Every up and coming company seeks to slice their own portion of the consumer market share “pie”, but few are able to take their ideas to the pan to get their own piece. Take the men’s fragrance and grooming industry: Both industry experts and consumers alike seem to be thrown into a market of inevitabilities and mixed perception. Once upon a time, in America, a gentleman would not leave his home without applying a small discreet amount of fragrance or cologne. Years later it was considered in poor taste for a man to wear any sort of fragrance to the office. Not because it was considered trashy, but because the fragrance industry hadn’t a clue as to how to approach applicable scents for men. Since then, in most American households, the male fragrance maintains a low profile. Advertising from major fashion houses featuring celebrities such as Johnny Depp for Dior and Simon Baker for Givenchy fill pages of several publications and bus-stop stands, and the consumer finds themselves confused; Do they go Bleu? Do they go Aventus? Do they go Fierce?
Welcome, center stage, men’s fragrance and grooming secret weapon: Hawthorne.
Founded by serial fashion entrepreneurs and childhood best friends, Phillip Wong and Brian Jeong, Hawthorne makes it easy for men to be the best version of themselves by using customer body chemistry and lifestyle to deliver tailored personal care products that are right for you. All customers have to do is answer 10 simple questions via their online questionnaire, and Hawthorne will identify and deliver products tailored to their needs–with over 90% accuracy. The brand has developed an Algorithm which seems to get it right every time. Once processed online, the consumer will receive a box set of fragrance – one for day and one for night, that will be tailored to them perfectly.
Hawthorne continues to develop the next generation of how men purchase personal goods as they have recently started to expand their personalized product offerings to the realms of soap, deodorants and shampoos amongst other to be announced goods.
We recently had the chance to interview Phillip and Brian to discuss the significance of wearing fragrance, getting men to let down their guard and purchase fragrance on their own and the integration of an algorithm alongside an e-commerce site that helped them achieve their ambitious goals.
