To consolidate its ambitions on the global market, Le Jardin Retrouvé is betting on blockchain and inaugurating the first tamper-proof perfume, in collaboration with the French startup Sorga.
True to its motto "The avant-garde in heritage", Le Jardin Retrouvé, a family-owned, artistic and eco-responsible French perfumery house since 1975, has adopted a blockchain technology that guarantees the authenticity, traceability and ownership of its perfumed products thanks to a unique diamond-shaped QR code elegantly affixed to each product.
For Michel Gutsatz and Clara Feder, it was important to choose a technology that was in line with the Jardin Retrouvé's values of respect for the environment and accessibility.
A guarantee of transparency and authenticity
The QR code is specific to each product, in the form of a sticker affixed not only to each case, but also inside. Once scanned, the code provides consumers with reliable information provided by their authors, recorded in the blockchain - and therefore indestructible - such as the unique proprietary code, the origin of the ingredients, the manufacturing process, IFRA certificates and potentially all those related to the product.
The Chinese market in focus This notion of authenticity is particularly sensitive on the Chinese market - where the Sorga platform is accessible from WeChat - because counterfeiting is one of the major concerns of Chinese consumers. The inviolability of its products is an undeniable asset for Le Jardin Retrouvé in its conquest of this rapidly expanding perfume market.
Strengthening the bond between the brand and its customers This digital certificate also gives customers the opportunity to interact with the brand on a one-to-one basis using multiple links, videos and emails. This marks a new era in consumer relationship management (CRM) as customers from all over the world, regardless of where they shop, go to the same platform controlled by the House.
"We were quickly aligned on the same issues with Le Jardin Retrouvé. In two months, thousands of products were equipped and set out to conquer China with a technological innovation never before seen in perfumery," says Phlippe Guguen, president of MAP Emulsion, the company behind the Sorga solution.
The blockchain guarantee
Since the advent of the blockchain at the same time as bitcoin in 2008, this method of storing and transmitting data in the form of blocks linked to each other and protected against any modification, is a revolution whose full extent is not yet fully appreciated. The notion of Non Fungible Token (NFT) has been the subject of much speculation. In the case of the unique information of each product contained in the Sorga technology, we will rather speak of NFA - Non Fungible Assets. Thus, the implementation of information on the blockchain represents a quantum leap in terms of its certification and authenticity that foreshadows the ethical marketing of tomorrow.
After make-up, skincare and leather goods, perfume has adopted Sorga. With Le Jardin Retrouvé perfumes, Sorga demonstrates that it provides the transparency and traceability expected by consumers for the perfume industry. " In addition to bringing the inviolable sources of proof of the brand's commitments to its customers before their purchase, Sorga opens the doors to a new relationship with the brand after the purchasesays Philippe Guguen, designer of Sorga. For skincare or makeup, multilingual video tutorials were an obvious customer benefit. It is finally also for the perfume ritual or to explain how to use your perfume refill."
A solution adapted to Asian markets, usable from WeChat Sorga's technology was finalized this year, but it is already available in 10 languages and compatible with all smartphones, including via WeChat. No app to download: a simple QR code scan gives access to the tamper-proof passport unique to each product. Within two months, the products are equipped and the content is controlled in real time.
The Sorga solution is very simple to implement, even though it is technologically complex to enable the lowest carbon footprint with a large number of proofs anchored in the public blockchain.
"Sorga fits perfectly with our DNA - biodegradability of stickers, low environmental impact blockchain, but also accessible to everyone in a sustainable way because it is public, which is not the case with some blockchains owned by large private groups."says Michel Gutsatz, president of the perfume house Le Jardin Retrouvé.
