growing up fast
Axe’s brand had passed its sell-by date. The lads’ mags had died and men had changed from sex-obsessed cavemen to sophisticated gentlemen. It was time for Axe to change with them. The aim was to hold on to some of the wit they were famous for, but do it in a more refined manner. Basically, the smut had to go.
Out with the old, in with the new
They knew their new voice was a big shift and they needed a hand getting it to stick. We helped train Axe’s people and their agencies on how to use it, but the job went further than that.
With over 50 new products ready to go out into the world and more to come in the future, how could they make sure the names of those products stayed consistent? A new naming system was just the ticket, and meant their product claims and packaging always came out sounding distinctly Axe.
Causing a stir
The rebrand was covered in the Huff Post, the Guardian, the Telegraph, Campaign, Design Week and the Drum, and the reception’s been overwhelmingly positive. The Guardian article quotes Joel Windels, vice president of marketing at Brandwatch, as saying: “The positivity we saw [for this campaign] is incredibly rare."
The Writer helped us find our own magic. They created a whole new way with words that sets us apart from the crowd, and perfectly captures what we’re all about.
Rik Strubel - Global vice president of Axe
