November 2004, Estee Lauder launches the cologne Trump. Macy's carried it and several months later they were not. I asked the Sales Associate why and she replied, people don't like the man.At the time, I thought that Donald Trump/Estee Lauder made a mistake naming it after himself.
In the print collateral Trump stands next to his, then fiance, now wife. The tagline Men Wearing My Cologne Can Get Any Woman struck me as funny as it presumes men could also get his fiance, once wearing his cologne.
Trump was quoted, "It's for men that wanna get beautiful women - it's guaranteed! You spray it on and you can have any woman you want. It's gonna be a very big seller."
Well, it wasn't as big a seller as hoped. Even the perfumer distanced herself, for I didn't see it on her bio lists of fragrance creations.
Amid the dissension, for buyers love to criticize celebrity perfumes, I liked it (the edc, not the edt which they shouldn't have bothered with).
The first time I smell Trump? I laugh, I "get it". The perfumer has a sense of humor. It says green. It says money! Green, greenbacks, moola! A refined green sprayed on a loose weave wool man's black suit. The suit is light enough to float, but tough enough to structure. It insulates, a thin skin moving in the higher echelons ...you know, floor 52 and above.
As for the marketing: in my head, I talk to the Donald. Donald, you fool, did you want to sell your ego or make money on this? Shame on you, you're fired! (from The Apprentice, his show)
Perfumer Annie Buzantian
the notes I found:
top mint, cucumber, pepper, citrus, basil
heart rosemary, juniper
base patchouli, nutmeg, vetiver, mossy wood
photo: Trump Towers Martin-D ( the bottle design reflects aspects of Tower architecture)
