In short
Product positioning states who a fragrance is for, what they would otherwise buy, and why they should choose this one, in terms you can support. A perfumer needs to understand it, because positioning sets the cost target and the direction of the composition, and because a formula that contradicts its story will disappoint people. This lesson stops short of brand building. Our focus is on making sure the formula, the money and the words all agree.
What you will learn
- Write a positioning statement for one fragrance
- Check that the formula, cost and claims support it
- Avoid claims you cannot substantiate
Before this lesson: Consumer Research for a Brief
A simple statement
For a specific buyer, who wants a specific thing, this fragrance is a type of product that gives a specific benefit, unlike the alternatives, because a true reason.
An invented example: "For city commuters who dislike strong office scents, this is a light eau de parfum that stays close to the skin, unlike most loud woody ambers, because it uses a musk structure rather than high-impact woody materials." It is specific, and notice that it makes one checkable claim about the formula's structure.
Map the alternatives
List six to ten fragrances your buyer might choose. Then smell them. Plot them on two axes that matter to the buyer, such as loud to quiet and fresh to warm. Look for what is crowded and what is empty. An empty place on the map is not always an opportunity, though. There may be no buyers for it. This is useful for understanding the setting, and is not a design to copy. See studying a fragrance without copying it in the Creative Mastery track.
Three checks on any position
| Check | Question | Evidence |
|---|---|---|
| Odor | Do people who haven't heard the story describe it in the right words? | Your research |
| Money | Does the concentrate cost fit the price and channel? | Your costing; pricing guide |
| Truth | Can each claim be substantiated? | Records; claims guide; natural claims |
Claims you cannot casually make
- "Long-lasting": by what test, and against what? See your Level 8 wear test work.
- "Natural" or "clean": which definition, and in which market?
- "Hypoallergenic" or "safe for sensitive skin": what evidence? See those claims.
- "Reduces stress" or "boosts mood": these can move a product out of the cosmetics framework altogether.
- "Made with rare ingredients": how much, and is it noticeable?
The perfumer often knows the truth of these claims better than whoever is writing the copy. Say so when something is wrong.
Where this meets the brief
A sound position gives you useful constraints: a dose, a cost, a level of presence and a set of materials to avoid. Change the position and you may need a different formula. So, when a client changes the target buyer mid-project, treat it as a change of brief. Revisit scope as well.
Practical exercise: Position one fragrance
- Choose one fragrance of your own, or an imagined one built on your latest study.
- Write a positioning statement using the template.
- Smell six real alternatives, and map them on two axes. Mark your fragrance on the map, and note where you are guessing.
- Run the three checks. Mark each claim as supported, needs evidence or remove.
- Rewrite the statement so that it only contains what you can support today.
You have done this well if you actually smelled the alternatives, and your final statement is narrower and truer than your first draft.
Common mistakes
- Positioning for "everyone". That gives you no direction.
- Writing the story after the fact. It may not match what the formula does.
- Using words you cannot defend. Your name goes on them.
Key terms
- Positioning
- The place a product intends to occupy in a buyer's mind, relative to alternatives: for whom, for what occasion, and why this one.
Knowledge check
Written and reviewed by the RUŌOD Lab team. This is general education, not legal, regulatory, medical or safety advice. Example dilutions and exercises are for learning, are not validated products, and have not been safety-assessed. Completing a lesson confers no qualification. How we check these lessons.