About The (Now Deleted) Penhaligon’s AI Advert

Concept vs Execution

As a whole, this video feels poorly executed.The campaign is based around a simple idea: floral fragrances for spring. On paper, it makes sense but the execution of this video complicates that message. Florals are inherently organic and rooted in the physical world, while this video is entirely artificial.

That contrast could, of course, be deliberate. Perhaps Penhaligon’s are trying to create a surreal, digital reinterpretation of nature. But if fragrance is about evoking something real and tangible, does presenting it through an obviously artificial lens still work?

A Shift In Priorities

For some brands, using AI like this could feel like a natural progression. But Penhaligon’s identity has long been built on storytelling and a sense of human authorship. It was never going to be easy to translate that to artificial or synthetic marketing materials but this certainly feels like a drop-the-ball moment.

In this context, the use of AI feels like a creative decision that indicates a changing of priorities. The emphasis appears to be moving towards image and immediacy, rather than the methodical, more deliberate forms of storytelling that once defined the brand.

How Does It Make Us Feel?

Since it was first posted, the feedback has been anything but positive. There’s a sense that something intangible has been lost in the process. Perhaps, most likely, a human touch?

This feeling is compounded by the decision to switch off comments on the post and Penhaligon’s removing it from their Instagram grid and now deleting it entirely. Whether this was a precaution or a response, it suggests an awareness that the campaign has not landed as well as they would have liked. When a brand limits conversation around its own work, should that not raise questions about confidence in the direction it’s taking?

Do We Expect More From the Brand?

Established in 1870, Penhaligon’s is one of the oldest fragrance houses in the UK and has built its legacy on heritage, storytelling and the idea of craftsmanship as a point of difference. That history carries a certain expectation in both product and branding. Does this mean we need to hold them to a higher standard than we would an emerging brand?

Using new tools and evolving to modern platforms is not inherently at odds with that identity, though. Puig, Penhaligon’s parent company, have used AI in the past as part of a creative for their Potions & Remedies collection in 2023. The look and feel of this, though, was far closer aligned with the olde-worlde aesthetic that Penhaligon’s are known for, and also helped to build-out a fantastical world!

But it is when the execution begins to feel at odds with the values the brand has long communicated that you create a sense of disconnect.

Technology is rapidly evolving and brands are finding ways to embrace new techniques as part of their marketing language. But for a brand with as much prestige and history as Penhaligon’s, can they embrace this evolution in a way that still feels authentic? Or are they running the risk of losing the qualities that made them so distinctive in the first place?

With their reel now deleted (or at least archived), Penhaligon’s look to be having some chats internally and are surely asking themselves: does AI have a future in the fragrance world?

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