Building Fragrance Campaigns: An Interview with Odore’s Commercial Director Lee Bailey
Creating fragrance campaigns with purposeful and integral messaging to connect with the consumer is a dynamic tool for any fragrance brand. Indeed, an engagement platform such as Odore that provides multi-channel services to align campaign development is a perfect addition for brands to take storytelling to the next level. In this interview with industry expert and Odore’s Commercial Director Lee Bailey, you can learn more about the tools available to help enhance your fragrance brand.
What does the power of scent mean to you?
Fragrances are not just scents; they are the invisible ink that writes the stories of my life, each note weaving a tale of emotions and moments. Scent means a great deal to me both as part of my identity and a means of self-expression. I am fortunate enough to experience synaesthesia through fragrance. For me, it intertwines fragrance notes with music notes which powerfully blends my sensory perceptions. Whether it's the comforting notes of a familiar fragrance or the excitement of discovering a new scent, the power of scent becomes a silent narrator of my journey.
What has your experience with the fragrance industry been like throughout your career?
I see the fragrance industry as a creative and evolving sector that has continually adapted to changing consumer preferences, embracing trends and innovation, and placing emphasis on storytelling and emotional, authentic connections. Over the last two decades throughout my career with Hearst UK Magazines and now as Commercial Director at Odore I am lucky enough to work with brands that continually surprise and inspire me.
How have your partnerships and communications with brands throughout your career influenced the direction of your role at Odore?
Client partnerships and effective communication with brands have shaped my role and relationships. This has allowed me to gain invaluable insights into their unique needs, market dynamics, and evolving consumer preferences. These collaborations have resulted in successful partnerships that resonate with each brand's identity and objectives. This applies even more to my role at Odore. In addition, a deep understanding of the beauty industry and trends enables me to align our services to my clients’ needs.
The need for good client relationships enhances the efficacy of our sampling and acquisition campaigns but is also instrumental in steering the direction of our consumer engagement initiatives. Through strategic dialogue and a client-centric approach, we innovate, adapt, and consistently deliver tailored solutions that drive meaningful brand- consumer connections in the ever-evolving beauty industry.
What is it that Odore offers to the industry that makes it a useful tool for campaign development?
We are a consumer engagement platform with the most robust technology in the market, boasting over 100 integrations and providing a centralised platform for multi-channel campaign management. The analytics suite we offer is comprehensive, covering everything from media spending to sample redemption, demographics and an emphasis on measurable ROI.
Our in-platform design studio, campaign builder and comprehensive analytics suite support the development of multi-stage campaigns, enabling clients to execute strategies efficiently. Our account management team goes above and beyond support; they are an integral part of a brand’s strategy, aiding in campaign building, execution, monitoring, and enhancement aligning specific brand objectives, whether that's increasing awareness or driving conversions and acquisitions. This approach is informed by our experience with previous successful campaigns.
How does Odore work?
We help brands target the right customers with data-driven acquisition and multi-channel sampling campaigns and can activate in multiple markets globally. We do this by integrating our technical capabilities with a targeted digital platform. This can include Meta, TikTok, Google, Online retailers, Ad Tech, and TV. Audio and more. Odore provides solutions that are not only comprehensive but also transform the way brands strategise, operate, and connect. Our campaigns deliver brand effectiveness to drive sales, acquire first- and zero-party data, capture reviews and give you a complete analytic overview of how successful your campaign has been.
The way that consumers understand products is dependent on the service and experience provided by brands, how do you think sampling can bridge that gap between brands and the consumer?
Brands create an association between fragrance and storytelling, and this lies in the ability to connect with people on an emotional and sensory level. Sampling offers the consumer the opportunity to truly discover the scent before investing. This links the two narratives creating a rich and meaningful consumer experience. Sampling is one of the key drivers of full-size beauty purchases and it plays a crucial role in the overall consumer experience within their fragrance journey. It provides consumers with the opportunity to test, experience, and connect with a fragrance. This tactile and sensory engagement is invaluable in a product category where personal preference and individual experiences are paramount. Our sampling campaigns are about discovery and often a particular fragrance will be chosen for a customer based upon a series of questions. Fragrance notes unfold over time, creating a unique scent profile. Sampling allows consumers to experience the entire fragrance journey, from the initial application to the final dry-down. We maintain a consistent dialogue with each consumer enabling re-targeting through to purchase intent.
From your experience within beauty and editorial, what trends in consumer habits do you think we should keep in mind for 2024?
I think the future is daring. Many consumers are seeking newness and innovation from brands from bio-design, and transparency to the use of technology. I think scientific evidence will be important as consumers seek proof points on product quality, efficacy and sustainability.
Fragrance is a category where consumers are typically less willing to trade down. Digital is creating new definitions of what fragrance is – and how it can be experienced. Original content and brand affirmation from experts will bring storytelling to the fore alongside brand experience and experimentation to drive purchases.
Ultimately, I think beauty is central to confidence. Connectivity and community are important alongside social commerce. Data will also enhance the experience enabling the customer/brand relationship to drive the customer lifetime value.
What is it about the fragrance industry that inspires or excites you?
Fragrance excites me more than any other category. In a different life, I think I would like to have pursued a career as a perfumier. I can define certain notes and like to understand all the notes used to explore new scents. I love nostalgia and my constant pursuit for ‘the one’ continues. What inspires me about the fragrance industry is the artistry and emotion that defines its essence. The constant pursuit of innovation, be it in sustainable sourcing, cutting-edge formulations, or experiential marketing, creates an ever-evolving landscape. The ability of fragrances to evoke emotions, trigger memories, and become an integral part of personal identity is truly captivating. Every scent tells a unique tale and I love when a fragrance includes a message about its meaning that makes me feel part of that story.
What is one of your scent memories?
My earliest memory is being at a primary school fete with my friend and her family. We all bought a ticket for the tombola. I won a prize! My winning ticket was a bottle of Fiji by Guy Laroche. Aged 11 me couldn’t believe my luck. I had won a grown-up perfume! My excitement was short-lived when my friend’s mother immediately decided she should have it and promptly swapped it for a bottle of Cherryade. For months after that I coveted that fragrance and every time I went to her house I sprayed myself with it wishing I was old enough for it to be sitting on my dressing table and loving the scent that evoked a feeling of the grown-up me I would become.