Most Loved Fragrance Ad Campaigns of All Time
Perfume ads are more like short films than they are commercials for fragrances. Here are some of the most loved fragrance ads of all time.
Perfume ads can convince you to buy a fragrance without even smelling it. How? They tell a story that reaches deep into your feelings and enchants you before you even realize it. They exemplify feelings, values, and lifestyles that intrigue their audiences and show you what it would be like to wear that fragrance.
It didn’t use to be that way. The first fragrance commercials put the perfume bottle front and center. However, over the years, a different approach has proven effective. Now these ads tell a story that keeps the audience watching to the end, hoping the audience will fall for the fragrance and stop by the perfume counter to see how the fragrance smells on them.
Classic Fragrance Commercials We Can’t Forget
The first fragrance commercial that made me sit up and take notice was J’adore Dior with Charlize Theron. Already a Charlize fan, this one really stuck with me, as has every iteration of this classic fragrance commercial. Charlize was bathed in gold and just looked really sumptuous. This ad is proof that a commercial can be creative and sexy at the same time. When we see that Charlize feels sexy in her perfume, well, we’ll buy whatever she is selling.
The CHANEL No 5 advertising film from 2004 gave me serious chills when I first saw it. Starring Nicole Kidman and directed by Baz Lurman, it truly is a film. The commercial tells the entire romantic story in three minutes. Of course, all of CHANEL’s commercials are major, and this one featuring Nicole Kidman running around in a gorgeous beaded pink gown against a luminous, NYC skyline doesn’t disappoint.
Beautiful by Estée Lauder is the quintessential wedding perfume, and their timeless commercials encapsulate quintessential wedding imagery. Estée Lauder’s goal was to make every woman believe she was the most beautiful woman in the room. And since every bride is beautiful, the classic commercials for Beautiful captured the innate beauty of a woman on her wedding day and every day.
Featuring Jason Morgan, the Giorgio Armani Acqua di Gio advertising film evokes the essence of pure sensation, the sensual experience and emotion of the sea, sun, and air. The strength and serenity of the water imagery bring to mind how the ocean replenishes the spirit for a sensation of perfect balance. The scent of Acqua di Gio is always fresh and exciting, just like this new take on the iconic commercials.
Soon to Be Classics We’re Watching Over and Over
There are no words for Rihanna’s Reb’l Fleur commercial — as not a single word was spoken in what is probably one of the best and most sensuous celebrity fragrance commercials ever. Rihanna is achingly beautiful and the commercial tells the story of the Reb’l Fleur to perfection. You can practically smell the sophisticated floral notes of tuberose, hibiscus, and violet.
Named after the iconic song by the band Queen, Katy Perry’s fragrance Killer Queen commercial is an homage to the song and the artist Freddie Mercury. Katy’s edgy use of Marie Antoinette imagery encapsulates the playful, sophisticated, powerful, edgy, and delicious fragrance that reflects the rebellious spirit of the singer. We love the commercial and the fragrance because we love all things Katy.
Possibly the most striking entry on the list, the Kenzo World commercial is a shock to the senses. The commercial blows right by the traditional, soft-focus mood lighting and sensual music in a truly avant-guard style. It’s not surprising that this commercial, directed by Spike Jonze and featuring Margaret Qualley in an astounding take on how to escape the mind-numbing boredom of a black-tie event. The perfect commercial for a fragrance that is bold, spontaneous, surprising, fun, and colorful.
The Fragrance Commercial Reboot We Can All Get Behind
Directed by Tom Kuntz, this advertorial film for Old Spice puts a surprisingly hilarious spin on a well-known scent and genre. The brilliantly funny spot brought renewed interest to this long-neglected — if not forgotten — fragrance for men. If features the Old Spice Man, played by shirtless baritone Isaiah Mustafa with his polished comedic sense of timing and washboard abs. When he promises women he is “the man your man could smell like,” even if no man could ever be as truly manly as The Old Spice Man, we believe him.
Did you enjoy this article? Are you a fan of Perfumania and a reader of New York magazine? Leave us a review or check out our perfume and cologne online!
