Chanel puts support behind new Chance Eau Fraiche EdP

Chanel has taken an unusual approach to the marketing of the new variant of its Chance fragrance masterbrand with the London headquartered French fashion and beauty giant choosing to focus its marketing efforts on the post-Christmas period.

Including PR, it’s an interesting strategy, also coming before the spring/Easter gifting period moves into high gear, although there’s a clear opportunity with next month’s Valentine’s Day gifting season.

The new Eau Fraiche Eau de Parfum had a soft launch last autumn, 21 years after the original Chance floral fragrance was unveiled. The EdP “reinterprets” the scent, “creating a version that combines the density of an Eau de Parfum with the brightness of the Eau de Toilette”.

Chanel Perfumer-Creator Olivier Polge has “amplified the intensity without overpowering its freshness”. The new product “has the same spontaneous, lively nature, but leaves behind a more intense trail”.

And rather than merely adjust the concentration, the perfumer composed a new fragrance in its own right. The citron accord is “exhilarating without losing its original juiciness; the jasmine is richer and more intense; and the teak wood accord reveals a more ambery facet”.

Priced at luxury level (the 100ml RRP is £136 and the 50ml is £99), there’s a more budget-conscious limited-edition £65 trio of hand creams that include the new scent plus Chance itself and the Eau Tendre variant).

Many retailers discount heavily for a Valentine’s Day fragrance sales boost, although the alternative to this is to put the focus on full-price newness and Chanel’s giving them that opportunity here.