Axe: Fear No Susan Glenn
Axe wanted to re-energize its core message of confidence for young men. The brand needed to connect emotionally with its target audience, acknowledging the common male regret of not approaching an aspirational woman. BBH London was tasked with humorously positioning Axe as the solution to overcome this hesitation, empowering men to "Fear No Susan Glenn." The goal was to increase brand relevance and sales by boosting male self-assurance.
Creative Idea
Axe invented a mythical dream girl, Susan Glenn, to represent male romantic regret.
Axe created a humorous marketing campaign that playfully exaggerates a man's romantic regret about not approaching his ultimate dream girl, Susan Glenn. The campaign uses poetic, over-the-top language to describe an unattainable woman, turning her into a mythical figure and humorously highlighting the brand's core message about male confidence and attraction.
Creative Strategy Deconstructed
Company
Axe leverages its legacy as a male confidence-builder to move beyond slapstick humor, offering a more sophisticated and empathetic brand voice. They provide the emotional 'armor' needed for high-stakes social interactions.
Category
The fragrance category typically relies on hyper-sexualized imagery or functional scent benefits, often ignoring the psychological barriers and genuine insecurities men face in romantic pursuits.
Customer
Young men harbor a universal fear of 'the one who got away,' feeling a paralyzing sense of inferiority and intimidation when facing their ultimate, idealized crush.
Culture
Tapping into a shift toward vulnerability and the 'man-child' archetype in cinema, the campaign resonates with the timeless human experience of internal monologues and romantic regret.
Company
Axe leverages its legacy as a male confidence-builder to move beyond slapstick humor, offering a more sophisticated and empathetic brand voice. They provide the emotional 'armor' needed for high-stakes social interactions.
Category
The fragrance category typically relies on hyper-sexualized imagery or functional scent benefits, often ignoring the psychological barriers and genuine insecurities men face in romantic pursuits.
Strategy:
Dramatize the poetic tragedy of romantic regret to position Axe as the catalyst for overcoming internal intimidation.
Customer
Young men harbor a universal fear of 'the one who got away,' feeling a paralyzing sense of inferiority and intimidation when facing their ultimate, idealized crush.
Culture
Tapping into a shift toward vulnerability and the 'man-child' archetype in cinema, the campaign resonates with the timeless human experience of internal monologues and romantic regret.
Strategy:
Dramatize the poetic tragedy of romantic regret to position Axe as the catalyst for overcoming internal intimidation.
Strategy Technique
Exaggerate to Reveal the Truth
The campaign exaggerates the common male regret of not approaching a dream girl. This amplifies the underlying truth about male hesitation and the need for confidence.
Explore Technique
Creative Technique
Make a Parody
The campaign humorously exaggerates the common male regret of not approaching a dream girl. It mocks the intense idealization of an unattainable woman, making the problem relatable yet absurd.
Explore Technique
