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PROGRAMME INTAKE MODULE CODE / TITLE : CSM / DMM / ADMM / GDM / GDMC / DSM / PDM / DBM : ______66_____ : __ DSM402 Marketing Communications________

PROJECT TITLE (If any) : __AXE Click Launch Marketing Communication__ TYPE : INDIVIDUAL / GROUP

Group Members (Full Names) 1. Leader : Ng Seok Huay 2. Member : Truong Manh Quang, Richard 3. Member : Lee Siok Lin 4. Member : Tan Li Ling 5. Member :

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__________________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________ Name of Lecturer: ____ Mr Jason Tan_____________

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Date : _____ 20 Dec 2010________

NJKR Group Member: Ng Seok Huay Lee Siok Lin Tan Li Ling Truong Manh Quang, Richard Words Count: 3100

TABLE OF CONTENT 1 Axe Company Overview 1.1 1.2 1.3 2 3 Axe Brand Origins Axe Facts Axe Milestone Page 1 - 3 Page 1- 2 Page 2 Page 3 Page 3 - 5 Page 4 - 5 Page 5 Page 5 - 6 Page 5 Page 5 Page 6 Page 6 Page 6 - 8 Page 6 - 8 Page 8 Page 8 - 10 Page 8 Page 9 Page 9 Page 9 Page 9 Page 10 Page 11 Page 12

Axe Competitor Analysis Axe Customer Analysis 3.1 Axe Product Background

Axe Market Challenges - SWOT Analysis 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 Strengths Weakness Opportunities Threats

Axe Campaign Objectives 5.1 Axe Brand Identity

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Axe Campaign Selling Idea Integrated Marketing Communications (IMC) 7.1 7.2 7.3 7.4 7.5 7.6 Traditional Media Channels Television Outdoor Advertising Magazine Advertising E-Active Marketing Alternative Channels

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Axe Evaluation Referencing

Axe Company Overview

Axe was launched in France in 1983 by Unilever. It was inspired by another of Unilever's brands, Impulse. Unilever was keen to capitalize on Axe's French success to the rest of Europe from 1985 onwards, and later introducing the other products in the range. However, they were unable to use the name Axe in the United Kingdom and Ireland due to trademark problems hence it was launched as Lynx. The European launch of the deodorant was followed by success in Latin America and moderate impact in Asia and Africa. In the new millennium, the brand has launched with great success in the United States and Canada. The company has also consolidated its deodorant portfolio by migrate other overlapping male deodorants into the Axe brand such as South Africa's Ego brand. Unilever is a British-Dutch multinational corporation that owns many of the world's consumer product brands in foods, beverages, cleaning agents and personal care products. Unilever is a dual-listed company consisting of Unilever N.V. in Rotterdam, The Netherlands and Unilever PLC in London, United Kingdom. This arrangement is similar to those of Reed Elsevier and Royal Dutch Shell prior to their unified structures. Both Unilever companies have the same directors and effectively operate as a single business. The current nonexecutive Chairman of Unilever N.V. and PLC is Michael Treschow while Paul Polman is Group Chief Executive. 1.1 Axe Brand Origins

Axe is a deodorant body spray from Unilever that is famous for its attention grabbing advertisements that have introduced the two phrases "The Axe Effect" and "Bam Chica Wah Wah". The body spray released in North America in 2002, but has been available around the world since 1974 when it was introduced in South Africa under the Ego brand. With its aggressive advertising campaign, Unilever has made Axe the best selling body spray in the world.

In the United States there are 14 fragrances available with Unilever stating they have a goal of introducing one new fragrance a year. Limited Edition scents are also periodically released that are only in restricted quantities. Around the world there are dozens of different scents though it's unknown how many are common with one another and are simply named differently. The brands popularity (market share, brand preference, positioning- perceptual map) Axe takes the 'red pill' With its coolly seductive fragrances and packaging, the brand has established itself as the world's top male grooming brand by coming up with a constant stream of new ideas to keep guys a step ahead in the mating game. Each year, for example, we launch a new deodorant fragrance. Adventurous & unconventional We've also taken the brand into a number of new areas, including shower and hair gels. Our award-winning ads and marketing are equally adventurous. In Colombia, for instance, a female Axe Patrol visits bars and clubs, frisking guys and applying body spray. Unconventional media channels are also being used. Giving guys the edge in dating game First launched in France in 1983, Axe is now giving guys the edge in the mating game in more than 60 countries. It holds the number one position in several European and Latin American markets, with an increasingly powerful presence in Asia and the US, where it was launched in 2003. 1.2

Axe Facts World's most popular male grooming brand Excellent track record of advertising awards, including 10 Cannes Lions Established leaders in Europe and Latin America Developing strong positions in new markets, especially in the US and Latin America Sold as Lynx in the UK, Ireland and Australia
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1.3

Axe Milestone

AXE has increase sales since its launch; the yearly fragrance variant has played a key part in the success of the brand by offering something new each year. The type of fragrance variants have evolved over time. From 1983 until about 1989, the variant names were descriptions of the fragrances and included Musk, Spice, Amber, Marine, and Oriental. 2 Axe Competitor Analysis List of products Procter & Gamble Co Old Spice Old Spice launched the fastest growing online viral video campaign ever, garnering 6.7 million views after 24 hours, ballooning over 23 million views after 36 hours. Old Spice's agency created a bathroom set in Portland, OR and had their TV commercial star, Isaiah Mustafa, reply to 186 online comments and questions from websites like Twitter, Facebook, Reddit, Digg and others. Old Spice pulled off a terrific online/offline video strategy around its Isaiah Mustafa Old Spice Red Zone campaign and consistently impressed with its social media programs. But Axe slam dunked the media with a high reaching and comprehensive TV and magazine program, complete with imaginative and relevant events and content, delivering a deeper brand media campaign. Axe wins in extra time. Strengths Weaknesses

Competitor

Competitor

List of products

Strengths

Weaknesses

Procter & Gamble Co

TAG Body Spray

The

marketing

campaign TAG

Body

Spray

was

focuses on what the company discontinued in October of describes as the "teenage boy 2010 fantasies" approached women. packaging, charcoal-grey of by The as TAG Fragrance

being Company was part of Global attractive Gillette, until Gillette was product's bought out by Procter &

which and

is Gamble and dissolved. depicts

silhouettes of women, uses fragrance success product names in evoking The line

dating. a

launched

called the TAG Signature Series in July 2009, which reintroduced three scents

with new packaging which featuring Carmelo basketball star

Anthony,

skateboarder Rob Dyrdek, and rapper Ludacris.

Axe Customer Analysis

Customer Needs - consumers are looking for low maintenance, high quality, and long lasting products. They are also looking for the product to be readily available and to the people who sell the product to have some education on the material. The need for it to be a good price, does not mean it has got to be cheap. However, they do want comparable pricing to other composites out in the market. Consumers have expectation on how the product will perform, so a good warranty is always something that is essential to a good product.

3.1

Axe Product Background

Axe (or Lynx) is a brand of male grooming products, owned by the British/ Dutch company Unilever and marketed towards young males. Lynx Click Deodorant Body Spray is a citrusy scent with woody notes. The special packaging includes a click, which is a system in which customers turn the top round bringing it down to reveal the spray and allowing them to release it. The click will also allow customers to keep count of the number of times used. Lynx Click will give customer the best results when spraying under the arms and over chest. The product comes in a black can with the Lynx logo in white; underneath this are pointed arrows in electric blue. Around the back of the can it has the directions of use, pretty standard hold 15cm away, as well as the health warnings telling customer not to put it near a fire. The design is simple and easy to hold, it is very difficult to release the spray when the top is up so the customers do not need to worry if it is stuffed in their bag.

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Axe Market Challenges - SWOT Analysis Strengths

AXE Click has a unique value proposition in the market. It enjoys the position of the market leader as well. The AXE Effect portrays AXE deodorants as not just a product to be used to smell good but it actually is a feeling to be experienced. AXE has campaigns that are frequently talked about and keep their consumers engaged like the Call Me and Click campaigns. AXE has always associated itself with adventure and thus attracting its primary audience. AXE is now also venturing new areas other than the urban cities in search of its secondary audience. 4.2 Weakness

AXE Click has always targeted the young males from the age group of 16 to 30 and that is very limited looking at the macro view. Even the new products from the AXE stable like the hair gels and other creams target the same segment. Hence its promotion campaigns though loved by a large number of people; the product caters only to a few. Even its adventurous style of advertising is gaining the brand some negative publicity, especially in a traditional country like India.

4.3

Opportunities

AXE can find an all new market segment to cater by introducing products for women, fairer sex being more involved in beauty related products. It can enlarge its customer base by giving products for other age groups too. 4.4 Threats

AXE faces threats from products like SetWet Zatak which try to follow AXE in its promotion strategy. AXE also sees competition from imported products that spend less on advertising campaigns but have an increasing market share on account of change that customer demands 5 Axe Campaign Objectives

AXE acknowledges this trend and uses several communication components to establish a place in young male consumers minds for the product. The goal is to persuade men to think about the advantages of smelling nice. Ladies like men who are clean and smell great. To surrender the smelly, masculine image is to give women what they want, and subsequently women will give men what they want in return. This is where AXE finds its creative advantage rather than selling a product, they are selling an identity. AXE created edgy, memorable, and creative advertisements centered on sex to resonate with male viewers. To sustain its position, AXE is doing more than just resonating with consumers, it is creating desire. AXEs message is connecting to men in a way that compels them into action. The concept sex sells is the driving force behind the extensive advertising campaign that has put AXE at the top of its market. 5.1 Axe Brand Identity

AXE uses a psychological appeal to make it distinctive in the marketplace. It is positioned by differentiating the product from the rest of the male grooming market, conveying a competitive advantage to be gained by using AXE. This campaign is a clear example of advertising shaping societal trends rather than mirroring them. The campaign immediately communicates a distinct perception of the brand identity AXE is the only product for men who desire to have women lust over them. Through repetitive exposure to AXEs brand image, advertisements are able to get the audiences attention and allow them to experience the brand personality.
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The ultimate goal was to secure AXE as a lifestyle product, which would allow it to dominate the market share by motivating users to become loyal. By effectively positioning their campaign, AXE has made its first $100 million in sales faster than any other retail brand in its category, retaining 80% of the market share for male body sprays. The main objective was to start a social phenomenon called Clicking. It was a pan-global campaign that was mainly targeted at young males. In addition to gaining sales and market share, were to reinforce the Axe brand image, recruit new customers among teenage consumers, and build brand equity by enhancing awareness and conviction for Axe. It was hoped that the campaign would result in Axe Click achieving the top rank within the Axe range. For the Axe Click launch, it starts a so-called click attitude trend, bringing a new expression and interaction into young people. Distribution of free clicker and suggested to the males that they could keep running count with the clicker each time a woman gave off positive signals of interest (for example, a smile, eye contact, or other flirtatious behaviours), then compare their total click with those who have the clicker. Website had been developed as a teaser to introduce the clicker and the brand attitude. Consumer can order a free clicker at the Website, paying only postal fees. It created a phenomenon and more than 400,000 clickers were distributed. Axe Click campaign also included an element of event marketing, which proved extremely effective in triggering buzz about the Axe Click concept. The attendees had been treated like stars which resulting in a high level of enthusiasm for the cool clicker and the one click craze. By partnerships with popular radio stations, a running count of votes was revealed by Axe clicker posted at the site and vote counts were regularly updated throughout the day. Celebrities who were recruited to endorse Axe Click were encouraged to wear the branded Tshirt and with the message. The TVC advertisement communications provided direct reference to the product. The humorous campaign turned the conventional tactic of relying on the movie star good looks of the celebrity to sell the product. In this TV campaign, the ads effectively provided the link between the click more phenomenon and the deodorant, and at the same time reinforced the brand benefit, Axe makes me feel, look and smell great and it help me play on top of my game.

The brand used editorial advertising within the magazine, comprised of a fake, humorous article about a group of friends who were clicking experts and who offer tips on how to accumulate a high number of clicks. Using the live marketing approach, the Axe Click campaign highlights the way and campaign can combine various elements of traditional and non-traditional approaches to enhance engagement with consumers, build awareness, generate excitement for the product, and evolve brand image and brand equity. This successfully exploits the power of influentials and peer-to-peer networks. Axe has the right storytelling element and the video reinforces the brand's provocative and contrarian personality, without constraints from TV and radio censors. Axe as always projected its products as cool, fashionable and stylish. The internet, television, print, and poster ads all convey the consistent message that drives AXEs brand awareness, image branding, and brand equity (valuable reputation as the leading body product for young males) by motivating audiences to believe in their message and take action. 6 Axe Campaign Selling Idea

Perfect solution just for you. 7 Integrated Marketing Communications (IMC)

IMC can be defined as a management concept designed to make all aspects of marketing communication, such as advertising, sales promotion, public relations, and direct marketing work as one. IMC media tools include traditional media channels, E-Active Marketing, and other alternative channels. 7.1 Traditional Media Channels

Examples of traditional media channels are, media strategy, media planning processes and roles of media planner and buyer, advertising objectives, media choices based on advantages and disadvantages of medium, and the media selection in B to B and international settings.

7.2

Television

Axe uses television as one of the marketing tools by hiring one of the Hollywood famous actors, Ben Affleck to endorse for the product. In the TV commercial, Ben clicks on the clicker whenever a woman or even man looks at him with interest. There is humour in the commercial ad especially when the lift operator, an average looking person showed Ben that he has gotten more clicks then Ben did. And the message of the ad was delivered when it showed the lift operator using Axe/Lynx Deodorant to spray all over himself. Axe also sponsored one of the well known variety shows, Big Brother, in Australia, and also participated in the Handycam Click TV in Argentina. These in turn boost up and increased the exposure of the brand and product. The use of this media concept delivers high reach towards the audiences. A creative ad like Axe Deodorant captures audiences attention. However, the high cost is there. 7.3 Outdoor Advertising

Outdoor advertising can include billboards, videos in locations and shopping malls or buildings. Axe uses pictures of Ben Affleck, and other men holding the clicker, to promote the fragrance in the outdoor. Though it was not specified in the video where those pictures were placed, it delivers the message of Axe fragrance and conveys the message that even if you are not good looking, you can get clicks. Posters of hot models were also circulated in Holland. In Argentina, Axe came up with the clicker attention centre hiring hot model looking ladies to help promote their products and in Australia; they get the ladies to distribute clickers to guys. The advantages of using outdoor advertising are that one can select his ideal geographic areas and its a low cost form of media. 7.4 Magazine Advertising

Using magazines as one of the media exposure, Click partnered with FHM by sponsoring free clicker with each magazine purchased. By using this media, Axe is able to reach out to their
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targeted customers as FHM readers are often men who probably would consider smelling nice and drawing attention as one of the important aspects of being a man. 7.5 E-Active Marketing

E-Active Marketing refers to the process of marketing a brand using the Internet and a range of technologies to help connect businesses to their customers. Axe uses website as a platform for media by creating a website for their products. Not only can they learn about the products, consumers can also interact and to see who has gotten the most clicks during that particular week. In Holland, Axe also invited the guys to enter the click battle online. The winner was crowned the King of Clicks. Many consumers today rely heavily on the internet to research products, to shop, to do comparisons among related products, and to read comments and testimonials of other consumers before purchasing. 7.6 Alternative Channels

Other alternative channels rely on buzz, word-of-mouth, and lifestyles and times when consumers are relaxing and enjoying hobbies and events. For Axe, they got top German celebrities and sports stars to design limited edition clickers in Germany to seed the notion of keeping scores. By associating the clicker to their products, Axe is using Guerrilla Marketing which involves interacting with consumers. The idea is to create excitement that will spread to others by word-of-mouth. Axe provoked the desire of men to keep score and it created a buzz for them to own a clicker. Thirteen gigs were performed across Australia and New Zealand and clicking were fully integrated in the performances and song lyrics. Axe came up with four million of branded clickers for their campaign, and in Germany, they advertise on clothing with the T-Shirt City Attack.

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Axe Evaluation

The three-phase campaign was a success. It had obtained it objective during the second month of the campaign; the Click more website received 300,000 unique visitors. By the end of the campaign, the new deodorant had obtained 10.4% penetration and become a popular culture and the brand had risen as the top variant within the Axe range, with 1.5% of the market. Within 6 months, the Axe deodorant segment had obtained 12.5% growth when compared to figures during the previous year.

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References: Book Allan J, Connecting with consumers, 2010, Oxford University Press Inc., New York Internet Wikipedia, <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unilever>>, (Accessed on 5th November 2010) Unilever, <http://www.unilever.com/brands/personalcarebrands/axe/index.aspx>, (Accessed on 5th <November 2010) Pierce mattie, <http://www.piercemattie.com/blogs/2006/02/dial_agrees_to_buy_pg_deodoran.html>, (Accessed on 10th November 2010) Scribd, <http://www.scribd.com/doc/27164264/AXE-Report>, (Accessed on 12th November 2010) Associated Content, <http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/1346144/example_of_customer_analysis_for_a.ht ml?cat=35>, (Accessed on 12th November 2010) Slideshare, <http://www.slideshare.net/anafts/plan-marketing-axe>, (Accessed on 15th November 2010) Quirk, <http://www.quirk.biz/resources/88/What-is-eMarketing-and-how-is-it-better-thantraditional-marketing >, (Accessed on 15th November 2010)

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