The World of AXE Is 'Lick-able, Addictive'
ABC News' John Berman goes inside the labs of the popular male grooming brand.
March 25, 2011— -- If a product made the not-so-subtle promise that one use would make women want to lick all over you, it would probably grab your attention.
Sex, sex and more sex is the tried-and-true hook that the makers of AXE -- a line of male-deodorant body products -- have used in their relentless advertising to reel in young men.
"[It's] a lick-able, addictive fragrance," said Jeanine Bernstock, the company's fragrance development manager.
AXE's commercials boast that just one long spray across a young man's chest -- as we were told was the best way to wear the fragrance -- would instantly cause countless voluptuous ladies to chase after him, pawing for his affections.
AXE's marketing director, Mike Dwyer, called this the "AXE lifestyle" and said the body spray is the perfect wing-man for their target demographic of 18- to 24-year-olds who are in the "mating game."
"It is about really making you feel comfortable with the right scent, and a scent that girls like," he said. "AXE, at the end of the day, is a brand about giving guys confidence."
Their most popular scent is "Dark Temptation," which is tailored to smell like chocolate ice cream and, of course, comes with its own saucy commercial -- this one featuring two women licking all over a young man made out of chocolate. AXE contracted Senior Vice President perfumer Jean-Marc Chaillan and senior perfumer Loc Gong of the fragrance house IFF to help create the delicious scent.
"It's creamy…very good," Chaillan said.
No wonder AXE is selling so well. In fact, according to Unilever, which makes the brand, AXE by itself is the largest men's grooming brand in sales in the United States.
The company wouldn't reveal exactly what combination of ingredients goes into making its scents, only to say that they use a collection of flowers, herbs and spices.
"Lots of secret ingredients," Dong said. "I'm very happy if I get about 35 ingredients, which is perfect."
Bernstock is an expert smeller in charge of making sure the perfumers get the latest AXE scent to be tantalizing to the senses. She said she smells about 25 different fragrances a day, and searching for the most profitable one isn't easy.
