Axe is growing up. Well, sort of.
In an attempt to shed its image as the preferred scent of horny, pubescent boys, the Unilever brand has been moving away from its time-honored (and not-so-subtly sexist) "Axe will get you laid" messaging in favor of a more mature approach, which pretty much translates to "Axe will get you laid, but tastefully!"
The "new" Axe was introduced to American audiences in the "Make love. Not war" Super Bowl spot. Now, to coincide with the relaunch of the Axe product line (which includes a "revolutionary new can, packaging design and upgraded fragrance quality," per its makers), BBH London is rolling out a new campaign across Europe.
Titled "Soulmates," a 90-second spot tells the story of a man's ill-fated pursuit of a woman throughout human history. It begins in the prehistoric era, where a young man (who bears an awfully striking resemblance to Game of Thrones' Jon Snow in full North of the Wall apparel) attempts to catch the attention of a pretty girl, only to be torn away from her by a rogue iceberg. (Love, it seems, is so not easy, a caveman can't do it.)
The story repeats itself over and over—his advances are variously thwarted by the eruption of Pompeii, the sinking of the Titanic and police at a Vietnam war protest. But finally, at a modern-day gas-station convenience store, our protagonist douses himself in Axe and—poof!—his "soulmate" appears.
Better yet, when the gas station inevitably explodes, the pair are already strolling away, arm in arm. "Don't rely on fate," says the on-screen copy. Thanks, Axe!
So, apart from that nice little cover of Harry Nilsson's "One," what makes this warmer and fuzzier than your average Axe ad? As the company explains, "While Axe continues to help men succeed in the game of attraction, the new campaign adopts a more progressive take on the story by reflecting a more thoughtful and romantic view of the relationships between a guy and a girl."
In other words, less cleavage.
CREDITS
Client: Axe
Global Vice President: Tomas Marcenaro
Global Brand Director: Fernando Desouches
Senior Global Brand Development Manager: Jeronimo Cadenas
Global Brand Manager: Michal Berski
Agency: BBH, London
Deputy Executive Creative Director: David Kolbusz
Creative Directors: Gary McCreadie, Wesley Hawes
Creative Team: Matt Fitch, Mark Lewis,
Interactive Art Director: Vinny Olimpio
Strategic Business Lead: Ngaio Pardon
Team Director: Heather Cuss
Team Manager: Amy Forster
Strategy Directors: Agathe Guerrier, Tim Jones
Strategist: Shadi Sarreshtehdarzadeh
Film Credits:
BBH Producer: Chris Watling
BBH Assistant Producer: Vaia Ikonomou
Production Company: Biscuit U.K.
Director: Tim Godsall
Executive Producer: Orlando Wood
Producer: Rick Jarjoura
Director of Photography: Tim Hudson
Postproduction: Electric Theatre Collective
Editing: Rick Russell, Final Cut
Sound Design, Mix: Raja Sehgal, Grand Central Recording Studios
Additional Track Laying, Sound Design: Miles Kempton, Grand Central Recording Studios
Music Supervision: The Most Radicalist Black Sheep Music; Leland Music
Music Production: Leland Music
Print Credits:
BBH Producer: Sally Green
Creative Directors: Gary McCreadie, Wesley Hawes
BBH Interactive Art Director: Vinny Olimpio
Computer Graphics: Richard Green, Wellcom