Guillem Oña, CEO of AirParfum and technical director in innovation of PUIG

Who has not heard to speak of AirParfum? Surely the majority have listened to speak (and very very) on him. Thus, today we leave you an interview with the CEO of AirParfum, Guillem Oña. With him, we have been able to know the interests that move to Guillem Oña in the professional field, how finally devoted to the sector of the perfumery and has explained us from a more technical point of view the operation of AirParfum. Also it has shared reflections very interesting that leave you to continuation.Who is Guillem Oña?CEO Of AirParfum and technical director in innovation of PUIG. Been mad about of the technology, the sea and the good eat. It likes me mark me challenges so much in the professional as in the personal, the last was to run the marathon of Barcelona.Why you decided finally devote you to the sector of the perfumery?Always it has liked me the world of the perfumes even before working in the sector. In fact, in my cupboard have to have more than 40 perfumes, by what the opportunity to evolve the project of AirParfum was the perfect excuse to work in two of my passions: the technology and the perfumery.It is easy innovar in Spain in perfumery?The industry of the perfume is a sector where there is a lot of space for the innovation, from the investigation of new ingredients and formulations, improvements in sustainability, creation of experiences to approach the consumers to the scents or technologies to facilitate the proofs like AirParfum. In Spain, in spite of the little investment, are carrying out a lot of interesting initiatives that reflect the national talent. Associations like Beauty Cluster help to give visibility to all these actions and people that work in the sector.How it is born AirParfum?AirParfum Is born in Seville of the hand of Armando Medina an engineer that had a shop of electronic cigarettes and looked for a different form to help to his customers to know and test the different available flavours. After the first prototypes, and then realize of the potential that had in the world of the perfumery, and of the hand of PUIG, developed and industrialised AirParfum until what is today.Which need looked for to satisfy AirParfum?AirParfum Looks for to solve one of the main problems of the sector: the olfactory saturation. Generally, when we look for a scent, are not able to smell more than 3 perfumes followed. In points of sale with more than 1.000 references between which choose, this limitation does that the process of decision was quite inefficient and the probabilities to find the perfect perfume are very low. Through AirParfum, the users can smell so many perfumes as they wish, one behind the another, without fatigue and perceiving the nuances of each perfume, of the first to the last.You could explain us the operation of AirParfum?AirParfum Is a device that works generating different pressures of air in his circuits that, thanks to some special cameras and some cartridges that call "Kodomizers", achieves to capture the heaviest molecules (mainly the alcoholic) of each perfume and leave happen all the essence to his diffuser, creating like this a dry olfactory "experience" of air perfumed.You have incorporated AirParfum to more than 40 establishments, and also recently in the sector of the art, of the hand of the Museum del Prado, through The Smell, work of Jan Brueghel the Old, How arises this idea? You expected you that AirParfum offered this fan of possibilities?The Museum del Prado was looking for to create an immersive experience for the collection of the five senses of Jan Brueghel, especially of the painting "El Olfato". When knowing the technology of AirParfum and his multiple applications, saw that the synergies for a project like east were clear. As a result of this, Gregorio Alone, perfumer of PUIG and one of the most recognised noses of our country, began to develop the distinct perfumes that evoke the areas of the picture, re-creating the smells of the period. Simultaneously, from AirParfum, prepare the technology to do of the painting an installation immersive that all the visitors could enjoy it.With the data obtained, How value this experience?All we sensed that the project went to go out well, but anybody expected the world-wide repercussion that has had. In three months have made more than 276.000 proofs with more 90.000 visitors and an uninterruptible traffic. Obviously the assessment has been very positive, and shows the potential to explode the olfactory dimension in fields out of the world of the perfumery.And speaking of possibilities, Have thought in another sector that could be compatible with the use of AirParfum?Definitely, if something shows AirParfum is that the possibilities are infinite, by what want to explore any sector where the smell have or can have importance. Without going more far, recently have collaborated with Hennessy (LVMH), to re-create some of his best cognacs in boutiques selected. An innovative and effective form that the lovers of these liquors can choose through his aroma.It will be Airparfum a company of technological base or the future is in reality the data that attract to scale world-wide?Both. For us the development of the technology AirParfum and the capacity to be able to capture and explode data go to go always of the hand. The possibility to collect the feedback of each proof of form automated, can create olfactory profiles and can make targetizeds activations with hindsight contributes a lot of value so much for the consumers (that they can receive recommendations adjusted to his tastes) as for the marks (that they increase notably the conversion to purchase), is a win-win.Which uses poses Guillem Oña for AirParfum in the future? You think that it could turn a totally customised experience for the user?By the moment are working in uses related with the sector of the perfumery, the feeding and exploring possible applications in the field of the health.Already in his starts AirParfum designed so that each point of sale could customise so much in the integration of pieces of furniture or spaces as in the experience of user with screens, sensors and even custom-made applications. Have total flexibility to integrate it in each case as it need .It looks for AirParfum the autonomy of the consumer?We look for that the consumer discover the perfumery and that that likes him through the olfactory proof. Approach to the big public to the world of the scents, generate interest and facilitate the process of election of a perfume.What think of the impact that AirParfum has had so much in social networks as in the media? It surprised you?We are convinced of the potential of the technology and already supposed that it went to have good received, but yes that it has surprised us the international scope of actions like the one of the Museo del Prado with repercussion in some of the most notable means.It does some days spoke on the sector of the perfumery, the language that uses in him and what from the departments of marketing sell through the messages that launch, Which importance think that give him the companies to the sense of the smell in his presentations of product?It is undoubted the importance of the smell in the sector. But, there are some barriers that promote that in a lot of cases the attention of the campaigns of product centre to the ambassadors of mark or in the storytelling. One of these barriers is, for example, the technical knowledge and the language of the perfumery, that can result complex for the consumer and does that a lot of marks prefer to have a visual speech.What think that needs the Spanish industry of the perfumery to promote his competitiveness? In what has to improve or focus?Innovation. No only to level of product with for example perfumes done with more natural ingredients or with packaging or sustainable designs, if no also creating new experiences to approach to the consumer.One of the keys to promote the competitiveness is to know range the efforts with the demands and the context of the current generations, with new interests and that involve much more with the marks and with that that consumes.Which barriers consider that they exist in the world of the perfumery?The world of the perfumery is still a big stranger for the majority of the consumers. In addition to the olfactory saturation, exists a big communication barrier , as we commented before, between experts and consumers. The complexity of the formulations, the ingredients and the classification of olfactory families converts the perfumery in something almost academic when it would have to be mainly sensory.To finish, What offers him the future to Guillem Oña and to AirParfum? The company will continue with his international expansion with special focus in Asia and Middle East. Besides, we will follow centred in the Integration of AirParfum with the ecosystem of 'Wikiparfum' for the creation of olfactory profiles, recommendations and tools of visualisation of perfumes, with the aim to carry the experience in the point of sale a step further.And to personal level, expect to go on doing grow the project and contribute my granite of sand in this so exciting industry.

Guillem Oña, CEO of AirParfum and technical director in innovation of PUIG

The success of AirParfum in the Museum del Prado and open to the Asian market and Middle East are some of the subjects of the interview