Perfumer & Flavorist recently published an article by its editor, Jeb Gleason-Allured, on "The Impact of Negative Fragrance Messaging". As Mr. Gleason-Allured invited reactions, I wrote him the following letter, which he offered to publish on the online edition of P&F, in the hope that it would foster a dialogue between bloggers and the industry. It came out on April 28th. You can read it by clicking on this link.
I also wrote to Stephen Weller, the Director of Communications of IFRA. He sent me a detailed answer, which he has kindly allowed me to reproduce. I shall do so shortly.
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Brava, Denyse. Let's hope that this is the beginning of a fruitful dialogue with the industry.
RépondreSupprimerJarvis: I think this is a first. I'm quite glad. And awaiting responses.
RépondreSupprimerBrava, brava!! Finally someone has said it like it is, directly to the industry. I look forward to seeing the responses as well.
RépondreSupprimerTara, so far things are a little... quiet. Possibly no one's ever read anything quite like it (if one doesn't go on blogs).
RépondreSupprimerExcellent and very well-articulated contribution, D., and certainly summarizes many of the concerns I've witnessed on various blogs. And as mentioned, let's hope it helps open a constructive dialogue.
RépondreSupprimerI haven't stopped by here before, but I do plan to add you to my semi-regular blog reading.
Thank you Joe, I'm looking forward to reading your comments.
RépondreSupprimerYour letter was completely to the point. Hopefully, someone will start taking notice and things might start happening in a more optimistic pattern...
RépondreSupprimerBrava! A voice of reason emerges. I can't wait to read the responses. Thank you!
RépondreSupprimerIt's hard for me to conceive the idea of an industry that ignores its own early adopters, that is to say...us. For that's what we are, in marketing jargon at least. We're as willing to give a Guerlain or Chanel kudos as we are a niche or natural-perfumery product. Or we were.
Blind and not very bright, IMHO.
I will be curious to hear any response there may be. Thank you for being the torch-bearer, D!
RépondreSupprimerDenyse, thank you. It's a great letter, and you are very good to use your knowledge of the industry this way. Many people would be too nervous about their own interests to speak up.
RépondreSupprimerI'm off to go publicize your link.
And hey everyone -- there is a place to email a response. Let's let them know we're out here reading and cheering D. on with a short note, eh?
Olfacta, the more I investigate, the more I find that the industry per se is essentially guilty, not of promoting regulations but of a culture of secrecy that feeds paranoid hypotheses in the "early adopters".
RépondreSupprimerHowever, the main reasons for the regulations is the double pressure of the EU authorities for "zero-risk" products and the anti-fragrance campaigning of lobbies and some NGOs.
I wrote this letter in the hope of at least getting a dialogue going... We'll see.
Dusan, well, as I said above, wait and see...
RépondreSupprimerAlyssa, I don't have any particular interests apart from the quality of fragrances and a desire for greater transparency. It's not like anyone is going to fire me for speaking up...
RépondreSupprimerThanks for your support.
Ines: I think it's a done deal. What we could hope for is at least a greater transparency, namely on the matter of reformulations, but I'm not holding my hopes up.
RépondreSupprimerWell, I still think it takes nerve to speak up, no matter what the interests at stake.
RépondreSupprimerI posted on POL inviting people to read the letter and respond and so far I've gotten...crickets. Zip. Nada. Very interesting. Lots of fevered talk amongst ourselves. Not a lot of interest in action. Of course, it could be the fault of my wordy post. I'll have to try again, with greater brevity, in a few days.
The curious thing to me, in these debates, is that the trend to insist on "organic," "green," and "natural" products, which so far has aligned itself against perfumery, might possibly by co-opted if it's adherents knew the resulting legislation was eliminating plants from their products. I had a day a couple of weeks ago where I read about IFRA all day and then saw a posting for Yves Rocher's new line of "harvest" based "natural" frags. (Similar to L'Artisan's concept.) This just kills me, but maybe it is also a way out?
I am betting you will say no. And you are right. Not right now. But perhaps over the longer term?
My Les Nez arrived, BTW, with full ingredient lists on their bottles. So interesting.
Excellent, excellent letter. Standing ovation!
RépondreSupprimerKeep us posted as to any response from the industry.
Alyssa, natural perfumers raised the alarm a long time ago, realizing the implications of the ever-stricter regulations: Anya McCoy posted several times about it and an organisation called Cropwatch was very vocal and active.
RépondreSupprimerRappleyea: will do!
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