PARIS — The Boss Bottled franchise is expanding with the new Boss Bottled Beyond scent and a big-bang campaign featuring Bradley Cooper, Maluma and Vinicius Junior.
“It is a big milestone for the Boss brand,” said Jean Holtzmann, chief brands officer at Coty Prestige, holder of the Boss fragrance license.
The original Boss Bottled eau de toilette was launched in 1998 and today the franchise ranks second in Europe and in the U.K., first in Germany and third in Spain among men’s scents.
Bradley Cooper for Boss Bottled Beyond.
Courtesy of Coty
“It has defined, in a way, the expression of masculinity since 1998,” said Holtzmann, adding with Boss Bottled Beyond the intention “was not really only to celebrate, but also to redefine with this idea of: What is Boss Bottled? How do you redefine leadership? How do you redefine the images of success?”
The objective is also to speak to the next generation of Boss Bottled users. “Who is this next generation?” said Holtzmann. “What are they driven by? By purpose, creativity, this power of community.”
Boss Bottled campaigns generally star one talent and are about success. This new one tells the story of the three men, each doing what they do best — and supporting each other. Karim Huu Do, of “Last Night in Paris” fame, directed the spot.
“It’s not a depiction of masculinity, which was very one-way in the past,” said Holtzmann. “We wanted to have this idea: A boss recognizes a boss, and can share this community of mind, this community of spirit. This is a different way to discuss leadership.”
In 1998, leadership was primarily synonymous with corporate values, whereas today that’s hardly the case anymore. “There is a different way to inspire,” said Holtzmann.
Vinicius Junior is a star in the campaign for Boss Bottled Beyond.
Courtesy of Coty
The original Boss Bottled fragrance took inspiration from apple strudel, which paved the way for a new type of men’s scent. With Boss Bottled Beyond, the aim was to break olfactive codes once again. Dsm-firmenich perfumer Daphné Bugey, who has long worked closely with Boss, conjured up the idea of creating the first ginger-leather fragrance.
“It is very contemporary but also very surprising,” said Holtzmann, adding the leather facet adds nobility and the ginger note, some tension. “It’s an olfactive adventure.”
Bugey crafted the Boss Bottled Beyond scent with fellow Dsm-firmenich perfumers Frank Voelkl and Bruno Jovanovic.
The Boss Bottled flacon was reworked, too, with new volume, glass weight and two bands wrapped around the neck. All the codes of the franchise were meant to be refreshed to go “one step beyond what had been done,” said Holtzmann.
Boss Bottled Beyond’s 100-ml. eau de parfum version will retail for 132 euros. The scent is to launch in travel retail first, on July 1, followed by other markets on Sept. 1. “It’s a worldwide launch,” said Holtzmann, adding this will be one of the largest introductions for the brand ever.
He declined to discuss projections, but industry sources estimate the new scent will generate 250 million euros in first-year retail sales.
Boss fragrances’ strongest markets are Europe and the Middle East, both in domestic distribution and in travel retail.
Maluma, along with Bradley Cooper and Vinicius Junior, feature in Boss Bottled Beyond’s campaign.
Courtesy of Coty
With Boss Bottled Beyond, the goal is to not be only where the franchise is already strong, but to develop in the United States, as well. “[It is] to grow where we already have a base, but taking the brand completely to the next level,” said Holtzmann.
He noted a big transformation of the Hugo Boss brand, in terms of image, over the past four years. “Boss has a very strong place in consumers’ mind,” said Holtzmann. “It’s important for brands that have that space, that have that role, to constantly reinvent how they talk about who they are.
“It’s not about changing what they stand for, but it’s about talking from one generation to another generation,” he said. “This is something really important.”