How to Maintain Loyalty when Consumer Needs Change with Unilever's Axe Leader

Why It Matters

Axe’s dual focus on culturally resonant digital engagement and product‑level innovation demonstrates how legacy brands can retain relevance and drive growth as consumer preferences evolve.

Key Takeaways

• Axe leverages TikTok costume contest tied to 2026 World Cup.
• Campaign emphasizes authentic, humor‑driven UGC to boost brand loyalty.
• New spray technology reduces overspray, addressing core consumer complaint.
• Product and marketing teams collaborate closely from R&D to launch.
• Axe expands portfolio with premium “fine fragrance” body sprays for aging consumers.

Summary

The Marketers Brief podcast featured Dolores Aselini, head of Axe US, outlining how the brand is evolving to keep pace with shifting consumer expectations. Central to the strategy is a World Cup‑themed TikTok costume contest that invites young men to showcase their most outlandish outfits for a chance to win tickets, marrying real‑world experiences with digital user‑generated content.

Axe’s approach hinges on three pillars: cultural relevance, platform specificity, and product innovation. By anchoring the campaign to the 2026 FIFA World Cup, the brand taps into a global moment of shared excitement. TikTok was chosen as the sole channel because it aligns with the unfiltered, humorous tone of the target demographic, fostering authentic engagement. Simultaneously, Axe introduced a new spray‑technology can that delivers a lighter, longer‑lasting mist, directly addressing the long‑standing “Axe cloud” criticism.

Notable moments from the interview include Aselini’s tagline, “smell your best when you look your worst,” and the brand’s acknowledgment of legacy scents like Apollo while launching premium “fine fragrance” sprays such as Blue Lavender and Black Vanilla. She emphasized the tight integration between product development and marketing, noting that her team works hand‑in‑hand with R&D to ensure innovations meet consumer needs from day one.

The implications are clear: Axe is positioning itself as a brand that grows with its audience, blending nostalgia with modern sensibilities. By leveraging a high‑visibility event, focusing on a platform where its core consumers live, and solving a core product pain point, Axe aims to deepen loyalty, capture new market segments, and set a blueprint for midsize brands seeking relevance in a fragmented media landscape.

Original Description

Head of Axe U.S. Dolores Assalini talks about how the Unilever-owned body spray brand is growing up with its customers through new products designed to lighten usage among teen boys through a more controlled spray. She also discusses why Axe is showing in cultural moments such as the World Cup, and how it is tapping into TikTok's 'fragrance maxxing' trend.