Scent of a Showman : Michael Jackson Repackages Old Line of Fragrances

Michael Jackson--the pop star who keeps reinventing himself--has undertaken a dramatic make-over of his fragrances that bombed last year in hopes of ringing up sales while he’s enjoying a wave of popularity.

The scents, which were marketed briefly by a toll-free telephone number, have been renamed, repackaged and repriced for an initial direct sales television campaign. The distributors hope to eventually place the scents in retail stores.

The previous sales effort was not done properly, said Paul Rogers, partner at Spectrum Innovative Marketing, a Blackhawk, Calif.-based firm that is marketing the fragrances. “With all the good press he’s been getting lately, it has really changed the perception that people have of Michael Jackson. If this is marketed correctly, it will be a tremendous success.”

But marketing and fragrance industry executives say that the male and female toilet waters, which will each sell for $19.95, will probably be stinkers again at the cash register.

“I can’t imagine anything worse that you could bring to market,” said Marian Salzman, president of the New York-based youth market consulting firm BKG Youth. “Michael Jackson is yesterday’s news. Older people don’t understand that most kids see through the superficiality of his recent rebirth.”

“Nothing about Michael Jackson makes teens feel like he’s a fashion idol,” said Irma

Zandl president of the New York-based Zandl Group. “And that is the crux of what makes a celebrity fragrance sell.”

Even if the fragrances are aimed at teens and preteens, experts point out that the price is about twice the cost of fragrances targeting the youth market. A Revlon fragrance that featured the name and image of squeaky-clean teen singer Debbie Gibson sold for $8.50 a bottle, and still chalked up more than $15 million in sales three years ago.

The question is whether Jackson will have the appeal of Gibson.

“Michael Jackson is not cool,” said Salzman, the youth marketer. “I wonder who will buy this stuff besides grandmothers who think it’s a good gift for the grandkids.”

It is not unusual for celebrities to jump on to the fragrance bandwagon when their popularity is at a peak, and experts say that is the only time to throw a celebrity scent into the $10-billion-a-year market. Successful fragrances have been named for Elizabeth Taylor, Sophia Loren, Mikhail Baryshnikov and Herb Alpert.

Since his nationally televised interview with Oprah Winfrey in February, Jackson’s popularity has at least temporarily jumped--as have sales of his recordings. In recent months he has performed everywhere from the Presidential Inauguration to the Super Bowl.

So why shouldn’t Jackson moonwalk onto the scent scene? After all, over the years, Jackson--who declined through his Los Angeles attorney to be interviewed for this article--has enjoyed some tremendous successes in lending his name to top products.

Pepsi insists that its link-ups with Jackson were so wildly successful that the partnership forced rival Coke to concoct “New Coke” in an effort to boost its own image. (Coke denies that.) And after Jackson’s Pepsi-sponsored concert tour in Japan last year, Pepsi sales jumped 20%, said a Pepsi spokesman.

But there have also been some dubious failures in Jackson’s attempts to market his name. Among them: a line of sneakers that Jackson designed and helped market for LA Gear was a complete flop--resulting in the two parties eventually suing and countersuing each other for millions of dollars.

“We’re not concerned about how the shoes sold,” said Ann Mitchell, president of Pascagoula, Miss.-based Jean Pierre Sand USA Inc., the domestic distributor of the Jackson fragrances. “We’re focusing on our own project, and the (sales) projections are looking very good. The buyers are extremely interested.”

Jean Pierre Sand had high hopes that Walgreen Co., one of the nation’s largest drugstore chains, would carry the scents. But the company has “no plans” to stock the Jackson line, according to a company spokesman. He declined to say why.

The fragrance distributor said it does not yet know where the scent will be sold in Southern California.

A national direct-response TV campaign, aimed at coaxing fans to order the fragrances by phone, is expected to begin airing on MTV as early as this weekend. The ad will feature clips from Jackson’s music video “Remember the Time.” Initially, viewers will be able to purchase the fragrances only by dialing toll-free numbers and placing the charges on their credit cards.

Executives of the marketing firm said they hope to sell up to a million bottles over the next year.

For the new sales effort, the make-over includes names changes. One of the recycled scents, “Mystique de Michael Jackson,” has been re-christened “Michael Jackson” for women. And “Legende de Michael Jackson” has been renamed “Michael Jackson” for men.

Costly hologram labels that decorated the original bottles have been mostly replaced with recent photos of Jackson. While the new bottles will sell for $19.95, the leftover stock--which will be marketed as “limited edition” bottles--will sell for $29.95.

While Jackson went to a French perfumer to develop the fragrances, he personally had the final say on the scent. He also had final approval on the design of the bottle and packaging, as well as the TV spot that will promote the fragrances.

CELEBRITY FRAGRANCES

Launching a celebrity fragrance line is an iffy venture, producing a hit for some while others bomb. Michael Jackson’s friend, Elizabeth Taylor’s fragrances are very successful. Why? According to a Parfums International spokeswoman, “In a word, ‘Elizabeth.’ She’s totally involved in all aspects of her fragrances--the scent, concept, packaging and advertising. She’s a star of stars. Her fans follow everything she does.” Here’s how other celebrity scents have fared:

The Sweet Smell of Success

Celerbrity Fragrance Debut Herb Alpert Listen Dec., 1989 Mikhail Baryshnikov Misha March, 1989 Priscilla Presley Moments Jan., 1990 Elvis Presley Elvis for Men Dec., 1990 Legend for Her June, 1992 Sophia Loren Sophia Sept., 1980 Gabriella Sabatini Gabriella Sabatini 1989 Magnetic March, 1993 Jaclyn Smith California April, 1989 California for Men Oct., 1990 Elizabeth Taylor Passion Sept., 1987 Passion for Men Sept., 1989 White Diamonds Sept., 1991 Billy Dee Williams Undeniable April, 1989 Undeniable for Men Jan., 1990 Trisha Yearwood Wild Heart Feb., 1993

The Stinkers Celebrity: Fragrance Elvira: Evil Debbie Gibson: Electric Youth Cher: Uninhibited Dionne Warwick: Dionne* Catherine Deneuve: Deneuve Joan Collins: Spectacular Linda Evans: Krystle John Forsythe: Carrington

Sources: Fragrance Foundation; Parfumelle; companies listed; Researched by C.D. WEDLAN and DALLAS M. JACKSON / /Los Angeles Times