Concept
By 1980, Dior was enjoying robust product sales in Europe. At the time, the company was one of the top two cosmetics companies in the region. However, they were not able to achieve the same level of success in the American cosmetics market, as they were ranked as the twentieth best selling cosmetics company in United States.
In order to close the gap between Dior's sales on both sides of the Atlantic, the company's president Maurice Roger commissioned a blockbuster fragrance that would dominate the American market. Dior invested heavily in meticulous research and development.
Dior developed a savvy marketing strategy based on the controversial name of
Yves Saint Laurent's top-selling fragrance, Opium. The company wanted a name for the new fragrance that would generate massive publicity and, in turn, sales. In 1983, Dior licensed the name Poison.