The Axe effect - Unilever Plays Games With Body Spray

According to consumer product company Unilever, along with sports, music and girls, video games are one of the key mass media needed to target young men. Therefore, it makes sense that the company would tap WildTangent to create an intricate advergame for its Axe body spray. In an exclusive interview, Unilever's David Rubin discusses how the company used video games to capture the elusive young male demo.

Unilever 's campaign for their Axe body spray˜and other men's hygiene products˜is so memorable and omnipresent that any young male who consumes any form of media is almost assuredly aware of the company's message. Although clearly not to be taken literally, the raunchy print and television spots spell out in no uncertain terms the level of animalistic attraction women will have for men who use Axe products. The humorous, sexually charged spots have given Axe a commanding 80% of the rapidly growing body spray market.

At the heart of nearly all of the company's Axe advertising? Gamers. Unilever tagged video games as one of the major aspects of their target demographic's lives, along with sports, music and girls. Successfully capturing the attention of the nation's gamers through a variety of initiatives is a large reason Axe has seen such an explosive success. We spoke with Unilever's Axe Development Manager David Rubin about how important the male gamer is to them, and what the company did to capture his attention.

Gaming as a Mass Media

It has been generally accepted since around the turn of the century that video games are a mass media, yet ad dollars are not yet reflecting this fact. In a recent Electronic Gaming Monthly the only non-gaming related ads in the entire magazine were for Axe, and America's armed forces. Other gaming mags have a similar advertising make-up. Unilever understands that even if it's deodorant or body spray you're selling, video games represent one of the top few ways to reach young men with that seemingly out-of-place message.

[ "As long as they perceive value in the experience they don't mind that they're being marketed to," David Rubin, Axe Development Manager on advergames ]

"Gaming has become a mass media. For men 18-24, it's a big part of their lives," Rubin said. "The big four are video games, sports, music, and girls."

It's this insight that led to Unilever tapping the enthusiast press in addition to publications like Maxim, FHM, and Playboy. Likewise, in the online arena, the company targeted the young male "usual suspects" WWE, Atomfilms, and Heavy.com, but they also partnered with IGN and UGO.

Mojo Master

Perhaps the best indicator of how serious Axe is about reaching gamers is their own online game Mojo Master . Developed by WildTangent in conjunction with Conductor, the game presents an investment and a level of game design that most likely has never been previously attempted in an advergame.

"Conductor laid out the idea, and WildTangent created it," Rubin explained. "The creative process is back-and-forth, but on a basic level Conductor knew what consumers wanted, and WildTangent were the gaming experts."

Boiled down to its most basic elements, Mojo Master is a dating sim˜hardly a new experience. But it presents a very surprising level of depth and playability, even compared to games sold at retail.

"When it's genuinely good, young men will take their entertainment from anywhere," Rubin explained. "As long as they perceive value in the experience they don't mind that they're being marketed to."

Mojo Master was designed from the ground-up to appeal not only to the hardcore gamers brought in by ads in gaming publications, but also to a mainstream audience who might be drawn to the site from Axe's TV or cinema spots.

"The game's very accessible for more casual gamers. It's easy to pick up, and perfect for playing in short bursts," Rubin said. "That being said, there was a conscious effort to add value for the hardcore gamer, such as the game getting progressively harder the more someone plays, and an online leader board that shows who's on top."

Axe has long-term goals for the game (multiplayer is being rolled out in the fall), but they're already pleased with its results. "Mojo Master has only been live for two weeks so we don't have any solid statistical results yet, but I can say we're very pleased with what we're seeing. We're especially pleased with the amount of time consumers are spending with the game -- a half hour seems to be the norm," Rubin said.

Tying it All Together

Mojo Master isn't the only unique marketing initiative Axe has employed. They sent two young men, Evan and Gareth , into the real world for two months to figure out a "playbook of seduction." Put simply, the site demonstrated what worked and what didn't work in the world of picking up women.

Their website features episodes in PSP video format in addition to standard formats, and their successful moves have been incorporated into Mojo Master itself. Starting this month the other aspects of Unilever's Axe marketing will also direct consumers to the game's website.

The end result is a campaign that draws on traditional, viral, and downright weird ideas to get young men to purchase Axe products, all connected (either subtlety or blatantly) to the world of interactive entertainment. Unilever understands the importance of video games in reaching that sought-after demographic, and thanks to that understanding and their own memorable message, Axe has a firm grip on the booming male grooming business.