Believe (fragrance)

Background and Release

After her first two successful lines of fragrances, Curious and Fantasy and their flankers Curious: In Control and Midnight Fantasy, Believe became Spears’ third line of perfumes and fifth fragance release overall. The fragrance was first reported by the media in a press release in August 2007 announcing a mid-October release. The same report praised Spears’ position in the fragrance industry who up until that point had reportedly sold over 10 million bottles.

The announcement mentioned the fragrance would be sold in about 1,800 department stores in the U.S., including Macy's and also online through the fragrance's website. Furthermore, it was confirmed the fragrance would debut internationally in January of the following year. Although the company did not provide comments on expected sales or advertising expenses, industry insiders estimated that Believe could generate at least $10 million in retail sales in the U.S. during its first year on the market, with more than $6 million likely allocated to advertising and promotions.

The national advertising campaign, showcasing Spears posed against a backdrop of white birdcages, was photographed by Michael Thompson in Santa Monica, California. It debuted in October of that years across fashion, beauty, and lifestyle magazines. In a report published by Elizabeth Arden in 2009, it was mentioned that Believe sold over a million bottles after its first year of launch.

The fragrance was promoted alongside Spears’ musical projects for added exposure. Believe was featured in two of Spears’ music videos. In the video for Circus (2008), the fragrance appears at the beginning during a backstage scene where Spears is seen getting ready for a performance; the Believe bottle is placed prominently on her vanity table among other of her fragrances. In the video for Radar (2009), the perfume is shown more subtly toward the end, during a montage of images as Spears escapes with her love interest.

Scent and packaging

Believe falls under the olfactive classification of Floral Amber Fresher Gourmand. Created by Loc Dong and Carlos Benaïm, this fragrance opens with top notes featuring Guava and Tangerine; a hearth of Linden Blossom and Honeysuckle; and a base of Patchouli, Amber and Praliné.

Believe is housed in a pale peridot glass bottle with an elegant, faceted triangular design. A silver plate bearing Spears' signature is attached to the top. The fragrance’s packaging features a flip-top opening rather than a traditional lift-off lid, revealing its interior that securely holds the triangular perfume bottle in place. The interior of the box includes magenta and metallic lining featuring Spears’ signature as well. The outer packaging is white, decorated with metallic dots in shades of pink, magenta, and green.

Reception

Believe received generally positive reviews for its distinctive composition and elegant presentation. Critics noted that, unlike many of Spears' earlier fragrances, Believe has a more mature and less overtly sweet scent, with earthy and fruity-green elements. Reviewers highlighted that the fragrance could even be considered unisex due to its prominent patchouli, guava, and tangerine notes.

The bottle design was praised as the most refined among Spears' fragrances up until that point according to experts who compared it with her debut scent, Curious, which featured a blue atomizer, and Fantasy, which came in a bold fuchsia orb adorned with lime green rhinestones. Reviewers noted that the triangular glass bottle complemented the luxurious yet simple nature of the scent.

References

References

1. (August 31, 2007). "Arden Hopes Market Will Believe in Britney". [[Women's Wear Daily.
2. (August 31, 2009). "Please Hold on to Your Hats as Britney Spears Introduces Her Newest Fragrance, CIRCUS fantasy BRITNEY SPEARS". Elizabeth Arden.
3. (April 1, 2019). "Believe by Britney Spears". Fragrance Review.
4. (April 6, 2019). "5 Best Britney Spears Perfumes". Ever Perfumed.
5. (October 22, 2020). "Best Britney Spears Perfumes In 2020". Fragrance Review.