I didn’t think I’d be using this blog for perfume related things, I have another website for that kind of thing. I’m also currently on holiday with my two children, so I’m easing off on work this week, but this rather bothered me.

We need to talk about embargoes.

For those who don’t know, here is the definition of an embargo (in this context) according to the Oxford English Dictionary:

Officially ban the publication of

Sometimes a company will not want to allow publication of information about a product until a particular date, but wish to advise the press of the information prior to this date so that publications can prepare material beforehand.

I’m not going to name names here, as this issue is wider than the brand I’m currently talking about, but many of you will probably be able to guess anyway.

Let’s call this fragrance “Embargo pour Homme”.

Now, according to the UK PR, I’m not technically allowed to publish information about Embargo pour Homme until the 1st September.

I have no issues with embargoes per se but in this case it seems a little bit a lot ridiculous. Here is why:

1. The name “Embargo pour Homme was registered as a trademark one year ago. This information is publicly available.
2. At the start of this year, an image of the bottle was leaked to a social media account. It was later removed. Sites that had published the image were asked to remove it.(So far, not too bad. Here’s where it gets ridiculous)
3. The fragrance has been on sale in France for over a month
4. The fragrance features on the company’s official website and YouTube channel
5. The fragrance has reviews of it by people on YouTube, Basenotes and Fragrantica (so people have been able to buy or sample it).
6. The fragrance will be on sale in a major London department store in the middle of August.
7. BUT I’m not technically allowed to mention Embargo pour Homme until 1st September.Sadly, this isn’t an isolated case.

   Fragrance Houses, and basically anyone in the consumer goods industry, let me make it simple for you:

   If your product is available for sale in one country, then information will be available on the internet. You know, the World Wide Web. It’s World Wide. If you don’t want the internet to find out about something, then don’t sell it or tell anyone about it.