Ralph Lauren’s World of Polo franchise, including color-coded fragrances Polo Red Parfum, Polo Blue Parfum and Polo Green Cologne Intense, appeals to younger, fashion-savvy men who value a sophisticated scent akin to their favorite oversized wool coat or pair of chunky winter boots. The brand's youth-centric campaign features global digital creators known for their distinctive approach to contemporary trends and those who meticulously curate their fits — down to their signature scents. Embodying this modern man is Toronto-based TikTok creator and fashion savant Emmanuel Uddenberg, known for uploading styling videos across his various socials. Uddenberg is a part of a rising fashion vanguard, a new cohort of young men effortlessly blending minimalist ready-to-wear with aesthetically tailored street styles.
The World of Polo franchise expands upon Ralph Lauren’s brand heritage and iconic scent portfolio, introducing complex note pairings that tickle the senses. And since every fragrance tells a story, Ralph Lauren teamed up with Emmanuel Uddenberg to takeover the streets of Toronto and test out the Polo Red Parfum with hometown natives, who shared how they’d each choose to incorporate the fragrance into their daily routines. The TikTok star approaches bystanders one by one to gather their first thoughts. Based on Polo Red Parfum's scent profile, interviewees are quick to describe it as "masculine," "musky" and "woodsy" upon their first spray. "If you had to pick a fit to go with this bottle, what would you do?" asks Uddenberg. "Beach vacation," one participant answers; "This kind of enhances my casual fit," expresses another, noting that its close-to-the-skin performance would complement their everyday style.
Polo Red Parfum opens with top notes of sustainable bergamot heart, blood orange and pink peppercorn. Once the concentration warms to the skin, the middle and base notes of absinthe oil, lavender and musk unleash during its dry down. Its airy counterpart, Polo Blue Parfum, is an aquatic, salt-on-the-skin ode to sails at dusk on the open blue sea. Off the top, notes of mandarin oil, cardamom and peppercorn bring a warm earthiness to the juice, followed by smokey hits of vetiver, clary sage, lavandin heart, jasmine accord, and finally, upcycled oakwood (from cognac barrels) and a touch of bohemian patchouli. Polo Green Cologne Intense amps up Blue's earthiness with spicy, herbaceous notes of mint, basil, grapefruit, violet leaf and vetiver. In an interview with Ralph Lauren, Torin Verdone, global brand ambassador for Polo Green Cologne Intense, characterizes the fragrance as having "the sophistication of the original [Polo Ralph Lauren] but with a modern freshness that makes it effortlessly cool."
Campaign imagery for Polo Red Parfum stars other digital creators like TikToker Sharl and New York-based singer-songwriter and model Varsha Thapa; Polo Blue Parfum's global ambassador, Canadian-born veteran model Simon Nessman, also appears in the brand's most recent Polo Deep Blue Parfum campaign. The addition of Canadian-led talent spotlights the country’s vibrant, multicultural pockets spanning Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver and provinces like British Colombia, where experimental, declarative fashion is on the rise. Emmanuel Uddenberg, in particular, is the first-ever Canadian creator featured on TikTok’s Black Visionary Voices roster, which debuted in January of this year; likewise, Nessman, having grown up in the coastal region of Courtenay and developing a passion for ocean conversation, founded the Cedar Coast Field Station, an organization focused on ecological research and community-driven activism.
The World of Polo franchise introduces consciously designed refillable bottles adorned with a gunmetal topper. Watch Emmanuel Uddenberg react to the Polo Red Parfum in the video above, and test the fragrance and other World of Polo scents out for yourself by visiting Shoppers Drug Mart's website.
