Axe's Fragrance Evolution: From Deodorant To Cologne

Axe is a men's fragrance brand that debuted in France in 1983 with three classically masculine scents: Musk, Amber, and Spice. The brand is known for its bold and humorous advertising campaigns and has become a global bestseller, particularly popular among young men. Axe offers a range of products, including body sprays, deodorants, antiperspirants, and shower gels.

In recent years, Axe has expanded its collection to include premium fragrances, such as the Fine Fragrance collection, developed in collaboration with renowned perfumers. This collection features scents like Blue Lavender, Aqua Bergamot, and Golden Mango, which have received recognition from grooming experts.

Axe's products are designed to combine effective deodorant properties with appealing fragrances, addressing the limitations of traditional colognes and deodorants available to young men in the 1970s and 1980s. While Axe primarily focuses on body sprays and deodorants, some sources refer to their products as colognes, and they are often compared to traditional colognes in terms of scent and performance.

Axe's history and market position

Axe is the world's leading men's fragrance brand, offering deodorants, body sprays, and antiperspirants. The brand was launched in 1983 to fill a gap in the male grooming market, combining effective deodorant with a high-quality fragrance. The first three classically masculine variants were Musk, Amber, and Spice, and the product first launched in France, the European capital of scent design and trade.

Axe soon expanded to other European markets, including the UK, where it is known as Lynx, and later to the US in 2002. The brand's biggest markets are now the US, the UK, Germany, Mexico, and France. Axe products are crafted by leading perfumers and the brand spends millions sourcing high-quality ingredients to create premium scents without designer price tags.

Axe is known for its bold, humorous, and sometimes risky advertising campaigns, which have helped to establish it as one of the best-known brands in history. In 2021, the brand relaunched its core range, upgrading its body sprays and reimagining its Axe Effect campaign to reinforce the perception that attraction is for everyone.

In 2023, Axe released its Fine Fragrance collection, a set of body sprays developed in partnership with renowned perfumer Ann Gottlieb. This collection has been a success, with Grooming Experts naming the Blue Lavender Body Spray in the Men's Health list of 20 Best Colognes for Men in 2023.

Axe's product range

Axe, or Lynx, is a brand of male grooming products owned by Unilever. It was launched in 1983 and has since become the world's No.1 men's fragrance brand, with products sold in over 90 countries.

Axe's body sprays are one of its most popular products, with a wide range of fragrances available, including:

• Musk
• Amber
• Spice
• Oriental
• Marine
• Africa or African Amber
• Apollo
• Phoenix
• Dark Temptation
• Black
• Gold Temptation
• Excite
• Ice Chill
• Voyage
• Unlimited
• Clix
• Vice
• Pulse

In addition to its body sprays, Axe offers a range of deodorants and antiperspirants, often with matching fragrances. The brand also has a line of shower gels and shampoos, which are usually released alongside new body spray fragrances.

Axe has also launched limited-edition variants from time to time, such as the Axe Bullet, released in 2009, and the Fine Fragrance Collection, which includes premium deodorant body sprays in scents like Blue Lavender, Aqua Bergamot, and Golden Mango.

Axe's products are known for their bold and humorous advertising campaigns, which have often sparked controversy for encouraging sexual promiscuity and sexism. Despite this, the brand has become a global bestseller, offering affordable, high-quality fragrances to young men around the world.

Axe's branding and advertising

Axe is a men's fragrance brand owned by Unilever. It was launched in 1983 in France, and its first products were body sprays in three classically masculine variants: Musk, Amber, and Spice. The brand's purpose is to give young guys an "attraction power-up" and to help them feel confident and attractive.

However, in recent years, Axe has shifted its messaging to be more inclusive and open-minded, particularly with its "New Axe Effect" campaign in 2021, which was designed to appeal to Gen Z males. The campaign centred around a 60-second spot called "The Walk", which showed a young man drawing attention from a diverse group of people after using Axe body spray. The brand has also updated its packaging to reflect the sensibilities of younger consumers, enlisting graffiti artist Ben Tallon for the task.

Axe's products are known for their high-quality fragrances, and the brand works with leading perfumers such as Givaudan and Firmenich to create its scents. The brand's product range includes body sprays, antiperspirants, deodorant sticks, and shower gels, with a variety of scent options such as Black Vanilla, Blue Lavender, and Golden Mango. Axe's body sprays are also known for their odour-busting zinc technology, which eliminates body odour while keeping the user smelling fresh.

Axe's target audience

Axe, or Lynx as it is known in some countries, is a male grooming brand that targets young men. The company's mission is to empower men to "be themselves" and to break free from the pressure to conform to stereotypes of masculinity. Their products are designed to help men feel confident and attractive.

Axe's marketing campaigns have traditionally centred on the idea of male desirability, with their body sprays and deodorants promising to make the wearer irresistible to women. However, more recent campaigns have taken a more inclusive approach, reflecting the brand's values of inclusivity, mutuality, and progress. Their "New Axe Effect" campaign, for example, featured a diverse range of people, including men and women, attracted to the wearer of Axe body spray. This campaign was designed to appeal to Gen Z males, a group known for their open-minded attitudes towards attraction.

Axe's parent company, Unilever, has segmented the market using variables such as gender, age, income, region, behavioural characteristics, and attitude. They employ a mix of demographic, psychographic, and geographic segmentation strategies. Axe's distribution strategy reflects this, with their products available in both rural and urban areas, sold through various channels, including distributors, retailers, resellers, and e-commerce sites.

Axe's competition

Axe is the world's leading men's fragrance brand, offering a range of body sprays, deodorants, and antiperspirants. The brand has revolutionised the male grooming market by combining effective deodorant with high-quality fragrances. Axe's products are known for their premium scents and affordable prices, attracting a large customer base, particularly among young men.

While Axe has established itself as a prominent fragrance brand, it also faces competition from other companies in the male grooming space. One such competitor is Engineered For Axemen, a company specialising in competition axe racing and woodchopping accessories. Although their focus is not on fragrances, they cater to a specific niche market within the broader axe industry. Engineered For Axemen offers a range of products, including racing axes, sharpening jigs, competition plates, and stones. Their products are manufactured in Australia and tailored to meet the specific needs of axe racers.

Another form of competition that Axe faces is the presence of alternative fragrance brands catering to male consumers. One notable example is the Old Spice brand, which offers a range of male grooming products, including body sprays, deodorants, and antiperspirants. Old Spice has positioned itself as a competitor to Axe by offering similar products and targeting a similar demographic. The competition between these brands has likely driven innovation and provided consumers with a wider range of options.

In addition to direct competitors, Axe also faces indirect competition from alternative male grooming products and trends. For example, the rise in popularity of beard care products and skincare routines for men has shifted the focus away from solely relying on fragrances. Companies specialising in beard oils, balms, and moisturisers have emerged, providing men with a broader spectrum of grooming options. This diversification in the male grooming industry has likely impacted Axe's market share and forced them to adapt their product offerings.

Lastly, Axe also competes in a dynamic market where consumer preferences and trends are constantly evolving. The brand has had to adapt to changing consumer tastes, such as the demand for fresher, lighter, and more modern fragrances. Axe's relaunch of its core range in 2021 and the introduction of its Fine Fragrance Collection reflect its efforts to stay competitive and relevant in a rapidly changing market.

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