The one exception to that rule appears to be Combs, whose Unforgivable by Sean John scent is produced by Aramis, a subsidiary of Estee Lauder dedicated to men’s fragrances. Melver says Combs is rumored to have received a more-lucrative-than-usual fragrance deal because of the established success of his Sean John clothing line, as well as because the music mogul was willing to do more promotional work for his cologne.
“Only someone in the league of Mr. Combs would be able to pull off something more involved and lucrative than a vanilla royalty deal,” Melver said.
Representatives for the Sean John brand declined to comment on questions about Combs’ fragrance deals. However, it’s established that his colognes have been well-received on the fragrance market. Unforgivable was the No. 1 new prestige fragrance in 2006, according to NPD. Sean John’s I Am King, which launched in 2008, and Unforgivable have both received FiFi Awards from The Fragrance Foundation, a consortium of fragrance companies.
It’s understandable that fragrance companies would want to work with major stars such as Combs and Beyonce. Consumer product companies count on celebrity endorsements and promotion deals to help bring in sales, says Elizabeth Currid-Halkett, an assistant professor of economic development at the University of Southern California.
“The public is incredibly mesmerized by some celebrities, and companies know that it’s associated with millions upon millions of dollars,” said Currid-Halkett, who is scheduled to publish a book in November, titled “Starstruck: The Business of Celebrity.”
Celebrity promotion deals tend to depend on the star’s believability, Currid-Halkett says. Style icons like Beyonce, Lee or Berry can help inspire shoppers to buy fragrances, clothing and accessories that allow fans to emulate them. And while celebrities may bring in big bucks for their branding, Currid-Halkett said such deals also help boost their public profiles. “It allows them to perpetuate their image to the world, which is the very essence of their celebrity.”
Only time will tell if Beyonce’s Heat performs well enough to spin off more fragrance deals. It will be up to Coty to decide whether her star power is compelling enough to continue generating significant sales, Melver says.
“Most celebrities these days are “employees” of the big fragrance houses, just the way a new band or group is under a major record label. They might have a contract, but the label calls the shots at the end of the day.”
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