- Axe is partnering with Pete Davidson on a campaign by which the actor-comedian will help young men construct their confidence, per news shared with Marketing Dive.
- The “Saturday Night Live” alum on May 1 will take over Axe’s Instagram to host an Axe Me Anything discussion inspired by Reddit’s Q&A format. Those thinking about participating can head to the Unilever brand’s page starting Wednesday to submit their questions on a teaser video.
- In addition, Davidson stars in a brand new ad, “Short Kings,” where he offers advice to a person who thinks his dream girl is literally and figuratively out of reach. The effort puts a humorous spin on Axe’s messaging aimed toward giving its Gen Z target market a lift.
Axe is centering its latest campaign around an influencer, leveraging Davidson as each dating wingman and giver of life advice. The idea is to help Gen Z men master their “rizz,” a well-liked slang term for level of charm and an associated skill at flirtation.
To that end, Davidson, a self-proclaimed Axe fan dating back to his teens, will host an Ask Me Anything-like Q&A on Instagram to share suggestions and underdog stories. A industrial debuting the week of May 12 extends the partnership’s focus on modern lingo, alluding to “short kings,” or men who’re confident despite their smaller stature (Davidson is 6 foot three inches).
The spot shows a person daydreaming a few girl who’s six inches taller than him, with a pep talk from media heartthrob Davidson and a twig of Axe helping him to shake off his doubts. The work with Davidson promotes two latest scents within the Unilever line’s Fine Fragrance Collection, Cherry Spritz and Watermelon Freeze.
Axe has long made instilling confidence an element of its messaging strategy, however the tone has modified over time. Ads from several years ago addressed Gen Z’s more open-minded approach to attraction while resurrecting the “Axe Effect” tagline. In 2017, the private care marketer ran a somber campaign that tackled the downsides of toxic masculinity, aligning with a bigger purpose-driven trend on the time.
The Davidson team-up is more firmly rooted in humor, capitalizing on a star who has change into in-demand amongst brands. Davidson is currently the “official boyfriend” of retailer Reformation and appears in ads for Verizon. The stand-up has served as brand partner to grooming company Manscaped with commercials by which he emphasizes the necessity for a fresh appearance to increase romantic appeal.
Axe parent Unilever is ramping up its social initiatives to stay connected with Gen Z shoppers who’ve gravitated away from traditional media. Speaking to an analyst in March, latest CEO Fernando Fernandez said spending on social will jump from 30% to 50% of the CPG giant’s marketing budget and that Unilever plans to greatly increase its work with influencers.
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