We didn’t know Johnny Rotten but we’re pretty sure he didn’t smell of roses and perfume. Never mind the irony, but a fragrance brand is set to release a scent modeled after the Sex Pistols. According to the makers, this scent will exude “pure energy”. Sounds like a euphemism for sweat.

Actually, going by a Guardian article, the fragrance sounds like a China product (it’s not). The story delves into the “cult of celebrity” that Chinese ads subscribe to; plaster an image of a well-known personality and your brand will sell, companies seem to think. Thankfully (or thankfully not, depending on where you stand), the Chinese public isn’t buying this, the article found out.

Pistols Pretty Fragrant with Perfume Launch [Marketing Magazine]

(Not So) Annoying Places [AdWeek]

Saatchi Brothers Mark 40 Years Since the Foundation of Their Ad Agency [Guardian]

China and the Cult of 'Celebrity' Advertising [Guardian]