Basenotes › Basenotes Forums › Fragrance Discussion › Just Starting Out › Bottle persuasion
New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:

Bottle persuasion

post #1 of 28
10/13/12 at 8:57pm
Thread Starter 
Has the bottle of a frag itself ever convinced you to buy or ignore a scent? As in: Maybe you were on the fence, but the design pushed you one way? Or: Maybe blind-bought it (or a sample of it) merely because of the bottle...or refused to even test it because of one?

Example (and I know I'm going to get a lot of crap for this):
I refuse to try Le Male. I won't even spray it on a card and sniff that. Why? Because I'm afraid that I'll like it and I don't want the trunk of some body sitting in my bathroom...let alone reaching for it to spray on myself. I know that I could put it in another container, but I would still think about it every time I put it on. It's a little creepy.

Feel free to destroy me now...I know it's coming. Meanwhile, any of you have a bottle like this (for better or worse)?
Reply
Reply

Features on Basenotes

Basenotes Reader Awards 2013 - Finalists Announced.
Petals Falling From The Sky - A Report From The Cote d'Azur's Bataille De Fleurs
Greatest Hits: Annick Menardo
post #2 of 28
10/13/12 at 9:16pm
Once again I must cite Luca Turin and Tania Sanchez, who, about le Male or its flankers, wrote:

"the nude male torso bottle seems intended to limit its use to solely the very gay or the imperturbably straight."

"It is hard to imagine a straight man confident or metrosexual enough to keep this girlishly decorated male torso, complete with pert buttocks and crotch bulge, on his bathroom shelf."

Unfortunately, while I don't dislike Le Male, but don't like it enough to get a bottle. I do love the perfume that introduced the idea of a torso- a female one- Shocking by Schiaparelli, bur regrettably it costs a fortune on ebay.

cacio
Reply
Reply
post #3 of 28
10/13/12 at 9:18pm
Can't say a bottle design has ever persuaded me either way to be honest.

Don't worry about Le Male. You're not missing anything....
Reply
Reply
post #4 of 28
10/13/12 at 9:35pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by cacio View Post

Once again I must cite Luca Turin and Tania Sanchez, who, about le Male or its flankers, wrote:

"the nude male torso bottle seems intended to limit its use to solely the very gay or the imperturbably straight."

"It is hard to imagine a straight man confident or metrosexual enough to keep this girlishly decorated male torso, complete with pert buttocks and crotch bulge, on his bathroom shelf."

Unfortunately, while I don't dislike Le Male, but don't like it enough to get a bottle. I do love the perfume that introduced the idea of a torso- a female one- Shocking by Schiaparelli, bur regrettably it costs a fortune on ebay.

cacio


I was worried it might come across that way...it's not a gay/straight/metro thing for me. I just don't like the idea of grabbing the torso of ANY body to spray on me. Isn't there a frag out there in the shape of a skull? I'd pass on that too.
Reply
Reply
post #5 of 28
10/13/12 at 9:46pm
The Idole bottle (edt) looks like an African mask...

cacio
Reply
Reply
post #6 of 28
10/13/12 at 10:18pm
I'm not gay and , in the eyes of some, lean towards metrosexual but i have no issue using the LM perfume. Actually had you not mentioned it, the thought wouldn't have occurred to me.
Reply
Reply
post #7 of 28
10/13/12 at 10:29pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by morrison74 View Post

Can't say a bottle design has ever persuaded me either way to be honest.

Same here.
Reply
Reply
post #8 of 28
10/13/12 at 11:35pm
Yes and no.
No because I have never purchased a bad smelling fragrance because of the bottle
Yes because I have been drawn to interesting bottle. I pick up the bottle just to look at it, then think to myself "Oh what the heck, might as well spray it!"
Reply
Reply
post #9 of 28
10/14/12 at 3:24am
I only care about the juice.
Reply
Reply
post #10 of 28
10/14/12 at 4:19am
I hate ones with bad sprayers (though would still buy), but otherwise I must be one of the "imperturbably straight." My frags are in boxes anyway (none are on display).
Reply
Reply
post #11 of 28
10/14/12 at 4:54am
The juice is the primary driver for me. If there is a tie between two scents everything else being equal, the bottle can be the tie breaker for or against a purchase.
Reply
Reply
post #12 of 28
10/14/12 at 6:44am
I've never foregone a good scent because of disliking the bottle. It seems very silly to me. If I was so offended by the bottle, I could just put it in something else, like you said.

I have however been persuaded to buy scents that aren't 100% my thing because I liked the bottle so much.
Reply
Reply
post #13 of 28
10/14/12 at 7:20am
Good news if you want to try Le Male without the bottle, there seems to be a new limited edition release in a bottle resembling a flask. Still not an amazing bottle but much more normal than the normal one.

http://www1.macys.com/shop/product/j...xx.esn_results
Reply
Reply
post #14 of 28
10/14/12 at 7:23am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Bigsly View Post

I hate ones with bad sprayers (though would still buy).


I like One Million (not quite enough to buy it yet), but I really dislike the sprayer and the general bar of gold. Too "boxy." I don't like the Play series of bottles either--the ones that look like iPods--I don't have anything against them, it just seems clear that their target is a younger crowd. Which is fine...just not what I'm looking for. I teach "that crowd"...I don't want to smell like them.

Meanwhile, I like the wicker look of John Varvatos Artisan and Artisan Black. It's the look that originally made me test them. I go back-and-forth with Spicebomb. I can't decide if the grenade is fun or stupid.

ALL that being said, I'm not a total prude. I WILL own Tom Ford for Men despite the crude ads and penis-shaped bottle because I like what's in it that much.
Reply
Reply
post #15 of 28
10/14/12 at 7:58am
Quote:
Originally Posted by drseid View Post

The juice is the primary driver for me. If there is a tie between two scents everything else being equal, the bottle can be the tie breaker for or against a purchase.

Has that every happened?
Reply
Reply
post #16 of 28
10/14/12 at 8:27am
I get where you are coming from. I really enjoy Jubilation XXV from Amouage, which runs $290 for 100mL's. That is a lot of money for sure. However, the bottle is just so stunning in my eyes that I can understand why people (perhaps myself included) would spring for it. Pure luxury.

Oh, and if you are against Le Male for the bottle, check out Reflection Man by Amouage. It has the same vibe but the bottle is the same amazing bottle that all (newer) Amouage's come in.
Reply
Reply
post #17 of 28
10/14/12 at 8:33am
  • del
  • offline
  • Gender:
I ignored CK One Shock for Him by Calvin Klein because of its tacky bottle/font. The juice however, is nice, and I will purchase a big bottle (6.7 oz) if the price is right.
Reply
Reply
post #18 of 28
10/14/12 at 8:57am
Quote:
Originally Posted by hedonist222 View Post

Has that every happened?

Not that I can remember...
Reply
Reply
post #19 of 28
10/14/12 at 9:04am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Teach13 View Post

Has the bottle of a frag itself ever convinced you to buy or ignore a scent?...

No, but I think most Bois 1920 generally don't live up to the appealing bottle presentation. I can see someone buying a bottle of this as a gift based solely on the bottle... and add to that their expense. Nice bottle, expensive, must be a great frag, no? No.

Attachment 17066Attachment 17067Attachment 17068Attachment 17069Attachment 17070
LL
LL
LL
LL
LL
Reply
Reply
post #20 of 28
10/14/12 at 9:28am
Really wished I liked the Hermes Merveilles fragrances and will probably keep trying them to see if I change my mind because I love the bottle.

Reply
Reply
post #21 of 28
10/14/12 at 9:46am
I'd probably buy Le Male before I'd buy Rochas Man based on the bottle. That bottle looks like something a kid would accidentally stumble upon in his mother's dresser.
Reply
Reply
post #22 of 28
10/14/12 at 9:56am
Here's my opinion:
I know that the bottle is just marketing... I ignore the bottle when sampling fragrances. The same goes for the name of the cologne, the model/celebrity advertising it and marketing push to certain chains like Macy's and Sephora.

For instance, Kenneth Cole Black is FAR from the black, dark fragrance to which it's name alludes; but, I really like it as a light casual scent nonetheless.

Will buying D&G The One make me look like Matthew McConaughey? No - but I like the fragrance.

It wouldn't matter if JPG's Le Male was in a clear square bottle with a boring lid: I still wouldn't care for the fragrance... it's not for me.

Sure, the name and the bottle (even the box sometimes [i.e.: Bulgari Aqua]) make the hobby more exciting and make the display of bottles more aesthetically pleasing... but I never let that get in the way of my purchase.

example: Givenchy Pi has an amazing bottle IMO, but I didn't buy it because it's not the fragrance I was looking for at the time.
Side note: I suddenly got the urge for a sweet vanilla fragrance recently, and might actually buy the bottle of Pi... NOT because of the bottle; but I AM excited to have that bottle in my collection!
Reply
Reply
post #23 of 28
10/14/12 at 11:54am
Quote:
Originally Posted by mlsweeney View Post

I'd probably buy Le Male before I'd buy Rochas Man based on the bottle. That bottle looks like something a kid would accidentally stumble upon in his mother's dresser.

Hahaha gold!

On topic, I am about to purchase MIP because of the bottle. Also because a bunch of people have told me it smells like Axe DT (which I am fond of).
Reply
Reply
post #24 of 28
10/14/12 at 4:50pm
I do like nice bottles, and bottles I really dislike are a turn off. It influences things, yes but not that strongly.
Reply
Reply
post #25 of 28
10/14/12 at 7:26pm
The bottle itself has never ended up influencing me either way I guess. I'm much more into fragrances at this point than I am into collecting...but who knews, that may change some day. I will say, though, I get what the OP was saying about the L'male bottle. It would feel a little strange bringing that one home and having to explain why I bought a bottle like that to the wife. I also tend to keep my bottle of Rochas Man tucked in the very back of my drawer.. ;-)
Reply
Reply
post #26 of 28
10/14/12 at 8:00pm
I'm just like the next regular guy who gets turn on by 'visuals' so my answer is 'YES'. Nice presentation packages do entice me to buy a fragrance but I'll be sure to sample it first. The juice has to pass the smell + fragrance wear test. So far 3 have been acquired in this manner:

Esencia Loewe - I love green and this comes in a elegantly handsome dark green bottle with gold cap. I remember resisting a purchase but I kept looking at the bottle every time I walked pass the store until I finally decided to test the scent itself and was hooked. =Instant buy.

By Kilian Straight to Heaven - Love the presentation package and imho the juice is no slouch either. I bought a pre-loved set from a fellow BNer so it was acquired at a hefty discount.

Clive Christian X - same as above.

What I would love to have is one of Xerjoff's Murano glass bottles.
Also looking for a used but pristine 50ml bottle of Tom Ford Tuscan Leather or the turquoise Neroli Portofino. But I don't need 50 ml of either juice.
Reply
Reply
post #27 of 28
10/14/12 at 8:48pm
I blind bought Midnight In Paris because of the beautiful bottle design lol. Great thing is I love the juice so no regrets on that one.
Reply
Reply
post #28 of 28
10/15/12 at 11:49pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by morrison74 View Post

Can't say a bottle design has ever persuaded me either way to be honest.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Jack Hunter View Post

I only care about the juice.

These ^^^^^^^^.
Reply
Reply
New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:
  Return Home
  Back to Forum: Just Starting Out

Features on Basenotes

Basenotes Reader Awards 2013 - Finalists Announced.
Petals Falling From The Sky - A Report From The Cote d'Azur's Bataille De Fleurs
Greatest Hits: Annick Menardo
Basenotes › Basenotes Forums › Fragrance Discussion › Just Starting Out › Bottle persuasion