Branding a nation with a perfume

A bottle of perfume is usually associated to women’s elegance, but not too many would think this could work as a national brand.

Pioneering in the country branding area, Lithuania chose to have a different country symbol, reason why it decided to show to the world the character of the country through  a bottle of perfume.

As Lithuanian press is writing, the perfume “Lithuania” is a blend of sandalwood, cedar and musk intended to connote the Indo-European origins of the Lithuanian language as well as Lithuanian strength of character, according to perfume’s designer. More complete, the top notes of the perfume are bergamot, ginger, raspberry, red berry and grapefruit, mixed with lily and oil rose, all completed by amber, sandalwood, cedar, patchouli and musk.

Graphic label, packaging and bottle design was created and produced by Lithuanian Giedrius Laurušas and J. Brundza. The creation of the perfume has been entrusted to France’s Galimard, in business since 1747.

According to Mindaugas Stongvilas, Emotional Marketing Specialist, the adding of the scent behind Lithuania’s image was considered a great idea by the officials that were tackling for two years already with matters such as country’s identity, brand and Lithuania in Vilnius – European Capital of Culture (VECC).

After different options were taken in consideration, Stongvilas said that him, along with couple colleagues specialized in emotional marketing, “decided to create a scent for the largest marketing project in the country – Lithuania brand”, something that reflects the particular features of Lithuanian and Lithuanian.

Regarding the way the scents that give the personality of the perfume were chosen, he said those were picked up to follow „the emotional and symbolic meanings”
The project was financed entirely by private funds. The perfume developing and the production of a first charge of 1,000 bottles was close to Euro 30,000 (Litas 100,000).

The perfume already reached to Lithuanian soldiers serving in Afganistan, as a gift from Ministry of Defence, and also was offered as gift from Lithuanian president to foreign ambassadors in Vilnius.

The Lithuanian fragrance won’t stop only at the perfume stage, as other products are going to be developed as part of the same project: brand scented candles, lines of fragrances for men and women.

The „smell of Lithuania” will also reach in hotels and restaurants in Lithuania and will also be in the center of special projects.

Worldwide, a similar project was run by Las Vegas, that also developed its own fragrance.