Peddling perfume at gas stations? The idea seems as silly as selling caviar at Burger King. Yet for four foolish years, France's Societe Bic, maker of disposable pens, razors and cigarette lighters, sought to extend its throwaway empire to the epitome of upscale sophistication: French perfume and cologne. The company introduced low-budget plastic atomizers for men and women at newsstands, hair salons and gas stations across Europe and the U.S. Multimillion-dollar ad campaigns touted Bic fragrances as "the naked perfume" and "Paris in your pocket."
The outcome was merely a big stink: losses that approached $25 million by the end of...
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