Mastercard conjures Priceless fragrances, stays true to multisensory marketing push

Mastercard has launched two fragrances under the brand Priceless - the latest iteration of the company’s transformative, multisensory branding approach. The fragrances, Priceless passion and Priceless optimism, are in red and yellow; embodying Mastercard's iconic brand colours. Both fragrances, which will be available in early 2022, were previewed at Fashion Group International’s Night of Stars celebration in New York last week.

Raja Rajamannar, CMO and communications officer at Mastercard, said that the Night of Stars celebration was the perfect place to introduce the newest signature of Mastercard's multisensory brand as it features some of the most talented innovators in the fashion and beauty industries. “Science has shown that fragrance has the ability to evoke powerful emotional connections and with Priceless, we hope to provide an uplifting, immersive and unforgettable experience to consumers," he added.

In a LinkedIn post, Rajamannar said that in an age where attention is fleeting and the volume of advertising clutter continues to increase, brands must engage consumers through increasingly unique methods. To that end, Mastercard developed a marketing approach that engages the five senses, allowing brands to distinguish themselves and cultivate deeper connections with consumers.

As part of its aim to engage the five senses, Mastercard adopted a visual change in 2019 by dropping its name from its iconic brand logo of the interlocking red and yellow circles, introducing itself as a symbol only brand mark. The simplified logo now stands on its own across cards, retail locations both online and offline, and major sponsorship properties. Mastercard said then that the symbol represents the brand "better than one word ever could", and the modern design will allow it to work "seamlessly" across the digital landscape.

To heighten the sonic branding experience, Mastercard then created a unique melody that represents the brand to engage with its consumers. The company spent nearly two years on what it called its “sonic brand architecture”. According to Rajamannar, the melody used for an audio branding should be pleasant, memorable, and also neutral so it does not dominate the situation in which consumers hear it from. It should also be simple enough that consumers can hum to, which will make the tune stick in the minds of consumers longer and stronger. On the taste front, Mastercard also introduced a sweet delight to consumers by launching two original macaron flavours with Ladurée and the launch of its restaurants.

Mastercard is not the only brand to have launched its signature scent this year. In August, Singapore Airlines launched its signature scent known as Batik Flora by Singapore Airlines. The scent, which has begun retailing this month, was done in partnership with Singapore artisanal perfume label, Scent by SIX. The scent includes floral notes from six flowers in SIA's batik motif: aquatic ginger, common dianella, seashore purslane, simpoh lak, utania nervosa, and white kopsia. This comes after the airline unveiled its new sonic signature in April this year. 

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