Sophia by Coty c1980

Sophia by Coty: launched in 1980. The fragrance is a tribute to the famous actress Sophia Loren. Created by perfumer James Bell.

It it took Coty three years of research to find a name and image that appealed equally to women and men of all age groups. Focus interviews, a marketing research tool, showed that women admire Loren very much. "They like her career, her life, her role as a mother, and that she has remained married to one man," said Marjorie D'Ambrosia of Coty.

Coty invested $5 million in network tv and print marketing campaigns for the fragrance.

The commercial for the perfume was filmed at the convention hall at the Dunes Hotel in Las Vegas on April 28, 1980. Two hundred and fifty Coty executives and salespeople were invited to watch the filming and live presentation introducing the new perfume. A single spotlight was poised over a single crystal bottle of the parfum. You can watch the commercial below.



Sophia Loren made appearances behind velvet ropes at various department stores such as Famous-Barr in St Louis, to help promote her fragrance and to sign autographs. Sophia Loren said that "It is earthy, warm and loving. Everything that being a woman means."

The Sophia line was immensely successful. Stores such as Carson Pirie Scott in Chicago sold $600 worth of Sophia products in one hour, while JC Penney in one district wanted re-orders of $10,00 PER store. The huge Sears network had an overall increase of 15% in all fragrance volume during October, the month of its launch in 1980.

The Sophia fragrance line was priced at the high end of the moderate market. The 0.25 ounce perfume retailed at $22.50.

Fragrance Composition:

So what does it smell like? It is classified as an oriental floral fragrance for women. It begins with an aldehydic top note, followed by a spicy, sweet floral heart, layered over a warm, sweet, balsamic, powdery base. A floral bouquet with oriental undertones, punctuated with rare spices combined with delicate flowers, rich woods and rare mosses with a lasting note of amber.  

• Top notes: spice oils, galbanum, star anise, grapefruit, pineapple, mandarin, orange, aldehydes, bergamot, lemon
• Middle notes: orris, lavender, rosemary, geranium, mimosa, violet, ylang ylang, orchid, clove, cinnamon bark, jasmine, lily and rose
• Base notes: oakmoss, patchouli, Siamese benzoin, ambergris, Mexican vanilla, Tibetan musk, leather, incense, vetiver, Mysore sandalwood

Bottle:

The bottle was manufactured in Millville, New Jersey, by Wheaton Industries, who also made other bottles for various perfume companies. The carton design was by Deskey, and the carton production was by F.M. Burt of New York.

Fate of the Fragrance:

Discontinued. Still being sold in 1990.