Givaudan aims to capture Gen Z’s olfactive “love codes” through fragrance

20 Sep 2023 --- What is love? This is the question that Givaudan tries to answer with its new creative vision, which translates the passion and seduction language of Gen Z into olfactive perfumery creations.

The project, which will be showcased in an immersive experience in New York, Paris and Dubai, aims to capture the “unfiltered, unstaged and inclusive” expression of emotions that characterizes the generation born between the late 90s and the early 2010s.

Gen Z are known for being daring and free-spirited, as well as for prioritizing authenticity and love, the business observes. With the rise of social media platforms such as TikTok, where fragrance-related content has generated billions of views, Gen Z also demonstrates a strong interest and curiosity for perfumery.

“By embracing Gen Z’s reinvention of sensuality, gender and relationships, ‘What is love?’ delivers a realistic reading of what ‘love’ means to this generation,” says Arnaud Guggenbuhl, fine fragrance head of global marketing insight and image at Givaudan.

According to Givaudan, “cosy bedrooms live alongside phone screens” and “heartfelt emotions are the new love language” for Gen Z.“The importance attributed to vulnerability and authentic feelings offers an outstanding inspirational playground for our perfumers, who, by empathizing with this ‘rule-breaking’ philosophy and ungendered approach, have shaken up all olfactive prejudices around attraction and love in perfumery,” he says. 

Spontaneous and genuine generation
According to a survey conducted by Givaudan, fragrance plays a decisive role in the attraction process for over two-thirds of 16 to 24 year-olds in the USA (73%) and France (68%). However, the traditional rules of seduction have been challenged by this generation, who prefer to express their feelings more spontaneously and genuinely.

Givaudan conducted extensive research to understand and translate these new love codes into scent, driven by consumer insights and social media monitoring. The result is a collection of never-before-smelled fragrance compositions that reflect Gen Z’s search for authenticity and emotion.

The creations of the ‘What is love?’ program will be presented during an “exclusive” event, inviting Givaudan’s customers to dive into the Gen Z universe, where “cosy bedrooms live alongside phone screens” and “heartfelt emotions are the new love and seduction language.”

The event will occur in New York from September 18 to 29, in Paris from October 9 to 20 and at Dubai’s Beautyworld from October 30 to November 1.

“Givaudan’s expertise in decoding the ongoing and future needs of consumers takes a new form through this creative program”, says Xavier Renard, global head of fine fragrances at Givaudan.

“Supported by extensive research led over the last two years, ‘What is love?’ addresses a strategic opportunity to reclaim a core tenet of fragrance, love, while exploring new narratives relevant to a new generation,” he concludes.

In related news, Givaudan launched ScalpSure, targeting the root of scalp and hair malodor while we spoke with its senior perfumer who talked about predictive algorithms and further market opportunities.

Edited by Marc Cervera