Shoppers Aren't Buying Celebrity Fragrances Anymore

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Elizabeth Arden and Coty have both reported falling sales on their celebrity fragrance lines. According to Fortune, both perfume companies have posted sales drops on fragrances fronted by Britney Spears, Justin Bieber, Beyoncé, and Lady Gaga in their latest earnings reports.

In contrast, more pricey fragrances by designers including Michael Kors and Tom Ford are continuing to sell well. According to the report, consumers just aren't as interested in lower priced celebrity fragrances because they don't carry the same feeling of quality and luxury. Coty acknowledged in its earnings report that celebrity fragrances are a risky business, since "there can be no assurance that these celebrity licensors will maintain the appropriate celebrity status or positive association among the consumer public." Sales for mass fragrance products, including celebrity scents, have dropped by half since 2000.