Whether you love them or hate them, the AXE commercials leave an indelible impression. The AXE brand, owned by Unilever, is meant to exude masculinity. First released under the Lynx brand name in France in 1983, AXE products did not hit American shelves until 2002. However, in a short time period, AXE products have revolutionized the male grooming market. AXE is the number-one male grooming brand in both the United States and Canada.

The company features provocative advertisements of women falling over men who wear the AXE body spray. AXE body sprays are its most popular product, but when it first entered the U.S. market, the company was taking a risk.

Until that time, body sprays were not marketed to men, as they were considered to be more of a girl’s item. Yet AXE quickly gained popularity by honing in on what many young men care about.

“Our target is really 18 to 24 ,” said AXE brand manager Mike Dwyer. “Our ads are exactly what an 18 -to- 24 -yearold guy is thinking about. It’s gears and gadgets, it’s sports, or it’s girls. We focus very much on girls.”

AXE’s product features are both tangible and psychological.

On the tangible side, the smell of the product needs to be pleasing to both men and women. The psychological features of the product include desirability, masculinity, and seductiveness.

To effectively manage the AXE brand, Unilever has to regularly develop new products and manage existing lines.

Over the years, it has introduced several line extensions, including hairstyling, aftershave, skin care, and shower gel products. The company has also released an AXE fragrance called Anarchy for Her in Canada, so that girls can experience the “AXE Effect.” Anarchy for Her is meant to complement the Anarchy for Him male fragrance and has more fruity and flowery scents.

Each year, the company introduces a new fragrance. For example, one of its more recent fragrances includes a chocolate ice cream scent. In order to create scents that resonate with its young male demographic, AXE hires professional perfumers to develop the fragrance and even employs expert

“smellers.” Such efforts not only made AXE a market leader but also helped the male grooming industry as a whole. It is estimated that, by 2015, male grooming products will be a

$ 33.2 billion industry.

AXE’s sexualized marketing and its appeal to young men have become what Dwyer has called the “AXE Lifestyle.”

The styling of the product’s package is meant to convey seductiveness (the traditional package is black, but the color changes depending on the product). AXE advertisements try to connect the action of attracting a woman to the product itself. For instance, the chocolate ice cream fragrance featured a commercial where women were licking the man after he used that particular scented body spray. Although AXE promotes itself through Twitter and events, its commercials tend to be its most notable promotion.

Young men have gravitated toward the idea that AXE body spray can make them more desirable. However, what AXE perhaps did not anticipate was its popularity among younger generations: male teenagers and tweens (those between the ages of 10 and 12 ). Although these younger generations do not have jobs, they have significant influence in the family. Mothers often purchase these products for their children after they request them.

Many of the promotions that appeal to young men seem to appeal to preadolescents—namely, the desire to be accepted and feel “sexy.” Because preadolescence is the age when many young men become more conscious of their looks, AXE provides a way for them to feel more confident about their body image. Unfortunately, preadolescents tend to over-spray, and some schools have even banned the body spray because it is distracting in class.

Although the AXE brand can profit from its popularity among the tween generation, this trend can also backfire.

Young men traditionally have shied away from products that are popular with those young enough to be their “kid brothers.”

Therefore, AXE makes it clear that its target market is for those between the ages of 18 and 24 . To respond to these changing trends, AXE will need to continue developing and adapting products to meet the needs of its target market and take advantage of new market opportunities.

Questions for Discussion 1. How has AXE managed its product mix?
2. How has AXE used line extensions to increase its reach among consumers?
3. Why are younger generations attracted to AXE products?