Portland agency Opinionated took the idea of experiential to a whole new place in a campaign for fellow local business Powell’s Books, which bills itself as “the world’s largest independent bookseller”—and serves as one of the city’s biggest tourist attractions. Like other retailers, Powell’s saw business suffer during the pandemic. But even after its doors opened again, some shoppers remained reluctant to enter. So Opinionated came up with a clever product idea: to bring the “essence” of the bookstore to them in the form of a fragrance. 

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“Powell’s by Powell’s” was a unisex scent that captured the olfactory experience of being in the store. Priced at $24.99, it debuted just in time for the Black Friday shopping rush. To promote the perfume, Opinionated created an over-the-top ad that played up the tropes of fragrance advertising. “If you can’t be there, at least you can smell there,” read the tagline.

The product went on to become Powell’s best-selling item the month of its debut, and the initial run of 2,500 units sold out in two weeks. Of those who purchased, 90% were first-time Powell’s customers. The perfume earned coverage in major media outlets, including CNN and New York Magazine’s holiday gift guide. Since then, shoppers continue to purchase the fragrance, judging from the reviews on the Powell’s site, the most recent of which posted this month. Though awareness, web traffic and online sales were the objectives of the campaign, Powell’s by Powell’s also had the added bonus of generating extra revenue for the store. 

Emily Powell, owner and president of Powell’s Books noted, “We were thrilled at the response. Our community near and far felt re-connected and engaged. The energy and enthusiasm generated by Powell’s by Powell’s provided some much-needed wind in our sails—and sales—during a challenging time.”

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