Common Scents: Bentley for Men Intense

Bentley for Men Intense is a fragrance manufactured by a luxury brand better known for its cars, about which I offered thought some years ago. The scent is certainly attractive. It includes black pepper, bay leaf, bergamot, rum, cinnamon, African Geranium and cedar, among other things. I think I would rather like it even without its famous branding, though that surely helps. I may never get to drive a Bentley motor but I may still have the smell of one who does.

One wonders how a brand which is so successful at building cars turns to something so unrelated with apparent success. Then again, we are rather used to this. Virgin Records became a train operator. General Electric became an issuer of store-based credit cards. Hoover made washing machines. Amazon moved from bookselling to all-selling, while Google went from search engine to phone manufacturer. If Bentley can make decent cars, why not decent aromas? Perhaps it should also diversify into building the roads used by its cars instead of Councils; it might save their own suspensions and give all car drivers a smoother ride.

Churches do all sorts. They run food banks, provide counselling, offer opportunities for friendship and socialising (both formally and informally), musical output, moral direction…the list goes on. Yet if they neglect to preach the gospel of grace, all else is a waste of time. If Bentley started producing old bangers, somehow, its fragrances would not be as good, either. The brand would have taken a hit from which its other businesses would suffer. Churches which offer amazing entertainments on Sunday, massive welfare programmes, huge children’s works and all the rest are worthless if they preach not Christ and Him crucified.

For though I preach the gospel, I have nothing to glory of: for necessity is laid upon me; yea, woe is unto me, if I preach not the gospel! 1 Corinthians 9:16

A D