Dive Brief:
- Axe is addressing the overapplication of its body spray with a new brand campaign and revamped design, according to news shared with Marketing Dive.
- “The History of Overdoing It” features a scholarly narrator as he highlights instances when men tend to overdo things. In one video, a caveman shows off a fish to a love interest, a gesture she responds to with disgust, before he wins her back with a subtle spritz of Axe.
- The Unilever-owned brand is introducing a new proprietary spray system and packaging to its products that reinforce the campaign’s messaging that Axe now “Sprays Lighter. Lasts Longer.” Axe is also adding a new scent, Midnight Amber, to its premium Fine Fragrance Collection.
Dive Insight:
With the new campaign and revamped packaging, Axe is tackling a consumer behavior closely associated with its brand: the tendency for young men to douse themselves in an excessive amount of body spray.
“The History of Overdoing It” implores users to apply a lighter touch through humor and a stuffy, academic-style narrator who highlights courtship faux pas that have echoed throughout history. The video with the caveman, for instance, nods to a modern-day trend in which men commonly show off fish they have caught in dating profiles.
Meanwhile, new proprietary bottle tech aims to offer Axe users greater precision and extend the longevity of products, promising 10% more sprays per can. The effort attempts to own up to Axe’s past while resetting the narrative for the Unilever personal care line to focus more on subtlety.
“Axe has always been part of the cultural conversation around guys doing too much — and for years, that included how our body spray was used,” said Dolores Assalini, head of Axe U.S., in a statement. “By listening to real consumer pain points and reinventing our spray technology to be lighter, more controlled and longer-lasting, we’ve turned overspraying into something that finally belongs in the history books.”
Axe has been revamping its marketing strategy to win over Gen Z consumers, including through a Fine Fragrance Collection that debuted in 2023. The brand has also put a bigger priority on humor and organic social content that matches Gen Z’s media consumption habits. Axe estimates 40% of its target audience spends time on social media seeking out funny material.
Unilever’s personal care segment grew sales 4.7% in 2025, supported by momentum in the U.S. market. The company has recently undergone changes to its marketing leadership as part of a larger restructuring, seeing the departure of Chief Growth and Marketing Officer Esi Eggleson Bracey in late January.
