Axe is once again casting the spotlight on a variety of men who don’t fit neatly into macho stereotypes in an effort to shed outdated views of masculinity. First came the new campaign idea “Find Your Magic“ which introduced the brand´s new bold point of view. Now, Axe is driving it´s focus to the men’s head to reject rigid stereotypes.

The launch of the New Hair Styling Range was the perfect vehicle to propel Axe into becoming THE male grooming brand, breaking away it´s former narrow-cast association with only fragrance, and to further drive a powerful message about perceptions of masculinity.

In developing the communication strategy it became clear that in order to stand as a credible player in the hair styling category V.S. the longstanding stylist specialist brand American Crew, we needed more than a regular launch campaign. So, rather than just communicating the differentiating benefits of the new range, we decided to dig deeper for category insights. We found that some guys still had some deeply engrained resistance to hairstyling: they are self-conscious about looking like they try too hard for fear of being perceived un-masculine, vain or just plain stupid.

To address these prejudices, we came up with an anti-overclaim strategy: “having a great hairstyle doesn´t define you”.

The campaign underplayed the relevance of great hair, acknowledging that hairstyle does matters but that it only comes 2nd to character and personal traits.

To that purpose, we reworked the familiar idiom (“not just a pretty face”), applying it to men in a provocative, cheeky way:

“Not just a pretty hairstyle”, challenging the assumption that beauty and intelligence are mutually exclusive. It’s a non-confrontational but persuasive approach: by associating great hair with mundane life skills that made guys endearing and attractive, men became less dismissive of the styling message. Guys became receptive to being talked to in this way and felt inspired, without feeling emasculated.

With a fully integrated campaign including TV, print, digital and PR, Axe dug deep into the grooming world to celebrate individuality through the portrayal of different skills and different hairstyles.

And so, with a little help of some “James Blunt” chords, Axe’s TVC encouraged men not only to experiment with their hairstyles but to express that unique ”thing“ that defines each one of them. To “find their magic” and work on it.

“NOT JUST A PRETTY HAIRSTYLE” campaign had a huge impact at all levels:

Most importantly, at a business level it reverted Q1 2016 negative results and drove double-digit growth during communication period. Also, Axe hairstyling actually became a credible key player in the Male Styling Category, challenging the leadership of the Specialist Brand: American Crew (men styling brand).

In terms of communication, the campaign achieved outstanding both pre-test ( MB Preview) and post-test results, building awareness of Axe Styling and proving to be extremely persuasive. All of the above, had a tangible impact in building male grooming credentials for the Masterbrand… achieving the ultimate goal.