A MESSAGE FROM OUR PRESIDENT & CEO
What’s in a Name?
The journey of Fragrance Creators’ name and logo
A name and logo are the first things
people hear and see when they “meet”
your organization. I think good brand
names are seldom arbitrary; they are
carefully curated ambassadors of a brand
personality that convey position, tone, and
values.
So, how to capture fragrance in a name
and logo? I would argue that to be an
exercise in futility. But I do believe there
is a way—with an open mind and heart—
to create a name that communicates who
we are as an industry community and a
mark that embodies—as best we can—the
essence of fragrance.
It is with that belief that we embarked
on our rebranding journey—a highly
collaborative, thoughtful, and creative
process—with all the vigorous discussions
you would expect from individuals who
truly care about our organization and its
future.
A BIT OF HISTORY AND
BACKGROUND
Many may not know that our
association dates back to the 1920s, when
a trade group was formed by essential
oils dealers, importers, and processors.
It later became the Fragrance Materials
Association of the United States (FMA)
and commenced advocating for the
entire spectrum of fragrance ingredients,
both of natural and lab-created origins,
and for fragrance compounders. Today,
the organization continues to grow and
improve to better serve members, be the
voice of the fragrance industry, and endear
and educate the public to fragrance.
And as the world continues to evolve
around us, we recognized that we needed
to embrace change—even though it can
be uncomfortable—and reinforce our
association as a strong, independent
national partner in the global fragrance
community. That meant finding a way to
communicate our ongoing commitment to
the IFRA Standard, engaging with IFRA
to ensure global policy coherence, and
working with RIFM to ensure scientific
accuracy, while also eliminating increasing
confusion among law makers, influencers
and media, and the general public. We
concluded that the best way to do this
was to rebrand ourselves as an association
made up of creators who are grounded in
safety and passionate about making the
world a better place through the power of
fragrance.
THE NAME TALKS
Like everything we do, the name change
was driven and perfected by our people.
We worked with our members, allied
stakeholders, and other influencers, who
graciously shared their ideas and expertise
along the way. During a focus group
session on the rebranding, Sandy Pound,
Vice President, Worldwide Communication
and Public Policy, at Johnson & Johnson,
suggested the name “Fragrance Makers.”
From there, Kenneth McAlister, Vice
President of Sales, Technology, and
Innovation at Intarome and member of our
Board of Directors, suggested “Fragrance
Creators”—and it stuck. We believe that
our industry and our association are only
as strong as the individuals who help
create fragrances and fragranced products
in a safe and responsible way every
single day. We are proud to represent the
scientists, perfumers, researchers, farmers,
artists, inventors, entrepreneurs, and the
many others who make up this community.
THE LOGO ‘WALKS’
The logo design, too, was a group effort.
Anyone who knows me knows I am
always looking to art, photography, music,
and other creations for inspiration. While
searching online, I stumbled upon an
image of the strikingly colorful droplet
and it moved me. I knew I’d found
something truly special. It was creative,
beautiful, and em otion-invoking—just like
fragrance. Designed by an independent
artist, the droplet is completely unique,
containing layers upon layers of colors
that come together to create something
exquisite—a nod to the thoughtfulness
and collaboration that are foundational to
our industry. We were sure to incorporate
the circle around the droplet, connecting
us to our former branding and expressing
our commitment to collaborate with
IFRA on global fragrance policy. As
we finalized the design, Jaime Krayger,
Associate Director of Global Prospective
at Firmenich and Chair of our Branding &
Communications Executive Committee,
lent us her design expertise, offering up
additional refinements that made it just
right.
Since the rollout in early May, the
response from our members, allied trades,
and the media has been overwhelmingly
positive. Everyone is genuinely excited
about the direction in which we’re moving
and all that we are poised to achieve. I’m
so pleased and grateful for the enthusiasm
and energy in every “Like,” comment,
text, and email.
As you will see in the pages that follow,
through our advocacy, communications,
and membership efforts, we are now
achieving unprecedented impact, visibility,
and reach on Capitol Hill, with state and
federal policymakers and regulators, and
with the general public. We are committed
to sharing our values and educating and
endearing everyone to the value, benefits,
and joy of fragrance—and we’re just
getting started.
Our brand position and reputation
will continue to build and be earned
day by day. The process will take time.
However, I believe we have taken a strong
step toward ensuring great brand recall,
salience, and reputational elevation.
Many thanks to each of you—our
members—who have helped make all of
this possible. FN
Farah K. Ahmed,
President & CEO
Issue 2, 2018 | FRAGRANCENOTES.ORG | 5