The rap mogul recalled the moment he learned his cologne, Gold Jay Z, hit the shelves of a Superdrug, a UK-based drugstore. “It’s crappy, lazy work,” the “99 Problems” rapper testified during his second day on the witness stand in perfume company Parlux’s lawsuit against him. [...]
In an email shown to the jury, the rapper also ripped a commercial that Parlux made for the fragrance, which depicted liquid gold being dripped on a woman’s body, as “B rate.” “Pretty much like all of their ideas — lazy,” he testified of the commercial.
— Jay-Z testified for a second day in Parlux vs Shawn Carter. Read more in Jay-Z calls perfume company’s work ‘lazy,’ ‘crappy’ at contract trial at New York Post.
“‘Actually I’ve always had problems with the quality of the lazy work that was coming from Parlux,’ he told Manhattan Supreme Court jurors.”
BUT HE WORKED WITH THEM ANYWAY.
He wanted an upscale scent that would nevertheless make him buckets of money. Parlux is not the way to go.
Hard to tell if he meant he had a problem before signing a contract, but yes, it’s not hard to tell what will happen if you just look around.
But also, there’s almost no choice now, given that Coty has pretty much made it clear they’re no longer interested in the category.
What does that mean, ‘no longer interested in the category’? Did Coty sell off their fragrance division?
No, but they declared the celebrity category a dying breed around 2015 or so? Can’t remember. They pretty much stopped signing new celebrities.
There is some talk that the category is making a bit of a comeback, but I don’t really think it is the same as it used to be. The era of walking into a department store and seeing a bunch of celebrity fragrances is over, IMO…the era of department stores is possibly over.
The era of walking into a department store and seeing a bunch of celebrity fragrances is over, IMO…the era of department stores is possibly over.
THIS.
I mean, there are a few celebrity fronted fragrances, like Arianne Grande and Jennifer Lopez, but a lot of celebrity fragrances are being phased out or going direct to consumer, it seems.
And as for big department stores….Macy’s and Nordstrom’s are holding on, but even when you go in the store there is a push to get a sample and then they will order things for you to be delivered at home. Given that, precious marketing space is NOT going to be given to celebrities but rather the tried and true, like Lancome La Vie…. or Jo Malone.
Ah, it’s a celeb-u-scent thing. Yeah, that makes sense, pun intended. Not a lot of new ones around anymore, lately, unless you look at Avon, they still have some going strong over there. I still have Reese Witherspoon’s and Fergie’s Avon offerings from when they were launched back in the day.
And, sigh, I hope your last statement proves to be incorrect. I wore Azuree yesterday, and it brought back memories of hanging out at the perfume counter at our local Reed’s department store while Mom shopped for her Clinique beauty products. I still miss that place.
Azuree is the first fragrance I fell in love with–I still have dreams about going to the department store looking for it!
Jay Z wanted luxury but worked with second rate. And he knew they were second rate. Was he really expecting them to step up because he was Jay Z? More likely, they were counting on him on not caring and wanting his share of the heist.
He could have worked with smaller, more progressive companies who would been better marketers and makers- but nope.
You’d think his wife could have clued him in? She’s no amateur in the scent business, you don’t get luxury from Parlux and I have to believe he knew that. Not showing up for the launch proves he had no real interest, they weren’t going to promote it without him.
Well, it’s Beyonce’s parents that were/are the brains behind the marketing of Heat and the clothing line (WOW- remember that???) I am surprised this was not considered as well!
Jay Z is a NYC boy who could have went with smaller and better and actively chose not to.