Marketing the ‘rain forest’: Raw Vanilla fragrance and the ongoing transformation of the jungle

Abstract

This article focuses on perceived differences between rain forests and jungles as reflected in marketers’ attempts to convince consumers to purchase particular ‘rainforest’ products. The author contrasts an ad for Raw Vanilla men’s cologne (‘It’s like meeting in the rainforest!’) with ads for a number of environmentally friendly products exemplified by Rainforest Crunch. To the extent that Raw Vanilla conjures up a twenty-first century jungle in rainforest garb, the cologne provides a useful jumping-off point for larger questions about present-day representations of rainforest areas.