[How About This Book] Brand Is Fragrance

[Asia Economy Reporter Seo Mideum] It is often easy to think that connoisseurs have picky tastes. The same goes for chefs. British chef Gordon Ramsay is well known domestically for his ruthless criticism of food. At first glance, it seems they have high standards and consider anything that does not meet them a failure. However, Kim Doyoung, a brand planner at Naver and author of the book Learning from Brands (Wisdom House), offers a different perspective. "There is no right answer, but (...) living as a gentle omnivore rather than a sharp gourmet is several times more enjoyable," he says. He argues that surprisingly many chefs understand deeper flavors of more foods and find good points based on their generosity toward food.

In this regard, the author introduces two lines. One is the ‘line of experience,’ which finely compresses the essence one wants to realize, and the other is the ‘line of surroundings,’ which encompasses the external world. He explains, "People who work in branding or create their own brands must always position themselves on the ‘line’ because no matter how excellent a brand is, the place where it will ultimately be located is like a vast universe where countless brands coexist."

One example is Anteroom in Japan (photo). Artists based in Kyoto each took charge of planning and designing a ‘concept room,’ expressing the multifaceted nature of Kyoto that is hard to define in a single way. It is on a different level from the themed rooms other hotels offer. From wallpaper to flooring, furniture, terrace design, and room sprays, everything is directed by the artists. The author calls this a ‘sequence’ (where segmented elements come together to form a continuous whole) and evaluates it as "a map compressing the experiences of Kyoto."

The author believes the ultimate form of a brand is perfume. Although it is a product, once it leaves the container, it is no different from an intangible substance, and the scent varies slightly depending on whose body, which part, and what body temperature it touches. Especially, the perfume brand Creed is the epitome of customized perfume. To create a perfume, they ask clients dozens of questions to draw out their memories?when they feel motivated, when they feel satisfaction, and so on. After this collection process, the fragrance is composed. The author says that having a ‘scent’ that represents oneself is enough to call it a brand in itself.

Recognizing this ‘human scent’ as a brand, the author applied this feeling to his work. When customers vaguely order with various unorganized feelings, he asks what kind of person’s scent they want. "If you think of it as a person, what kind of feeling would it be?" Most are embarrassed, but when he says, "Do you want a feeling like Yoo Jae-suk? Comfortable, fun, a universally liked figure who also has a uniquely established world," or "Or maybe closer to the style of Sung Si-kyung or Yoon Jong-shin," surprisingly, "the vague and fragmentary demands become clear and concrete experiences the moment they smell a specific character’s scent," he explains.

In this context, the author coined the term ‘Creed Effect.’ It is a concept compared to the well-known ‘Proust Effect,’ popularized by the 1910 epic novel In Search of Lost Time. While the Proust Effect refers to how smells evoke specific memories, the Creed Effect is the phenomenon where a certain scent brings someone to mind. The author says, "The phrase ‘leaves behind’ after fragrance might be because it can leave just the right amount to open the door to memories whenever someone calls." He adds, "Being able to leave a lot of good scents behind is what successful branding and a successful life are all about."

Author Kim Doyoung

The author highlights aging as an important element of branding. The longer it endures, the more mature value it offers, but it is not just about time passing. He quotes a sommelier he met at the ‘V Sattui’ winery in Napa Valley, San Francisco. "Wine does not mature just by being stored. There are points to manage continuously according to the grape varieties harvested that year, the ever-changing climate and environment, and various unexpected external factors. Sometimes the position of oak barrels is changed multiple times within a month, the storage location is changed several times depending on evaporation, and the pressure in the storage is finely adjusted. Just leaving it alone is not aging. Aging is a process of continuously focusing to achieve the desired taste."

Human brand aging is not much different. The author recommends ‘tuning’ by incorporating what a brand proposes one by one into one’s life if interested in several brands. Even obvious and familiar advice feels distinctly different depending on who, when, and how it is given. "You might have an experience that awakens your senses, thinking, ‘Yes! This is exactly the person I needed to hear this from at this timing.’"

Sharing stories of eighteen brands, the author says, "Branding is not exclusively for those who professionally handle brands. Anyone can deeply look into, analyze, interpret, and understand at least one brand they like, imagine various things through that brand, and sometimes live according to the messages the brand conveys."

Learning from Brands | Written by Kim Doyoung | Wisdom House | 348 pages | 18,000 KRW