The Hindu Business Line : Clarins bid to change `male perfume' image

Men are very interested in skincare products these days and perfume and skincare makers globally are watching the segment carefully, according to Mr Gérard Delcour, President, Azzaro.

In France, the skincare segment for men showed 2 per cent growth last year. This segment promises to double in three years. Some of the companies trying to cater to the French male skincare market are Biotherm, Clarins and Shiseido, he said.

Mr Delcour, who was in Mumbai to launch `Visit for Women' perfume, said at present, Clarins has 95 points of sale outlets in India, but plans 125 by the end of this year. Considering the population and number of large cities in India, it is looking at a reach of 200-300 points of sale in the next couple of years.

In India, Chrome accounts for 40 per cent of Clarins perfume sales and Azzaro 35 per cent, with Azzaro witnessing 40 per cent growth year-on-year in the last four years. However, rather than advertising, the company is keen to shore up investments in training and sampling, which are key to any perfume business.

Globally, the perfume house's best sellers have been Azzaro for Men and Chrome. But the company is trying to shift its `male perfume' image to include women. One of the methods has been using the same name for fragrances for men and women. For instance, Visit was launched last year as a perfume for men, this year it is Visit for Women with a similar cedar fragrance. Mr Delcour said that in France, its advertising had the same concept for both sexes. This strategy is also meant to improve the fortunes of the couture house.

Worldwide, Mr Delcour said, 2004 was not easy on perfume makers. Globally sales grew at 2.8-3 per cent. While it was slow in the traditional markets in Europe, perfume consumption grew in North America (except Canada), West Asia and East Asia.

Even though Asia only represents two per cent of the global sales, India is expected to account for one per cent soon. It now represents 6-7 per cent of just the French perfumers market.

In fact, some of the fastest growing markets for the perfume industry are China, India, Russia and Brazil. However, China is a strong market for make-up and care products, while India is showing strong growth in make-up and perfume.

Russia, he added, was seen to have similar potential as India. Last year, Azzaro opened 50 outlets mainly in Moscow. Brazil, the sixth destination on the list of perfumers, has about 500 points of sale.

Clarins is likely to post revenues of close to Euro 1 billion for the year ended 2005, with 8-9 per cent growth in sales.

Azzaro began operations in India in 1996-97.

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