfume, which is symbolised by a ribbon.”
“Symbols are very important for Nina Ricci,” acknowledged Petit. “Think of the doves for L’Air du Temps, and the apple for Nina. This time, we have chosen a ribbon. It’s an ideal link between the worlds of fashion and fragrance.” The Ricci Ricci juice was jointly created by Givaudan’s Aurélien Guichard and Jacques Hiclier. “The whole concept and construction of the fragrance is based on a duality between tradition and modernity,” Guichard explained.
The central ingredient is belle de nuit, an unusual flower that opens at around 4pm and remains in bloom throughout the night. “Using these flowers allowed us to create a huge trail with this fragrance,” noted Guichard. “We worked very hard to produce this diffusion element, for which you also need top quality ingredients, which Nina Ricci gave us the freedom to use.” Petit concluded: “We are very proud of this new and original scent. It was important for us to have accessibility, because we know that we have only a few seconds to convince consumers at the point of sale.
The Ricci Ricci launch will be supported by both print and TV advertising campaigns, which encapsulate the concept of the urban heroine. Both feature an agile, feline, black-clad model, who beautifies the world around her with a ribbon of scent. The travel retail product portfolio comprises 50ml and 80ml edp sprays, a 200ml body lotion, a 200ml shower gel and a 150ml deo. The price positioning – described as “middle-range” – is around +25% compared with Nina, which is an edt offering and considered to be an entry level line. The travel retail price points range from €19 for each of the body products, to €49 and €67 for the respective edps. BUILDING THE FUTURE ON THE FOUNDATIONS OF THE PAST Nina Ricci is a brand that understands the importance of the past, in terms of building for the future. The living proof of this is Augustin de Montalivet, whose role as Puig Prestige Beauté Head of Nina Ricci Heritage is quite simply to safeguard the history of the brand.
De Montalivet acknowledged the rich and extensive history of the brand. “We are lucky to have such a long and interesting history to preserve,” he explained. “My job is to collect papers, photos and products that are part of this history, and to make them accessible to everybody.” He continued: “That way, people can find and obtain ideas of what Nina Ricci is. Not to copy it, but just to know. Knowing about the past is vital if you want to build the future in the same direction. “For example, L’Air du Temps is more than 60 years old. A new product manager would need to know about the types of bottles and advertising that have been done before, and what the story is to date. “I can show him that. This sort of thing is absolutely essential, in order to preserve and nurture the roots of a brand.” Moreover, in tough economic times, consumers needs brands they can trust – and a brand with longevity is likely to fare well, according to de Montalivet. “People are a bit fed up with brand names which mean nothing,” he declared. “The fact that a brand has existed for a long time means something to consumers. In turn they believe in its integrity. Quality and trust are so important in times of crisis.” MORE STORIES ON THE PUIG GROUP Puig pumps up the volume with Black XS Live Sound - 20/04/09 Puig puts Herrera’s 212 On Ice for summer - 19/03/09 The Puig group heralds the arrival of spring with new limited editions from Nina Ricci - 16/03/09 Puig unveils new Prada travel spray for men - 04/03/09 |
||||||||||||||
