Smith and Wesson Cologne
When I first heard about this I threw up a little in my mouth. Smith & Wesson, famed handgun makers, are now in the fragrance business.
Yes, care was taken to ensure that the branding and packaging was as manly and sterile as possible. A certain machine aesthetic can be seen in their bottle and box design, which is nice, but why are they in the cologne racket to begin with?
You know about me and brand extensions — how I hate them and find them absurd — and this is a classic example of what I feel is a brand stepping too far out of their industry. Smith & Wesson are the manufacturers of heavy goods, now they’re going into the realm of fashion/beauty/fragrances? I guess it makes as much sense as John Deere clothing or CAT messenger bags. Sometimes it’s alchemy that works.
I feel that if there is one market that is over-saturated with brand extensions, it’s the fragrance market. Every celebrity and athlete has something smelly in a bottle, and now every company too. If I were in the fragrance business ‘for real’ (ie, I took is seriously as a craft/science) I would be furious right now about how pop and frivolous the industry has become. And fragrances are unique in that aside from those magazine strips, it’s entirely promoted on image — no one knows what it actually smells like, and it’s very likely they don’t care.
What does Smith & Wesson smell like? Gun powder? Burning metal? Sweat and dust from ‘the trail’? And with a price tag chasing $100, I’m not sure how many Marlboro Men are gonna be picking this up on their next trip to the local gun store (or Wal-Mart).
Sorry for the rant, I’m just so confused by this. Learned about this from WallStrip, of all places.
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// a tale of brands & branding, design: packaging
// 3 Comments »
// 28 October 2007, 00:15
Lol. Yes I’m surprised by this news too! It is just so totally unexpected that a gun manufacturer going into the fragrance business. Hmm… maybe they thought fragrance is a complementary product for buyers of guns?
Brian
// 17 January 2008, 21:46
It’s a robust scent that is a bit over powering..kinda like a 357 magnum
// 27 January 2008, 10:17
I agree with you. When I think of Smith and Wesson, I certainly don’t think of cologne.