Celebrity Scents: Who Can Smell The Money?

Metro reported that no fewer than four celebrity fragrances launched here yesterday. There were the his and hers Beckham scents, Intimately Beckham Night (I keep picturing an ad campaign shot through a CCTV camera in their bedroom), Kate Moss's, Kate, and Gwen Stefani's L -- wisely chosen over the name of her clothing brand, L.A.M.B. In the UK, celebrity fragrances make up 40 percent of the total perfume market, but with so many out there it doesn't necessarily mean a windfall for every bottle with a famous name on it. The same can be said of most fragrances. There are hundreds launched each year, but only the very top ones are real money spinners. Last year sales of women's celebrity fragrances dropped 17 percent, according to NPD research group, and in addition to the competition from other celeb brands, U.S. consumers bought more more make-up than fragrance last year for the first time in the last decade. But the continued onslaught of celeb launches has helped to turn the tide. One cosmetics C.E.O. called a fragrance launch a "lottery ticket." The price to market is fairly low, but if it takes off the profits can be outstanding. So who is ahead in the celebrity game? According to the UK chain Superdrug, Kate took the early lead, outselling the Beckham's two to one. To make it to the number one spot she has to outsell Sean John, Britney Spears and Katie Price.