Dive Brief: 

• Axe is tapping into consumer excitement around the FIFA World Cup with a TikTok sweepstakes that will award 82 tickets across seven matches, including a grand prize of two tickets to a private suite at the Miami Quarterfinal, according to a press release.
• The Unilever brand is urging TikTok users to record a video of themselves asking someone on a date while sporting their best World Cup outfit. Entrants must mention Axe. The sweepstakes is live now through May 31.
• Axe also teamed with content creation group The Pointer Brothers to promote the sweepstakes. The contest launches alongside new Axe x FIFA World Cup 26 limited-edition products and extends the brand’s efforts to connect with Gen Z. 

Dive Insight:

Unilever’s Axe is the latest brand to leverage World Cup hype in its marketing in hopes of striking a chord with fans of the tournament. Other marketers, including Mondelēz, Modelo and Coca-Cola, are similarly advertising around the matches, which kick off in less than two months and will be co-hosted by the U.S., Mexico and Canada.

The effort from Axe comes as the brand revamps its marketing strategy to win over Gen Z, a push that has included the debut of a Fine Fragrance Collection in 2023. In February, the brand addressed the overapplication of its body spray with a revamped design and campaign titled "The History of Overdoing It,” which sought to address the tendency for young men to douse themselves in an excessive amount of its product. With its latest push, Axe is attempting to help young consumers grow their confidence. 

“The excitement surrounding FIFA World Cup 26 presents a massive opportunity for connection among young people,” said Dolores Assalini, head of Axe U.S., in release details. “Whether you’re watching with friends or in the stadium, the social energy of the tournament creates moments that bring people together. Through this sweepstakes, Axe is helping fans put themselves out there and be part of that experience, showing up with confidence, a sense of humor, and the boldness to make a connection.”

The TikTok sweepstakes kicked off April 15 and will run through the end of May. To enter, consumers must upload a video of themselves asking someone out in an over-the-top World Cup outfit and mention Axe — a move meant to prove that Axe can provide all the confidence needed for an individual to strike up a connection, even while wearing a noisy outfit, per release details. To complete the entry, users must tag @Axe_US and add the hashtags #Sweepstakes and #AXExFIFAWORLDCUP26. Consumers can submit one entry per day. 

In total, Axe will give away 82 tickets across seven matches, including two tickets to a private suite at the Miami Quarterfinal. This year’s World Cup spans 104 matches over five weeks. Sweepstakes winners will also receive $2,000 to help cover the cost of travel and lodging. 

To support its efforts, Axe teamed with The Pointer Brothers for an accompanying brand campaign that will see the group share content that explains how the sweepstakes works and how to enter. The effort launches alongside a limited-edition product collection, which is available at Walmart and includes themed packaging.

Axe has often made themes of increased confidence a part of its messaging. Last April, the brand partnered with Pete Davidson on a campaign in which the comedian was tasked with helping young men level up their rizz, a slang term for romantic appeal.