Finding Treasure at Rainbow's End™

What is it about a rainbow that is so universally appealing? Is it the promise that the sun will shine again when the rain has passed or is it the elusive pot of gold at the end that makes this band of color so enchanting? Rainbows provide an unpredictable moment of magic that nearly always makes people stop in their tracks in awe and wonder. They make people happy! In fact, I smile whenever I see my daughter's artwork because inevitably there's a half-sun smiling in the corner of the page, a fluffy cloud floating in the sky-blue air, and a beautifully arched rainbow (using all 64 crayons) spanning the scene from one edge to the other.

Recently Yankee Candle's ardent facebook fans lobbied for the return of our own tribute to nature's mysterious beauty, Rainbow's End™. First introduced nearly a decade ago in the fall of 2001, Rainbow's End™ was described in its inaugural catalog as "a calming fragrance that echoes the fresh, clean country air after a storm". In a photo taken by facebook fan Drew Guy, the crowd favorite shows that "its pure sky blue color is just as refreshing as its image-evoking scent".

Whether you are seeking calm after the storm of your busy day or looking for the treasures of life's riches at the end of the rainbow, the fresh scent of Rainbow's End™ will provide you with moments of pure enchantment. And, like a real rainbow, it is available for a limited time!

Rainbow's End™ is a limited edition Rare Treasure candle that is now available in large jars and Tarts® wax potpourri at all Yankee Candle Company retail stores, and on our website.

Yankee Candle Scents & Nonsense

Not too long ago my family and I visited the home of Ben & Jerry's ice cream in Vermont. In their typical tongue-in-cheek fashion, the Ben & Jerry's marketers have decided to acknowledge the flavors that did not quite make the grade by displaying them on tombstones in a faux flavor graveyard. This got me to thinking about the Yankee Candle hits and misses over the years. What products and fragrances had real glow and which were no more than a pool of melted wax? In no one’s opinion but my own, here are the top 3 hits and misses in my Yankee Candle history:

Wax On

MacIntosh & Sage & Citrus – When introduced in 1998, MacIntosh and Sage & Citrus were enormously popular right from the first sniff. We’d had other scents that struck chords with our fans over the years, but these two were so uniquely wonderful that they led the way for other signature scents like Midsummer’s Night®, Clean Cotton®, and Mistletoe™.

Car Jars® - It’s been a decade since the launch of our candle-shaped auto fragrancers and boy has the Yankee Candle fan’s life changed since. This was our first non-candle product and since then fragrance fanatics the world over have been able to enjoy Yankee Candle scents in room sprays, potpourri, reeds, and even lip balm and anti-bac soap!

Fan Feedback – If there is one thing that changes the dynamic of everything we do, it’s hearing from and listening to all of the people who use our products. Whether we’re talking to customers face-to-face in our stores, reading what they write on facebook, or analyzing sales, our fans speak to us loud and clear!

Wax Off

Rhubarb Plum & Gooseberry Jam – These are two recent examples of when some scents can be a little too true-to-life!

Fragrant Shades of White – This out-of-the-box concept was developed on the notion that people may buy a candle if only its color didn’t clash with home décor. We poured all our best-selling fragrances in colorless wax so that if you wanted MacIntosh but detest the color red you could still enjoy the scent. Interest in these Fragrant Shades quickly faded away!

Discontinuing Storm Watch® & Fireside™ – And, I could add such other fan favorites as Eucalyptus and Patchouli. You all spoke loud and clear when these scents went away and we certainly learned an important lesson. We welcomed these favorites back into the line and you’ve welcomed them back into your homes!

Yankee Candle Flagship Festival September 25-26

Have you ever wondered just how Yankee Candle captures such authentic and true-to-life fragrances in our candles? Yesterday I had the privilege and pleasure to listen to some of members of our Fragrance Committee as they talked about the components of fragrance and just how different notes and accords are combined in the perfect recipe to achieve those distinctive scents. As I sat there I wished every Yankee Candle fan could be privy to the discussion and learn all about the science and art of crafting our candles. Good News! We are excited to announce our first-ever Flagship Festival at Yankee Candle South Deerfield MA and Yankee Candle Williamsburg VA. Visit our flagship stores on the weekend of September 25-26 and you can spend time with members of our Fragrance Committee and others who light the fire of our imaginations! In both stores there are opportunities for our facebook fans to get to know one another and mingle with other passionate candle connoisseurs. We'll have some exclusive special edition jar candles and you can even express your affection for Yankee Candle on video! Make plans now for our First Ever Flagship Festivals - I'm sure you'll have a wick-ed good time!