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New B&M Soap - Oceana Latha

Mark1966

Mark1966

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Not sure of you noticed the new Latha soaps especially Oceana

It is the one based on the recent prototypes we tried.

IMG_9261.jpg
 
My understanding is that it is based on one of the prototypes but a slightly different formulation.
 
The Jasmine one was more of #3 I think - definitely had the note with some Bergamot although no Sandalwood.

There's also the Lavanda (probably #1 based) and Limon which is nothing like what we had in #2.

It's quite strange as Will always said that Latha was going to be a single scent product. The Latha product page still says it.

Because my father is from New Jersey and still has a taste for 50s marketing, he originally chose the name "LathaMan," which we eventually shortened to simply "Latha." He decided that Latha would come in only one fragrance ("Hey, in the 50s, products came in one scent and that was good enough for us!"), so we chose a classic barbershop fragrance with notes of lavender, vanilla, oakmoss, carnation, geranium, heliotrope, and musk for a smooth, clean scent such as one might encounter on 1950s Madison Avenue.
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Still good to see the range developing. I notice there are now barcodes on the labels so a wider distribution may definitely be on the cards.
 
Monsta_AU said:
It's quite strange as Will always said that Latha was going to be a single scent product. The Latha product page still says it.
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I guess it was his father's choice of a single scent. But Will has now decided to branch out due to its popularity (and perhaps easier to make?). It's price point is fantastic for the quality of soap it is.

Monsta_AU said:
Still good to see the range developing. I notice there are now barcodes on the labels so a wider distribution may definitely be on the cards.
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Well spotted. I sure hope so! Up until now, Latha has only been available direct through the B&M website. If it's available to resellers, then it'll be easier for us to grab hold of!

I sure hope it becomes available locally soon... :whistle:
 
I'm still waiting to try the prototypes.

They are on their way though. Hope the wait is worth it.
 
Right then. Here's the breakdown:

1) Latha Lavanda is what used to be Lavender Black Label. We're giving the entire Black Label line the ax, but I wanted to keep a classic lavender scent, so we moved the fragrance over to Latha. The name, while accidentally a reference to the Spanish word for lavender, is actually a jab at a customer of mine who has about the heaviest New England accent I've ever heard. Every time he says "lavender," it comes out "lavandah," which I shortened to "lavanda."

2) Oceana is a slight refinement of Prototype #2. While I'm aware that many of you did not care for it, the vast majority of the testers preferred #2 to the others, so that was what we made. The line was intended to appeal to new wet shavers just walking into shops and picking up soap, so I needed scents that had broad appeal to make that feasible. Sorry folks.

3) While my father did indeed intend that Latha would be a single fragrance, the original scent proved to be divisive enough that we felt it prudent to offer a bit more variety. Still the same easy-to-lather base, but some new blood in the fragrance. For those curious as to whether we'll be offering matching aftershaves, we're going to see how the new scents do. If they sell well, we're hoping to offer both splashes and balms.

4) Yes, the UPCs on the labels are related to the fact that we're taking a much broader interest in distribution of both our White Label and Latha lines. White Label fragrances are also having UPCs incorporated as we run the old labels out and switch over the packaging. I have yet to approach anyone in Australia about distribution because we're currently pretty much maxed out as far as production is concerned, but we'll get there. In the meantime, I'm working on updating our list of distributors, which now includes Italian Barber (so you guys will be able to get the Tonique alcohol splashes since Joe is better able to do the export paperwork than I).

Hope that clears things up a bit. :)
 
Thanks Will. It's a pleasure to have you around to pop in and join in the discussion. We can't wait to try these (and the many more!) new scents and products you create. We await an Aussie distributer eagerly since that would make your products more accessible to us and many others who haven't tried your marvellous creations. [emoji106]
 
Yeah Will, @Barrister & Mann, ditto what @filobiblic said.

We really appreciate your willingness to keep us Down Under in the loop and informed when it would probably be much easier to ignore us and focus on the much larger US and Canadian markets. I think if you ever travel to Australia, which you should - claim it as a business trip :), there will be a few people around the country more than willing to buy you a beer or two.
 
Will @Barrister & Mann
It really is wonderdul that you afford us with your presence :)

If people like lavender, I can confidently recommend they grab this with both hands after my experience with the black label lavender.
 
Barrister & Mann said:
Latha Lavanda is what used to be Lavender Black Label. We're giving the entire Black Label line the ax, but I wanted to keep a classic lavender scent, so we moved the fragrance over to Latha. The name, while accidentally a reference to the Spanish word for lavender, is actually a jab at a customer of mine who has about the heaviest New England accent I've ever heard. Every time he says "lavender," it comes out "lavandah," which I shortened to "lavanda."
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You better get Prototype #1 into the whitelabel then. Or else.

Or else something, not quite sure what, but SOMETHING.
 
Monsta_AU said:
You better get Prototype #1 into the whitelabel then. Or else.

Or else something, not quite sure what, but SOMETHING.
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Maybe a nasty banner under his avatar here? :)
 
Now there's an idea....

If he does make that trip, we could hold him hostage here too. I don't think Will would mind too much!
 
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Mark1966 said:
Maybe a nasty banner under his avatar here? :)
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Watch out Will @Barrister & Mann you may soon read in the press about a bunch of grown men here in Australia holding their breath until they turn purple then laying on their backs on the floor pounding their feet up and down crying "We want it now". In the meantime, some of us who have not had the privilege of using your fine product unwrap a new stick of (forgive me Will) ARKO!!!! and quietly get on with our shaving. :)
 
gthomas04 said:
In the meantime, some of us who have not had the privilege of using your fine product unwrap a new stick of (forgive me Will) ARKO!!!! and quietly get on with our shaving. :)
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I'm driving out to Mount Druitt tonight with a Fougere Aromatique-loaded Plissitane to slap you silly GT.
 
Are you telling me the man who used to put his hand up to buy every single sample out there didn't want to try the B&M samples for free?
 
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