Hasta La Gadget!

The Fa-fa Trip Series offers a line-up of scented fabric softeners that channel far-flung destinations.

As is seen in many recent FMCG brands, such as Kirin’s World Kitchen series of drinks featuring global themes and ingredients, world travel is a popular marketing tool. With so many Japanese with far-off vacations under their belts and interest in foreign countries, these products are designed to both bring back memories of travel and inspire the spirit of exploration.

Nissan Soap, manufacturer of popular Fa-fa laundry products, has put a new spin on the idea of scented fabric softeners: the Fa-fa Trip Series. This collection of fabric softeners comes in a variety of country-themed scents, including Sicilian Lemon Field (Italy), Tiare Blooming Seashore (Tahiti), Chumpak Flower Garland (Bali), Caribbean Cocktail (Jamaica), Arabian Oasis (Dubai), and Tougen Senbon Cherry Blossom (Japan). This spring three new scents were added: Great Barrier Reef Sea Breeze (Australia), Paradise Berry (Cebu), Forest of Fairies (Finland), and Healing Incense (India). Each variety plays up scents associated with the particular country invoked in the name: Dubai smells like myrrh and musk, Sicily like citrus, and so on.

Scents are sold in individual packets of 50g each or in variety packs of six. The idea is not to choose one preferred scent and commit to it for the next several months but rather to sample from a variety, depending on one’s mood. Consequently the “destinations” vary from the exotic (India, Dubai) or the romantic (Sicily, Tahiti) to popular beach resorts associated with fun and relaxation (Cebu, Bali).

We spotted a display for the Fa-fa Trip Series at the popular, trend aggregating variety store Ranking, Ranqueen in Shibuya station. Sold here alongside slimming bath products and vitamin waters, this Nissan Soap product targets young women in particular.

Trend Potential
As seen in the popular (and growing) Starbucks Discoveries series, products that tap consumers’ curiosity for new experiences (translated into new flavors) are enjoying a notable success. We’ve seen a number of food and beverage products follow suit—but why not expand, as the Fa-fa Trip Series does, into the realms of the other senses?