In 1709, Italian perfumer Giovanni Maria Farina created and popularized Eau de Cologne, a light citrus-based fragrance that became immensely popular across Europe. This fragrance not only marked a significant development in the perfume industry but also established the concept of branded products in consumer culture. Farina's Eau de Cologne set the standard for modern perfumes and remains a classic scent to this day.

The popularization of Eau de Cologne by Giovanni Maria Farina in 1709 influenced Enlightenment and Romantic literature's celebration of clarity, vitality, and personal elegance. Poets like Goethe and Keats incorporated the essence of Eau de Cologne into their explorations of beauty and nature, using fragrance as a metaphor for inspiration and emotional depth.