BT Forum

Posted: October 3, 2008

Avon Products, Inc. announced that it has teamed with the Ironman brand to launch a signature men's fragrance collection named after the triathlon. The Ironman Fragrance Collection will be unveiled just before the 2008 Ford Ironman World Championship in Kailua-Kona, Hawaii.

Avon views the endurance event as an apt representation of a lifestyle. Competitors from around the world participate, making the race a universal adventure that challenges both the mind and the body.

"The Ironman Triathlon defies barriers from language and nationality to age and gender," said Philippe Hostalery, group vice president, global beauty brands, Avon. "As a global company, we wanted the Ironman collection to capture both the global spirit of the race and the 'Anything is Possible' mentality that accompanies it."

The collaboration marks Ironman's first foray into the fragrance industry.

"As the leading endurance brand, Ironman is proud to be partnered with an iconic brand such as Avon, the world's largest direct seller, to develop a line of products that match the vigor every Ironman possesses," said Bill Potts, vice president, marketing and business development, Ironman.

"The global scope and synergies of our brands made partnering with Ironman a natural fit," said Hostalery. "The values behind Ironman and the Ironman Triathlon really resonated with the entrepreneurial spirit of Avon. Ironman represents excellence, determination, positive ambition and a well-balanced nature. It is aspirational, yet grounded, something our Avon customers can relate to."

The signature scent of the Ironman collection, developed by Drom fragrance house, is a fusion of citrus and spices spiked with rich woods. Top notes of ginger, lime and violet mingle with mid notes of nutmeg, rain mist accord and vetiver, and are grounded in a base of patchouli, cedarwood, wiliwood accord and tree moss. The fragrance comes in a bottle with a top designed to look like a bike grip, one of the disciplines seen in Ironman, evoking the athleticism that inspires the fragrance. The black-on-black carton features icons of each of the triathlon sports—with a footprint representing running, waves representing swimming, and tire tread representing cycling.

Ironman competitor Matt Miller is the face of the collection. The fragrance launches globally in April 2009. The U.S. launch will follow in May 2009.