AXE DEODORANT: AXE VILLA

Credits:

Vladimir Volkov, Unilever, Brand Manager
Oxana Prokopchuk, Greenway, Director
Alexey Yermolin, Greenway, Art-Director
Veronika Melnykova, Greenway, Account Group Director

Describe the objective of the promotion.
With the launch of the improved packaging for 150 ml deodorants with improved fragrances, Unilever set 2 major objectives: a marketing one – double the sales, & a communication one - to emphasize the essence of the improved AXE-effect based on the global communication idea – “improved AXE is a manipulator/gadget that makes girls fall in a trance”.

Describe how the promotion developed from concept to implementation.
Solution:
We developed the concept "AXE Villa. AXE-effect – as tested on models"
It said that improved AXE-effect makes even models fall into a trance, & if you have an improved AXE, you can test it for yourself at AXE Villa!

Then we organised the functioning AXE Villa which had the main attributes of the longed-for “outstanding villa” & hosted guys who booked definite day or night for visiting the Villa on the site with the help of promostickers from new AXE packs.
20 real models who had had special training lived at the Villa, servicing & amusing the guys by performing different roles.

Explain why the method of promotion was most relevant to the product or service.
The given method of promotion enabled us to convince target audience that AXE is not just a deodorant but a powerful AXE effect & we gave them a chance to really test it.
We made it this way with the aim to build the future AXE effect promotion, not only on the basis of quotations from ad spots, but through guys' own descriptions of their experiences at the Villa: "I know how it worked for me even when I flirted with models".

Describe the success of the promotion with both client and consumer including some quantifiable results.
Results of the campaign:
The AXE Villa had 500 visitors during its two-week existence and people continued to visit the site for 3 weeks after the campaign had ended! AXE deodorants sales growth in Aug’07 vs. Aug’06 made up 426%.

The “Creation of the AXE Villa” was a unique project for the brand that became really popular among guys with the help of the guys themselves! The concept itself - "AXE-effect – tested on models" - exactly met target audience demands and we managed to create and deliver the atmosphere of the brand to the fullest possible measure - FLIRT territory where a guy can charm ANY girl he likes.