Axe, the brand that wants to make all men everywhere completely, utterly, irresistibly f*ckable, has cleaned up its act.
Gone are the days of spraying Axe and having women's shirts fly off, or having buxom models throw themselves at you in a stampede of passion -- this week Axe, which you might be surprised to learn is 30 years old, rebranded itself with a new ad campaign that encourages guys to "find their magic."
"Who needs a six pack, when you've got the nose," the commercial asks, rotating through a group of guys with distinct features: full beard, big nose, good dance moves, high heels.
That's right -- new Axe wants to highlight all that makes the individual special: high heels, affection for kittens. It's a far leap from its earlier reputation as the secret potion for finding naked women.
Matthew McCarthy, senior director for Axe and men's grooming at Unilever, told The Huffington Post that the move was a reaction to a larger cultural shift.
"In the past, a guy's self-confidence was determined a lot by whether or not girls found him attractive," he said. Now, "guys certainly want to be attractive but they want to feel attractive ... how they get there is changing."
Guys no longer want to be defined by society's idea of masculinity, he said, and the new campaign, designed by the agency 72andSunny Amsterdam, focuses on finding your confidence in whatever makes you unique.
"Guys today are basically calling bullshit on many of the outdated stereotypes and archetypes of masculinity, which are linked to feeling confident and feeling attractive. Now they’re saying, 'I want to decide how I’m going to express my masculinity.'"
Axe's rebranding coincides with the launch of a new line of pomades, hair gel, antiperspirants and deodorants, called the Axe Advanced Collection, which is available in most drug and grocery stores in North America.
"The campaign isn’t about, 'Hey guys, have more confidence,'" McCarthy said. "It’s about your individuality and what makes you special. That’s what matters. Go work on it. Find your magic."
Support HuffPost
Our 2024 Coverage Needs You
Your Loyalty Means The World To Us
At HuffPost, we believe that everyone needs high-quality journalism, but we understand that not everyone can afford to pay for expensive news subscriptions. That is why we are committed to providing deeply reported, carefully fact-checked news that is freely accessible to everyone.
Whether you come to HuffPost for updates on the 2024 presidential race, hard-hitting investigations into critical issues facing our country today, or trending stories that make you laugh, we appreciate you. The truth is, news costs money to produce, and we are proud that we have never put our stories behind an expensive paywall.
Would you join us to help keep our stories free for all? Your contribution of as little as $2 will go a long way.
As Americans head to the polls in 2024, the very future of our country is at stake. At HuffPost, we believe that a free press is critical to creating well-informed voters. That's why our journalism is free for everyone, even though other newsrooms retreat behind expensive paywalls.
Our journalists will continue to cover the twists and turns during this historic presidential election. With your help, we'll bring you hard-hitting investigations, well-researched analysis and timely takes you can't find elsewhere. Reporting in this current political climate is a responsibility we do not take lightly, and we thank you for your support.
Contribute as little as $2 to keep our news free for all.
Dear HuffPost Reader
Thank you for your past contribution to HuffPost. We are sincerely grateful for readers like you who help us ensure that we can keep our journalism free for everyone.
The stakes are high this year, and our 2024 coverage could use continued support. Would you consider becoming a regular HuffPost contributor?
Dear HuffPost Reader
Thank you for your past contribution to HuffPost. We are sincerely grateful for readers like you who help us ensure that we can keep our journalism free for everyone.
The stakes are high this year, and our 2024 coverage could use continued support. If circumstances have changed since you last contributed, we hope you’ll consider contributing to HuffPost once more.
Support HuffPostAlready contributed? Log in to hide these messages.