Fragrance creation has remained largely unchanged for centuries. In most cases, each step of the labor-intensive process to create a fragrance is still done manually. Chanel No. 5, Tabac Blond, and even Glossier’s cult fragrance You, were all developed by master perfumers through hundreds of hours of trial and error.
So what happens when a new fragrance house enters the market and promises to disrupt the status quo? It’s time to hire a communications team, of course.
Recently, Generation by Osmo, the first AI-powered fragrance house entered the industry, and hired our team at Scout Lab to build and execute a communications strategy for the launch. The launch gave us the opportunity to create a playbook for introducing a disruptor brand, an approach that can work across industries, no matter how many centuries old.
Build a bridge from tradition to innovation
Communicating the launch of a new player in a legacy industry has to strike a balance between tradition and innovation, especially when the products are so deeply personal to consumers.
This begins with messaging; building a strategy that favors the disruptor but recognizes the tradition. Rather than shouting from the rooftops how things will never be the same, messaging should acknowledge the things within the industry that are celebrated and should remain as they are. In the case of fragrance, this was the art of perfumery. The messaging focused on how Generation would improve the perfumer’s process, not completely take it over.
This was especially important as workforces in general fear that AI will replace their jobs. It was crucial to remind the industry that human creativity was still necessary, especially when communicating with outlets that spoke directly to fragrance professionals and their customers.
Another way to build the bridge is by highlighting team members with traditional industry expertise alongside those focused on innovation. In this case, we brought in Generation’s Master Perfumer to speak to tradition and the CEO to speak to innovation. This “dual citizenship” approach helps establish legitimacy in both the traditional fragrance world and the tech innovation space, making the disruption feel like a natural evolution rather than an outside invasion.
Get creative
There had never been a company like Generation before, which meant there weren’t competitors to set benchmarks against. This is where creativity comes in. In any new industry, communications professionals should take what they know about launching a new brand and blend it with research on how other adjacent companies are positioning themselves and speaking to their audience. In this case, we looked at the traditional fragrance houses and then disruptor brands across tech. We considered the strategies that worked for them and altered them to address the uniqueness of Generation’s story.
It was more than just a press release. We developed individualized pitches for each segment of media including beauty, tech, business, and tier one consumer press, and adapted our messages to tell the pieces of the story they would care about. Beauty wanted to hear about how it would make fragrance better while tech cared more about the process behind it. It was up to us to adjust the story appropriately.
Anticipate some resistance
There’s always some skepticism when a new company promises to fundamentally change an industry. This may mean that not every story will be completely positive, and you may even see some pushback from journalists who are used to the way things are.
The best way to handle this is to over-prepare. We drafted talking points for every anticipated concern from how perfumers’ jobs could be impacted to the sustainability goals of the company. Media training will also play an important role in this, making sure all spokespeople are on the same page when the inevitably challenging questions arise.
If a less positive headline makes its way into the mix, reaching out to the journalist to offer more detailed responses to the concerns they raise can also go a long way. While they can’t change what’s already been written, it can help establish a better relationship and ensure the next story starts with a more open mind.
Demonstrate the hard to understand
Find ways to make complex technology tangible for both the media and consumers. This can come to life in a number of different ways, from providing samples and showcasing visuals to creating interactive experiences. For Generation, this meant offering one on one demonstrations and lab tours to showcase the technology directly to reporters.
The goal is to demystify the innovation while also showcasing its practical benefits to key audiences.
Embrace the journey
Disrupting a legacy industry is challenging, but it’s also a great opportunity to flex your communications skills. Ultimately, the communications strategy must evolve as the brand does, adapting to feedback from the market and refining messaging as the industry response unfolds.
While each industry presents unique challenges, these foundational communication principles provide a roadmap for introducing revolutionary ideas to even the most established spaces. By building bridges, getting creative, anticipating resistance, and making innovation tangible, communications teams can help visionary brands not just enter the market, but transform it for the better.
