Axe, or Lynx as it is known in the UK, Ireland, Malta, Australia, New Zealand, and China, is a French brand of male grooming products owned by the London-based company Unilever. It was launched in France in 1983 and debuted with three classically masculine scents: Musk, Amber, and Spice. The brand has since expanded its product line to include deodorant sticks, shower gels, hair care, and face care products. Axe is known for its bold and humorous advertising campaigns, which have often courted controversy for their portrayal of sexual promiscuity and sexism. Despite this, Axe has become the number one men's fragrance brand in the world, worn by men in more than 90 countries.
Characteristics | Values |
---|---|
Brand Name | Axe or Lynx |
Owner | Unilever |
Year of Launch | 1983 |
Country of Launch | France |
Target Market | Younger male demographic |
Product Type | Male grooming products |
Product Range | Body sprays, deodorants, anti-perspirants, shower gels, shampoos, styling products, and more |
Scents | Musk, Amber, Spice, Marine, Oriental, Black Vanilla, Purple Patchouli, Royal Pineapple, etc. |
Marketing Strategy | Controversial and humorous advertisements, social media campaigns, limited-edition variants |
Global Reach | Worn by men in more than 90 countries |
What You'll Learn
- Axe is owned by Unilever and was launched in France in 1983
- The brand is known as Lynx in the UK, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, and China
- Axe's biggest market is the US, where its bestselling product is Axe Apollo body spray
- The brand's advertising campaigns have been criticised for encouraging sexual promiscuity and sexism
- Axe products are crafted by the world's leading perfumers, Givaudan and Firmenich
Axe is owned by Unilever and was launched in France in 1983
Axe, or Lynx as it is known in the United Kingdom, Ireland, Malta, Australia, New Zealand, and China, is a French brand of male grooming products owned by the London-based company Unilever. Axe was launched in France in 1983 and was inspired by another Unilever brand, Impulse. The brand debuted with three classically masculine fragrances: Musk, Amber, and Spice.
Unilever chose France as the first country to launch Axe due to its reputation as the nation where the world's finest perfumers train and its status as the European capital of scent design and trade. Positioned as 'the first eau de toilette for men', Axe aimed to fill a gap in the market by combining an effective deodorant with a high-quality fragrance. This revolutionary new spray offered a solution for young men who previously had to choose between overpowering colognes and bland deodorants.
Axe quickly expanded beyond France, reaching other European markets, including the UK, and later entered Latin America and other parts of the world. In 2002, Axe was introduced in the United States, marking a significant milestone in the brand's global expansion.
Over the years, Axe has continued to innovate and now offers a full line of grooming products, including body sprays, deodorants, antiperspirants, shower gels, shampoos, and styling products. The brand has become known for its bold and humorous advertising campaigns, often pushing boundaries and taking risks to attract the attention of young men.
Today, Axe is the world's No. 1 men's fragrance brand, worn by men in more than 90 countries. It has helped generations of young men feel confident and attractive, true to its purpose of giving guys an "attraction power-up."
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The brand is known as Lynx in the UK, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, and China
Axe, a French brand of male grooming products, is owned by the London-based company Unilever. It was launched in France in 1983 and has since expanded globally, becoming the number one men's fragrance brand in the world. Axe is known for its bold and humorous nature, targeting the younger male demographic and helping them feel confident and attractive.
While the brand is marketed as Axe in most countries, it is known as Lynx in the United Kingdom, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, and China due to trademark issues. In some other countries, such as South Africa, it was introduced as EGO until 2002. The name Lynx is used in these specific countries because, when Unilever introduced the brand, they faced trademark issues with the Axe name.
In the UK, Lynx Africa is the top-selling male fragrance, with over 400 million units sold. The brand has a wide range of products, including body sprays, deodorants, antiperspirants, shower gels, shampoos, and styling products. Lynx is known for its bold and irreverent advertising campaigns, which have often courted controversy for their portrayal of women and themes of sexual promiscuity.
Unilever, the company that owns Lynx, has faced criticism for its advertising campaigns for the brand, with some claiming that they encourage sexism and sexual promiscuity. Despite this, Lynx has enjoyed tremendous success in the UK, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, and China, with its unique and playful approach to male grooming. The brand has become synonymous with a playful and confident image, offering a range of fragrances and grooming products that cater to the needs and aspirations of young men in these countries.
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Axe's biggest market is the US, where its bestselling product is Axe Apollo body spray
Axe, or Lynx, is a French brand of male grooming products owned by the London-based company Unilever. It was launched in France in 1983 and soon expanded to other European markets, including the UK, where it is known as Lynx. In 2002, Axe entered the US market, offering products with personality and attraction at their core, as well as functional deodorant benefits.
Today, the US is Axe's biggest market, and its bestselling product there is the Axe Apollo body spray. This product combines deodorant and fragrance, offering 48-hour odour protection with an iconic combo of fresh sage and cedarwood. The body spray is aluminium-free and comes in recyclable packaging.
Axe Apollo has received positive reviews from customers, who praise its scent, value for money, and quality. It is available in packs of 4 and 6, with each can containing 4 or 5.07 ounces of product, respectively. The brand also offers other products in the Apollo scent, such as an antiperspirant deodorant stick, body wash, and shampoo.
Axe's other top markets include the UK, Germany, Mexico, and France. The brand has a bold, irreverent, and humorous nature, and its campaigns and advertisements are known for taking risks and pushing boundaries. Axe is committed to inclusivity, mutuality, and progress and aims to add a touch of humour to everything it does.
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The brand's advertising campaigns have been criticised for encouraging sexual promiscuity and sexism
The Axe brand of male grooming products is owned by the London-based company Unilever and is marketed towards young men. The brand was launched in France in 1983 and has since become the world's number one men's fragrance brand, with its biggest market being the US.
While Axe's advertising campaigns have been described as bold, irreverent and humorous, they have also been criticised for encouraging sexual promiscuity and sexism. The brand's advertisements have often portrayed the products as a means for men to attract women, with one of its most famous claims being the "Axe Effect". This effect supposedly draws women to any man who has sprayed himself with Axe deodorant, acting as a nasal aphrodisiac. The advertisements typically show a regular but confident man being pursued by multiple women, a scenario that has been described as highly desirable for the target audience of 15 to 25-year-old males.
In 2007, Axe released a deodorant product called "Vice", which was marketed with the slogan "Nice girls turn naughty". The campaign included a mock news documentary called "Scared Sweet", in which women under the influence of Axe were "rehabilitated" in prison, with plenty of sexual innuendo included. This campaign was criticised by consumer watchdog groups such as the Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood, who claimed that Axe's advertising "epitomizes the sexist and degrading marketing that can undermine girls' healthy development". Susan Linn, director of the consumer group, emphasised the powerful effect that advertising images can have, even if people are not aware of it.
In response to the criticism, Unilever stated that the ads were developed for comedic value and were "not meant to be taken literally". The company also claimed that the lighthearted humour behind the ads appealed to their target audience and was often well-received by women, who saw the ads as clever. Despite the criticism, the campaigns have been successful in terms of sales, with Axe making $71 million in 2006, $50 million more than its nearest rival.
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Axe products are crafted by the world's leading perfumers, Givaudan and Firmenich
Axe, or Lynx as it is known in the UK, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, and China, is a French brand of male grooming products owned by the London-based company Unilever. It was launched in France in 1983 and has since become the world's number one men's fragrance brand, with products used by men in over 90 countries.
Axe's success is due in large part to the quality and innovation of its fragrances. The brand understands that fragrance is the key ingredient in its products, and as such, every scent and variation is tested rigorously. Axe collaborates with the world's leading perfumers, Givaudan and Firmenich, to craft its products. These perfumers are renowned for their expertise and have created signature scents for a host of luxury brands.
The process of creating Axe fragrances involves sourcing the highest quality ingredients from around the world. The brand spends millions to get the right combinations, resulting in premium scents without the designer price tag. This commitment to quality and accessibility has made Axe the top choice for men around the world.
In addition to its original body sprays, Axe has expanded its product line over the years to include deodorant and antiperspirant sticks, shower gels, shampoos, and styling products. The brand continues to innovate, launching new fragrances and improving its formulas to meet the needs of its diverse customer base.
Axe's dedication to crafting high-quality fragrances with the help of leading perfumers has solidified its position as the leading men's fragrance brand globally. Through its partnerships with Givaudan and Firmenich, Axe has created an extensive range of scents that cater to different preferences and personalities, ensuring that everyone can find their signature scent.
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Frequently asked questions
Axe, or Lynx, is a French brand of male grooming products owned by the London-based company Unilever.
Axe cologne is sold in over 90 countries across the globe.
Axe was launched in France in 1983.
Axe's purpose is to give young guys an attraction power-up and to help them feel confident and attractive.
Axe offers a range of fragrances, including Musk, Amber, Spice, Black Vanilla, and Blue Lavender.