“It’s the ‘Emperor’s New Clothes’ of fragrance,” says Xyrena founder and head perfumer Killian Wells. “I originally envisioned SCAM as a piece for an art gallery, but it evolved into a way to dispel decades’ worth of myths perpetuated by the mainstream fragrance industry.”
The commercial spot for SCAM, written and directed by Wells, parodies a well-known 90's underwear campaign and highlights how sex appeal is used to distract consumers from what’s actually being sold.
The SCAM campaign also includes a web video (hosted by actor Dylan Reed) of people on Hollywood Blvd testing out the scent-free perfume to get their critiques about which “notes” they detect. In true Emperor’s New Clothes fashion, the critics are given various backstories such as ‘the fragrance can only be detected by those with a high IQ’.
The simple formulation for SCAM is a combination of perfumer’s alcohol, stabilizer, and “unscented fragrance” oil (i.e., fractionated coconut oil, which is colorless, odorless and doesn’t go rancid). Legally SCAM is indeed a perfume even though there’s no discernable scent.
For art and fragrance collectors, SCAM is available for sale exclusively on Xyrena. Limited to 1000 numbered bottles, each package comes with a hand-signed certificate of authenticity by Xyrena founder Killian Wells.
