Creative agency, Free The Birds has developed a unique room fragrance to boost creativity. The fragrance is being launched as part of a campaign to raise awareness of the power of creativity and the challenges faced by the sector. All profits will be donated to Create, a charity that enhances the wellbeing of adults and young people through the creative arts.
The fragrance has been developed in collaboration with Sarah McCartney, an acclaimed independent parfumier and has a unique bottle design. Packaged within a refillable and recyclable glass bottle, ‘Beautiful Thinking’ is a fragrance containing notes that improve mental clarity, aid focus, and bring a sense of harmony. A Virginian Cedar pencil lies inside the bottle and over time will continue to infuse the fragrance.
To learn more about the process behind the idea, we spoke to Paul Domenet and Nick Vaus, Co-Founders at Free The Birds.
What was the brief?
The celebration of and inspiration for creativity have always been of great interest to us as an agency. We wanted to do something unexpected and unusual as a statement of our belief in the value of creativity which we see as being undermined in the current climate. In addition, we wanted to do something which would actively contribute to the promotion of creativity as a force for good.
How did the initial pitch/brainstorming phase go?
We had previously done workshops with Sarah McCartney, a respected independent parfumier, where we had explored the creation of scents and had each created personalised fragrance of our own. We wondered whether it would be possible to use the same process to formulate a fragrance which had the necessary elements and combinations to stimulate the imagination.
What was the process behind ideating the concept?
Once we had settled on the idea for the fragrance, we invited Sarah McCartney back into the agency to do a workshop with everyone where we looked at different scents which had proven mind-stimulating properties. We then developed different combinations of these scents until we found the one which combined the best ‘thought-starter’ elements whilst giving off an alluring aroma.
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Upcycled rose to give the fragrance a rich, heady background.
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Peppermint which is proven to improve mental function.
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Virginian cedar, from which pencils are made, the simplest conveyors of idea. (There is even a pencil in the bottle which, over time, continues to infuse the fragrance with this ‘sharpening’ note.)
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Cashmerian Velvet which adds the thought-provoking atmosphere of a walk in the woods.
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Clearwood with pachouli which adds focus.
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Karmawood for harmony.
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And cannabis. It’s not actually cannabis, it’s rhubarb but it gives off the same whiff of narcotics and we know how mind-expanding that can be.
As we are a creative agency with a history of outstanding packaging in the beauty category, we knew that how the fragrance was bottled and presented had to be distinctive and original. ‘Beautiful Thinking’ is the agency’s mantra. (It is captured in neon in our meeting rooms.)
The packaging had to be a prime example of ‘Beautiful Thinking’. Numerous designs were put forward, but the standout concept broke the rules whilst staying true to the idea of the fragrance. A pencil forms part of our identity and so integrating this into the packaging was crucial in branding the product ‘Free The Birds’. It was also practical. The cedar in the wood would diffuse slowly adding more of its mind-stimulating properties.
The intention had always been to use the promotion of this product to also promote the cause of creativity. Therefore, we sought out an organisation which champions the positive benefits of creativity which we could help through the sales of the fragrance. CREATE is an award-winning charity which empowers lives and enhances well-being through the creative arts. We were thrilled that they agreed to be our partners in this enterprise.
What was the production process like?
Once the formulation for the fragrance had been settled on, Sarah McCartney produced the amount necessary for a limited-edition quantity (1000 bottles). We sourced the best and most sustainable materials including pencils which had the optimum texture to live in the liquid.
The pencils were supplied by a company working in the North Cotswolds foothill which prioritises the use of sustainable and responsibly harvested materials to reduce the carbon footprint. The wood is fully recyclable, FSC certified timber which is also biodegradable and hypoallergenic.
The tube the fragrance is packaged in is made from FSC mixed sources and sustainable pulp which is 100% recyclable. The glass of the bottle is also fully recyclable and sustainably sourced from raw materials found in sand, soda ash and limestone.
What was the biggest challenge during production? How did you overcome it?
Our biggest challenge was that we had never made our own product before. This meant that we had to learn new skills, become acquainted with new practices and introduce ourselves to the world of supply and logistics.
Also, the choice of pencil was a very involved process. We wanted it to obviously be safe and sustainable but also to add to the fragrance as it matured inside the liquid. This led to exploring many possible alternatives until we arrived at the perfect cedar composition.
What is one funny or notable thing that happened during production?
As is the case with many unusual and original creative ideas, there was the moment where the question was asked ‘but you can’t do that, can you?’ The truth is, we didn’t know. But the answer is, apparently, yes.
What’s the main message of this project and why does it matter?
Commercial creativity shouldn’t be just a pretty face. It should be a marriage of imagination and intellect. Ideas not only enrich and colour our everyday lives, but increasingly important, creative thinking is proven to improve mental wellness and self-esteem.
We should do everything we can to celebrate creativity in its many forms and recognise what it can do for our spirits, our souls and our society.
How long did it take from inception to delivery?
January 2023 – April 2023
What do you hope it achieves for the brand?
We hope it makes lots of money for CREATE. We would like it to enhance our reputation not only as a creative agency but as evangelists for creativity in the wider sense. And we’d like rooms everywhere to be more stimulating and more aromatic places to live and work.
Credit list for the work?
Creative Direction: Nick Vaus & Paul Domenet
Account Manager: Celia Lopez
Marketing: Daisy Brunt
Project Coordinator: Stacy Demarchis
