The first step in the perceptual process for men’s aftershave is ‘primitive categorization’, which appeals to a man who wants to improve his image by choosing the aftershave.
The next step after that is ‘cue check’, meaning that everyone has their own unique categories for aftershave such as stylish, mysterious or macho and the use of colour allows the customer to interpret which aftershave belongs in these categories due to the colour and design of the bottle. Different colours are used in marketing to target or suit their potential customer. In this case Paco Rabbane’s ‘1 Million’ has the appearance of a gold brick, which indicates it belongs to the upmarket and more expensive category of cologne. The reason why they use gold is that it has many positive symbolic meanings. It can symbolize wealth, power, strength, happiness and perfection. It is a highly valued colour in society and it was chosen for this packaging not only to stand out from other aftershave bottles on the shelves but to identify their true target market, the higher social class of male customers.
Gold is expensive so possible purchasers seeing the colour of the aftershave identify with its target market and its appeal as luxurious, formal and elegant. The bottle is infact a modern and masculine reinterpretation of a gold lingot. Paco Rabbane use the tagline ‘simple and elegant, it becomes a genuine object of desire’. They are trying to make it appear as if the bottle is actually a real gold brick and therefore highly desirable. Paco Rabbane want to be distinctive in selling a bottle of cologne packaged completely differently to others, differentiating it from the usual bottle of aftershave is just a clear glass bottle, which is then perceived as rather dull and insignificant. They are in a market that is always changing so rely on innovative products standing out and looking attractive, meaning more people are inclined to buy them.
The third step in the perceptual process is the confirmation check, which is how the customer decides the brand suits their image and personality. The target market is between the ages of 18-30 comprising males who appreciate the way they look and enjoy expensive tastes. This customer base buys it to embrace and be part of celebrity, wealthy lifestyle.
The last point of the perceptual process is ‘confirmation completion’, in which the consumer decides whether it was the right product for them, considering the colour of the bottle and the interesting name of the aftershave. In this case ‘Paco Rabbane’ is a very elegant name so it suits the brand image very well and reinforces its customer base, the name ‘1Million’ echoes wealth as well as the saying ‘one in a million’, meaning this product is very significant and special. A consumer evaluating their decision to purchase this product will appreciate it and respond positively if they fall within the target market required. The engraved logo on the bottle takes the inspiration from the Far West style typography which is a very formal font, backing up which target market it specifically belongs to.
Paco Rabbane is one of the most fashionable colognes for men, however,not the most expensive. It is currently in a good position in the market with a strong brand image and a loyal customer base. If they were to lower the price of their aftershave due to the conditions in the market, such as the economic crisis I think it would lose their brand image and stylish qualities. Aftershave is a luxury good, not a necessity good, however consumer confidence has increased, resulting in more spending. The price suits the type of product because it is a significant high valued item in the cologne market targeted towards those with high disposable income and they should continue focusing on competing with brands such as Georgio Armani, Emporio Armani, Hugo Boss and Yves Saint Laurent to maintain rapid growth.
