The Asia Pacific region is probably the most economically and geographically diverse area of the world. It ranges from the Peoples Republic of China, a demographic giant which is now awakening, to Japan, an industrial and technological dynamo; as well as from the ASEAN group, now America’s seventh largest trading partner, to the newly industrialized counties of South Korea, Taiwan and Hong Kong.
This background of economic diversity is combined with a colorful tapestry of vastly different cultures and lifestyles which exist between and even within individual nations. In fragrance terms, it is clear that each country within the region has its own interpretation of “freshness” and a different perception of the bolder notes we have come to associate with recent fine fragrance launches.
Market Research and Evaluation
So, as fragrance suppliers and users, how do we need to respond? We need to examine local fragrance preferences against the wider background of international fragrance trends, to develop our expertise in these diverse markets, to determine the image of “freshness” in Japan or that of “cosmetic” in Indonesia, and to widen our knowledge of preferred fragrances across the entire spectrum of personal and functional products.
