This lesson provides an overview of the fragrance industry. Students will explore the background of fragrance, the role fragrance plays in our lives and the career opportunities available in the industry. Using the gained information and their prior knowledge about target customer demographics and psychographics students will be able to evaluate the impact of cultural factors on customer's needs, desires and satisfactions by creating a new fragrance for a specific customer.
Create a pleasant but strong odor for students to smell when they enter the room. It is best to use an item the students can identify. One suggestion is to peel or cut an orange. If it is not a fragrant orange you can squeeze some of the juice out to help bring the scent into the room.
When students enter into the room you will have some who mention that is smells good or smells like an orange. As class starts have the word of the day with definition displayed. Today's word is perfumer. As students get settled start talking with them about the orange smell.
Discussion questions:
Today we are going to talk about the role of fragrance in our everyday lives in addition to some of the career opportunities in the fragrance industry.
Display the PowerPoint to show students the activity. Have several boxes each with a small slit in the top already prepared with 5-8 different items for students to smell and identify. If it is difficult to get several boxes use just one box with a slit in the top. Then hide the items and secretly swapped from one item to the next.
When the first item is ready, ask for a volunteer to come smell the slit in the box. You can have just one or several students come up. It is nice to get more students involved plus hear the different guesses. After everyone has smelled the box, refer them to the list of possible items and have them guess the content of the box just based on the smell. If students can see into the top of the box then use a fleece scarf to blindfold each student as they smell the contents.
After the student(s) have guessed, show them the item and indicate whether they were correct or not. Continue the process until all of the items have been smelled and identified.
Go through the discussion questions on the PowerPoint with the entire class. This a chance to check for understanding.
A small part of the article is included in the PowerPoint. You can also print out, copy and distribute the entire article for students to read. Go over the article and the idea of using scent to brand a product or company. Discuss with students their thoughts on the subject. Ask if any student has work in a location that uses scent branding. You will usually have at least one or two students. Discuss that this is a new way to brand and market something.
Link to article http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/10_26/b4184085987358.htm
Article
Provide students a copy of the note taking guide. Go through the PowerPoint while the students take notes. Provide an opportunity for students to provide their own input. If you talk about whale sperm being used some students might mention that bull sperm was used in Red Bull. You can use this as an opportunity to mention there are many urban myths about lots of products and industries, many are not true. Red Bull does not have any animal product contained in the drink.
At the slide "How we use fragrance" ask a student rep to identify the fragrance example that was left on their table. Let the students know these are just some examples of fragrances. Check for understanding by talking about the significance of the fragrance in each product.
Continue with the PowerPoint. It should only take about 15 minutes to go through the entire lecture.
Hold a group discussion about designer fragrances. Talk about how those fragrances are used, where they are sold, who is their target market (have already covered this in class), and ways the fragrance is advertised. Explain that many designers choose to branch into fragrances since they can make so much money. Very little cost to produce but sold for a lot of money.
Show Gaultier video. Discussion points:
Show Dior video. Discussion points:
This discussion will show how much students have understood the material covered during the class period. Review specific points as necessary.
Explain to the class that in groups of 2-3 students will work in design teams to create a new fragrance. Talk through the directions then allow students to start working on their project. Allow about 30-40 minutes for students to complete assignment. Instruct each group to put their information on a large piece of colored paper. They should mount their picture and include all requred information on this paper.
Call out time checks for the class to remind them of the deadline. At the end of the assigned time explain that the student design teams will now present their new fragrance. Each group should only take about 2-3 minutes to present their fragrance.
If students get involved in the discussion or very detailed in their design creation you may run out of time. You can hold the presentations the beginning of the following class if necessary.
While groups are presenting their new fragrance each individual student will evaluate the presentations. They will vote for which fragrance will be the most successful selling product.
Assess the group projects using the assessment rubric.