The Spanish sportsman will become the face behind the brand’s new fragrance, Lanvin L’Homme Sport, which will be released in summer 2009.
Inter Parfums acquired the rights to the Lanvin brand in February 2007 and currently distributes six lines including Arpège, Arpège pour Homme, Eclat d’Arpège and the recently released Jeanne Lanvin.
According to the company, the new line, L’Homme Sport, will be developed around Nadal’s image and be supported by a major marketing and communication project.
Nadal has global status
Inter Parfums hopes that Nadal’s global status will help the company expand the Lanvin brand in Europe and the US.
The company has so far avoided the celebrity trend.
Earlier this year CEO Jean Madar said that in general celebrity endorsement is not appropriate for the brand portfolio, but that an ‘evergreen’ name could potentially work for the company.
However, the company has been attempting to target the younger consumer, and with increasing success.
Burberry drives results
The Burberry line has been driving the company’s results for the last few quarters. The new addition to the brand, The Beat, was accompanied by an aggressive marketing campaign and launch that evoked London’s young, hip, music scene, and has been particularly successful.
Despite other fragrances companies struggling in the current economic climate, Inter Parfums announced strong second quarter sales for the year.
Global sales for the period ending June 30 2008 came in at $99.1m, a 20 per cent increase on 2007's $82.8m.
However, favourable exchange rates did inflate the sales figure and at comparable rates the company estimates a 12 percent increase in sales.
European operations led the way according to Madar, with a 19 per cent increase in sales revenue bringing 2008's second quarter figure to $83.9m.
Second quarter US sales increased 23 percent to $15.2m due to the expansion of the specialty retail businesses including the Gap and Banana Republic fragrance and personal care products.