What Happened To Axe Body Spray?

Axe body spray existed for almost 20 years internationally, under the name Lynx, before it launched in the United States in 2002. Over the course of the next decade, Unilever’s fragrance brand captured the teenage boy market with its provocative advertising. But it began to fall out of favor, and by 2022, domestic sales had fallen to an estimated $300 million, down from nearly half a billion dollars just ten years prior. Now Axe trying to compete with high-end fragrances… can it succeed?

Chapters:
0:00 Introduction
1:20 Entering a new market
3:50 Losing momentum

Produced, Shot and Edited by: Ryan Baker
Animation by: Andrea Schmitz
Additional Camera by: Natalie Rice, Ashley Turner
Senior Managing Producer: Tala Hadavi
Supervising Producer: Jeniece Heinz
Additional Footage: Unilever, Getty

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What Happened To Axe Body Spray?

[cashbethecrew]

Axe and 5 gum was killing the game in middle school

[blanesiwicki]

Lighting this stuff on fire in 8th grade gym class. What a time to believe

[korbyn]

In middle school we had what was called the AXE Bomb. Spray the entire can into a balloon and then pop the balloon inside the bathroom.

[mogreen]

What happened? Every 2nd teenager put on so much of that stuff that a lot of people can't smell it anymore.

[cadillacdevile]

I think that Old Spice has proven if they can rebrand and rebuild, any company in this sector can. They should take note from them.

[BudzBunny]

I used Axe when I was a kid but when I got older I thought if it as a kid cologne

[genius]

The boys locker room at my middle school smelled like Axe 24/7, I hate that smell. Every time I smell it I think I just finished playing dodgeball.

[ahastar]

I think part of their issue, is they were so big in middle schools/ High schools that when their core group matured or got burned out with axe and went on to other things Axe lost them. If Axe had another brand under a different name that was more sophisticated, had more mature scents and more reserved labeling, they could have kept those customers as they moved beyond Axe.

[JoseFlores-xhcj]

I used Axe in middle school and throughout highschool. I never realized how much I hated the smell, was in my late 20's that I realized the smell of the boy's lockerroom was just Axe.

[wildcatthompson]

It’s because the scents used in the first launch actually smelled good. Bring old axe scents back and 35-50 year olds will give you a mill.

[functionatthejunction]

Worn it since 2002, still wear it to this day. Still love the smell. Still get compliments on it. Wear what you like. Dont let people make your decisions for you.

[Tribipentium]

They were used as a flamethrower to remove hive nest.

[geoffgordon]

I remember a co-worker wore the chocolate scent axe. Funny thing was, I worked at a movie theater. Customers thought he smelled like a candy bar. No kidding. I heard two ladies mention it to him.

[_Flux]

People are so mean and judgemental. Imagine telling someone they aren't a real man because of the deodorant brand they use.

[iz.i.]

2003 senior year. My whole school smelled good every day. And yes, it got the ladies.
Now, at 39, i still get the Axe set for Christmas every year from that one auntie.

[simpanzee]

I was jsut talking with a friend earlier, but my most significant memory with axe was when someone took a dump in the school shower and someone emptied a whole can to get rid of the smell. I will never forget that moment

[harpsdesire]

People used it like a shower in a can, thats what happened.

[Naveenjotron]

In India, axe is quickly replaced by a smaller brand called Fogg. Because axe is mostly filled with just gas, not actual deodorant. Fogg came in market with fully liquid cans with pump sprays. They quickly became market hit.

Value for money 😅😊

[morningsidedriverock]

I still use it for my armpits and it works great. I’ve been using it since it came out. I use essence. I never spray my body though.

[biscuits]

I remembered a select few kids in middle school will spray almost the entire can on themselves after P.E. This was back in 2004. How time flies.