New Axe Body Spray for Women
Men have been dousing themselves in Axe body spray since 2002, but grooming brand, Unilever, has decided it's time to let women in on the action. While typically Axe commercials show women succumbing to "The Axe Effect" from guys who use the product, the tables are turned in ads for their new scent called Anarchy, which will soon be available both for men and women.
According to the New York Times, the campaign is by the London office of Bartle Bogle Hegarty and commercials are scheduled to run in the US on Jan. 29. The first teaser commercial (below) has already appeared on Axe's YouTube account and shows a female police officer chasing a thief, both shedding layers of clothing. When they come face to face, the officer has dropped her gun and the criminal ditched his stolen goods and they're unable to resist each other. The ad says "Anarchy is coming" and "Nothing will ever be the same again." The company is encouraging viewers and Axe consumers to weigh in on how the story will unfold and they're launching an Axe graphic novel on YouTube and Facebook with Aspen Comics. Some fans with good ideas will even be written into the comics.
We located a second ad (below), which apparently is already being aired oversees. In this TV spot we see men lusting for every woman they encounter and creating a chaotic sequence of events culminating with fires and a car pileup. The females reciprocate and walk towards the males like zombies, ignoring the scene around them. The ad says "Unleash the chaos. New Axe Anarchy for him and for her."
The intention of the new ads is "subverting expectations of what an Axe commercial is," David Kolbusz, a creative director at Bartle Bogle Hegarty in London told the New York Times. "Before, an Axe commercial was always about a guy spraying himself and a girl being attracted, and Axe giving him an edge in the mating game, whereas now women also have something to spray on themselves, and consequently there's more of an equilibrium between the sexes."
What no one is mentioning though, is the stigma associated with Axe. While yes, many guys love it, some women consider the scent an indicator of a type of male overly obsessed with his appearance. Vain metrosexuals, womanizers, wannabe players, jocks, and the men of "Jersey Shore" have all been known to love Axe. And whether or not women enjoy the scent of Axe on their male counterparts, is this something ladies are really interested in wearing themselves? Barret Roberts, the senior brand manager at Axe, told the New York Times that 25% of Axe's 2.3 million "likes" are women. "We've been hearing for some time that females have been asking for and looking for their very own scent of Axe," said Roberts. Alrighty then, perhaps we stand corrected.
The women's Anarchy body spray will only be limited edition, but the brand may make it a permanent addition to the line if it performs well in stores. Would you buy Axe for women?
Related links:
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The Best, Worst And Cheesiest Perfume Commercials
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