CONTEXT

“Let’s do something big for N°5” —marketing ask

An iconic pillar of the brand and the #1 fragrance worldwide, Chanel N°5 is almost 100 years old. As the first fragrance to feature aldehydes, N°5 birthed the genre of the abstract fragrance. Gabrielle Chanel wanted it to be composed ‘like a dress.’ Unlike the standard single-note fragrances of its era, N°5 started a revolution.

CONUNDRUM

“We don’t have anything new to show” —initial creative response

With its 100-year-old status and iconic heritage, the fragrance reminds people of their grandmother. How do you create something new from something so old and untouchable? How do you make a heritage story feel modern?

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CAMPAIGN + MY CONTRIBUTION

I created an experience brief for N°5, outlining the 5 pillars of the fragrance story to share with the audience through a high-tech, multi-sensorial lens. In partnership with Radical Media, we developed a concept to reveal the fragrance in an unexpected new way at a public pop-up event. I worked closely with the teams to ensure the experience and the interactions were authentic, on-tone and compelling. The scenting was saved for the very end—via a towering silhouette of the Classic Bottle, imprinted with quote ‘smell and you will see’ from the master perfumer as a final note and the finale to the sensory twist.