KISS: The Band, The Fragrance

It's kind of incredible, fascinating, and just plain weird, but the intersection of music and beauty was just too irresistible not to write about it here: Rock band KISS, they of stage makeup that inspired many a WWF wrestler and legendary demon tongue hijinks, are putting their names to a small line of fragrances, KISS Her and KISS Him. But lest you think you'll be confronted with a display of guitarist Paul Stanley leering at you on the fragrance counter, the band is taking a more subdued, even canny approach to the package, using simply the iconic KISS lettering and logo and not the band's images at all in the marketing when the juice rolls out this September in about 2,000 department stores. (In a sense, they are detaching the band from the brand, and some cultural studies scholar out there is probably going to go nuts writing about this.) Stanley says in WWD, "It isn't a fragrance for fans of the band exclusively. It's about being a free thinker who blazes their own path and lives life according to their own rules realizing that there is no rehearsal for life." Right on, dude! That's like my mantra! But seriously, you'd be astonished at how well KISS merchandise does: KISS-related items have sold $500 million at retail for the past 25 years, about $20 million of it this past year alone, and at a wide array of places outside concert arenas and the like.

KISS is hoping to branch into a larger arena with these fragrances, and a lot of attention is being paid to the packaging and marketing details to appeal to a wide audience outside of famously devoted KISS fanatics. The bottles will have small KISS logos and echoes of their famous "demon" makeup frosted on the glass. KISS Her is a floriental, described by Stanley as "'very feminine without being frilly,' he said, adding that his wife wears the fragrance. 'When I smell more women wearing KISS Her, my head will be turning to a point I need a brace. It's very sexy, flirtatious and very hot. It takes a certain kind of person — one with a little wildness waiting to come out.'" (Can you tell how much I love quoting him?) The fragrance actually has some interesting notes, including something called "racy bull accord" along with calla lily, frangipani, orchids, red poppy, apple-tini, amber, musk, leather and mahogany. KISS Him is described by Stanley as "a high-testosterone cologne," to which I can only say: Watch out! Rawwwr!

It seems KISS Her and KISS Him are being targeted to a younger age bracket, around 18 - 29, with a retail strategy that includes possible instore appearances. Look for scent strips in October magazine issues, along with interesting promotional events like scented Venetian masks, stickers, scented tattoos and car fresheners. When I first read about this, I was absolutely floored and amused by the audacity of it, but it sounds like there is enough promotional muscle and actual conceptual thought behind it all for it to succeed. But the true test, of course, is if the stuff actually smells good. Let's put that "racy bull accord" to the test!

Posted by Kat in Beauty
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