BMW doesn't just want you to have "sheer driving pleasure" any more. It would also like you to smell nice, preferably with a fragrance that goes nicely with its cars.
The German brand has released two gender-neutral perfumes called Amberness and Bergamood, which "turn the feeling most associated with the brand into an olfactory experience". They were developed by Mavive, a company owned by the Vidal family.
Stefan Karch, head of BMW Lifestyle & Licensing, explains (sort of): “The new BMW fragrances Amberness and Bergamood convey the hallmark BMW joy in a new way. Like the BMW brand, they are immersive, inviting and expressive. As daily companions, they make a special statement that customers can identify with,
and that emphasises the emotional aspect of the BMW brand.”
Marco Vidal, CEO of Mavive, also has a go at making sense of the new products: “BMW has shaped the automotive world and Mavive stands for pushing boundaries within the fragrance industry. The synergy arising from this collaboration resulted in two new fragrances and a unique sensory experience.”
BMW says both work as "standalone scents or develop very special and highly individual fragrance experiences when combined and/or applied in different concentrations." So purchase both, in other words.
There's actually some science to BMW's claim that the fragrances make you feel a bit car-y. They were created using EmotiWaves™, developed by dsm-firmenich, a company specialising in fragrances and flavours. This technology is grounded in "leading-edge, patented and certified neuroscientific findings," using natural ingredients to "influence and amplify emotions".
Amberness is supposed to convey tranquillity and a feeling of beauty. Bergamood is intended to be fresh and invigorating.
More importantly, the simple bottle shape evokes the iconic cylindrical BMW building in Munich. The black cap of each bottle is embossed with the BMW logo.