Defining a new premium segment in mass-market air-care, Air Wick achieved UK sales growth four times higher than the wider, declining category with Essential Mist.
Air Wick’s owner, Reckitt collaborated with DCA to shake up the middle-ground in home-fragrance with a brand-new product aimed at attracting younger buyers.
The new vaporiser, Essential Mist, is priced at £10 per unit (against a category average of £4.79) and justifies its price premium with a sleek, easy-to-use design informed by extensive user research.
Attractive and silent, the device is unobtrusive about the home, super-convenient to use and its technology delivers a more natural essential oils experience, meeting ‘well-being’ needs. Since its 2018 launch, household penetration has grown every year and it is now a £100 million business. The innovative design also enabled development of a connected Bluetooth version in 2020.
Essential Mist is attracting a younger consumer; 29.8% of spend is coming from under 34-year-olds, compared to 26.4% for Air Wick as a whole. In home-user tests, 80% of respondents were proud to showcase the product. In contrast to normal air-care usage in kitchen and bathrooms, 70% of Essential Mist Bluetooth devices are found in the bedroom and living room, reflecting its wider use around the home.
