Aerosol products are the number one consumer choice
July 2018 SPRAY 33
for bathroom air fresheners…
In addition, the modern air care consumer is not only seeking
unique and transportive fragrance experiences, but expresses a
strong desire to experiment with fragrance customization. In our
proprietary research study, we found that consumers are very open
to trying new products, and in fact, very few consumers stick to the
same products. Many consumers take advantage of special promotions
to purchase their favorite air care products, as well as to try
new products and scents. Indeed, more than half of consumers say
they love experimenting with new scents or products and one-third
are interested in air care innovations that provide the freedom to
create their own fragrances. Therefore, products that allow scent
customization will play a critical role in how this trend evolves in
the years to come. Expect to see a new generation of fragrance delivery
systems—for example, home fragrance diffusers that pair with
smart home devices and allow for true fragrance customization. As
advances in smart home technology prevail and impact daily lives,
consumers will expect air care innovations that seamlessly integrate
with their devices and connected homes.
Benefit driven
Hectic lifestyles drive a desire for products that work better, save
time and make life a little bit easier. Consumers seek added benefits
that offer solutions to day-to-day anxieties and express interest
in products with improved functionality or multi-tasking abilities.
Products that tout better performance via new/improved formulas
or more fragrance, as well as air care solutions that target specific
malodors, tap into these consumer needs.
We also see a rising demand for products with clear health or air
purifying benefits. New awareness of the dangers of air pollution
drives consumers’ concerns regarding the short and long-term
effects of poor air quality. Consumers are suffering from poor air
quality both inside and outside of their homes, thus resulting in a
growing need for solutions that combat environmental aggressors.
As concern rises, products that improve or monitor air quality will
be in higher demand. As an example, due to the high pollution
levels in parts of Asia, we’re already seeing an influx of products
that address air quality in these markets.
The desire for clean air directly correlates to consumer desire for
clean-smelling fragrances. Our study found that the number one
reason consumers use air care products is to mask odors. As such,
it’s no surprise that a “Fresh/Clean” fragrance is most preferred in
the five spaces where air care products are used most often: bathroom,
living room, kitchen, adult bedroom and car. Additionally,
we discovered that the top three characteristics most preferred in
an air care product are Fresh (89%), Refreshing (88%) and Clean
(87%). However, it’s important to note that Fresh/Clean is not
an olfactive category, but instead, it is a consumer perception. In
other words, Fresh/Clean does not directly translate to any specific
fragrance type or ingredient, but rather is a way that consumers
describe fragrances they like. The smell of Fresh/Clean can vary
greatly from one consumer to another because the perception of
Fresh/Clean spans many olfactive territories ranging from notes
of clean laundry and fresh ozone to dewy greens, tropical fruit and
vanilla.
Future fragrance trends
Looking ahead to 2020 and beyond, we anticipate new interpretations
of “fresh and clean.” With air quality a top concern,
fragrance will draw inspiration from ingredients that imply purity.
Trending in health and beauty, charcoal has a growing association
with purification and detoxification, and will have even greater
mass appeal in the coming years. And what’s more pure than
oxygen? The chemical element is widely understood by consumers
as the air we breathe, but when interpreted as an air care fragrance,
it could imply forward-thinking innovation, simplicity or even
naturalness.
By applying consumer insights, third-party data and an acute
analysis of the marketplace, we predict the air care market will innovate
to meet consumers’ evolving needs and desires. From true-tolife
smelling scents to perceived “safer” products, we foresee transparency,
sustainability and natural products with natural-smelling,
authentic fragrances expanding by 2020. Newness and uniqueness
will maintain importance to consumers, so expect to see innovative
customizable fragrance offerings that explore non-traditional
ingredient callouts, along with new innovations that address air
purification and new dimensions of “fresh and clean.” SPRAY
Fresh/Clean is not an olfactive category, but rather a consumer perception
that can include notes of clean laundry, fresh ozone, dewy greens, tropical
fruit or vanilla.