Teen fragrance's titillating name could create a stink....
NEW YORK - The marketers for new teen fragrances FCUK Him and FCUK Her are hoping provocative advertising playing off the company name can stir up controversy and sales for the fragrance now rolling into stores.
The products are the first global fragrances for United Kingdom-based apparel company French Connection Group, which sells apparel and other goods under the acronym brand FCUK (for French Connection U.K.) and also operates some stores of its own. A $10 million marketing campaign started this week, built on the theme: "Scent to bed." Included are print ads in "Maxim" and "Teen People" among other magazines.
The company hopes the brand name and suggestive imagery in the campaign will get the attention of teens already jaded by a heavy dose of sexually oriented messages in music videos and video games. The approach has been effective with its apparel lines.
"Whether it shocks you or amuses you, FCUK certainly makes the consumer think," says Andrea Hyde, president, French Connection Holdings.
The risk is that parents who still control much of the $170 billion a year in discretionary teen spending may be put off enough to put the squeeze on the purchase.
"If parents find this objectionable there could be fewer dollars that flow down to kids," says Cary Silver, vice president RoperASW, which just completed its annual Youth Market Report. Silver, for one, refuses to open his wallet for an FCUK purchase for his 14-year-old daughter. "It's one thing to have a shirt that says 'bebe.' It's another thing if it's a convoluted curse."
French Connection began promoting its brand as FCUK in 1997, but upped the tone with the fragrance messages. T-shirts reading "Scent to bed" are free with a purchase. Invitations for a New York launch party were shaped like hotel doorknob hangers and read "FCUK in progress." A planned holiday promotion calls for stores to issue "License to FCUK" cards, which include a code to enter at www.scenttobed.com for a chance on a trip for six to Club Med and a list of "best pick-up lines."
Marketing expert Alissa Quart, author of "Branded: The Buying and Selling of Teenagers, " says the Web promotion is "another example of non-traditional techniques to gather personal information. They are burying the advertising and making the product seem cool by making it into a game."
But the whole approach is making some consumers cringe. "It's very disgusting and highly offensive," says Roberta Combs, president of the Christian Coalition of America. "It's a sad day when people have to do this type of advertising, especially toward our youth."
Such a reaction will only make teens want the product more, says Michael Wood, vice president of Teenage Research Unlimited. "The more people say, 'How dare them,' the more interest they get from the teen market."
Teens may have trouble finding it, though. "It's been a bit of a challenge" to get stores on board, says Stacy Gubinski, a spokeswoman for Zirh International, which licenses the FCUK name and makes and distributes the fragrance.
Big-name chains are carrying the product, though some not in all stores. Sephora will sell it at its 80 stores nationwide, but Federated's Bloomingdale's and Macy's will offer it in selected locations.
May Department Stores will sell it at most of its chains, except for Lord & Taylor. May's Sharon Bateman says the fragrance also will be promoted in a mailing in coming weeks. "It is a fit for our stores."
NEW YORK - The marketers for new teen fragrances FCUK Him and FCUK Her are hoping provocative advertising playing off the company name can stir up controversy and sales for the fragrance now rolling into stores.
The products are the first global fragrances for United Kingdom-based apparel company French Connection Group, which sells apparel and other goods under the acronym brand FCUK (for French Connection U.K.) and also operates some stores of its own. A $10 million marketing campaign started this week, built on the theme: "Scent to bed." Included are print ads in "Maxim" and "Teen People" among other magazines.
The company hopes the brand name and suggestive imagery in the campaign will get the attention of teens already jaded by a heavy dose of sexually oriented messages in music videos and video games. The approach has been effective with its apparel lines.
"Whether it shocks you or amuses you, FCUK certainly makes the consumer think," says Andrea Hyde, president, French Connection Holdings.
The risk is that parents who still control much of the $170 billion a year in discretionary teen spending may be put off enough to put the squeeze on the purchase.
"If parents find this objectionable there could be fewer dollars that flow down to kids," says Cary Silver, vice president RoperASW, which just completed its annual Youth Market Report. Silver, for one, refuses to open his wallet for an FCUK purchase for his 14-year-old daughter. "It's one thing to have a shirt that says 'bebe.' It's another thing if it's a convoluted curse."
French Connection began promoting its brand as FCUK in 1997, but upped the tone with the fragrance messages. T-shirts reading "Scent to bed" are free with a purchase. Invitations for a New York launch party were shaped like hotel doorknob hangers and read "FCUK in progress." A planned holiday promotion calls for stores to issue "License to FCUK" cards, which include a code to enter at www.scenttobed.com for a chance on a trip for six to Club Med and a list of "best pick-up lines."
Marketing expert Alissa Quart, author of "Branded: The Buying and Selling of Teenagers, " says the Web promotion is "another example of non-traditional techniques to gather personal information. They are burying the advertising and making the product seem cool by making it into a game."
But the whole approach is making some consumers cringe. "It's very disgusting and highly offensive," says Roberta Combs, president of the Christian Coalition of America. "It's a sad day when people have to do this type of advertising, especially toward our youth."
Such a reaction will only make teens want the product more, says Michael Wood, vice president of Teenage Research Unlimited. "The more people say, 'How dare them,' the more interest they get from the teen market."
Teens may have trouble finding it, though. "It's been a bit of a challenge" to get stores on board, says Stacy Gubinski, a spokeswoman for Zirh International, which licenses the FCUK name and makes and distributes the fragrance.
Big-name chains are carrying the product, though some not in all stores. Sephora will sell it at its 80 stores nationwide, but Federated's Bloomingdale's and Macy's will offer it in selected locations.
May Department Stores will sell it at most of its chains, except for Lord & Taylor. May's Sharon Bateman says the fragrance also will be promoted in a mailing in coming weeks. "It is a fit for our stores."
