Beam Global Spirits and Wine, a unit of US group Fortune Brands, said that its flagship cognace will enter the high-end fragrance market with the launch of Courvosier L'edition Imperale, a line that will debut at the Tax Free World Association Exhibition, in Cannes, France, this week.
Although fragrance-licensing agreements have tended to focus on celebrities and designer apparel brands, rising interest in all forms of luxury brands may prove to an essential ingredient for the successful launch of this new fragrance, providing consumers can make a clear division between the two as separate products being marketed under the same brand.
The fragrance line, which will include an eau de perfume and an eau de toilette, has been developed by Kraft International Marketing, which is charged with the challenge of distributing and marketing the product.
The line will be launched worldwide in the spring of 2007 and will be marketed by high-end retailers, in keeping with its premium positioning. It will also probably prove to be a big name in airport and duty free shops, where it is like to sit on shelves not far from bottles of cognac bearing the same name.
However, the marketers are convinced that the jump from spirits to fragrance will not present problems for those individuals who are already smitten by the brand.
"The unique luxury qualities associated with Courvoisier translate flawlessly into the upscale fragrance arena, reinforcing its image as a desirable and opulent brand," said Larry Plawsky, spokesperson for Beam Global.
The line will target 25-35 year old males who are more likely to be high-earning and successful. In the words of the Beam Global, that will be individuals 'who are ambitious, determined and desire to succeed'.
But the company believes that, while appealing in particular to fans of the cognac, it will also appeal to 'fine fragrance connoisseurs everywhere.'
Indeed it stresses that the new line is not a cognac-flavoured fragrance as it contains some of the finest and most popular perfume ingredients, including notes of cardamom, mandarin, tagette and coriander, which, like the cognac, is produced in France.
Reflecting its premium positioning the packaging has been designed to incorporate a cap and shoulder made using high-end moulded metal zamac, while the glass belly has been shaped to subtley bulge and is grooved to resemble a hand-cut crystal.
The company says that the eau de parfum will retail for more than $100 (€80) per 75ml bottle while the eau de toilette will retail for slightly lower than $100 USD per 75ml bottle. Both of the fragrances will also be available in 125ml bottles.
"The launch of Courvoisier L'edition Imperiale makes business sense," stated Larry Plawsky, global vice president of marketing, Beam Global Spirits & Wine. "The Courvoisier brand connects two luxury consumer lifestyle categories in a relevant and compelling," he added.