AXE Deodorant: Communication Plan

Executive Summary
Axe will be repositioning its Axe deodorant from its current target market of 15-25 young men,
to 40 to 65 year old men. This will be done by moving away from the currently used sexual
attraction based brand image, and shifting towards a message that promotes male innerconfidence. Axe has been granted a 12 million dollar budget for this communications campaign
to change the perceived brand image in the Canadian market.
To achieve this shift is brand positioning, Axe will be utilizing an advertising campaign that
involves television and radio commercials, newspaper and magazine advertisements, as well as
out of home and unique public advertising. The adverting campaign will be set into two 3 month
phases, phase 1 beginning circulation in June 2013, and phase 2 beginning circulation in October
2013. Phase 1 will focus on building up interest and intrigue on the new image of the Axe brand,
while phase 2 will actually show comparisons between Axe users and non-Axe users.
A promotions campaign will also be conducted across the Canadian market, in their five major
cities which are Vancouver, Calgary, Toronto, Ottawa, and Montreal. These areas will have
promotional 2 man teams touring grocery and super stores, engaging consumers who fit the
target market, giving out samples, and conducting market research. This promotional campaign
will occur during Phase 1 of the advertising campaign.
A public relations campaign will also take place in both phase 1 and phase 2. In phase 1, Axe
will host a public speaking conference, known as the Confidence Conference, which will be
hosted in four of the major cities, with guest speakers and seminars. In Phase 2, Axe will conduct
a charity for homeless shelters and families in need. This will be known as the You and Axe
Give Back! charity drive, where Axe will donate an Axe product to these groups for every Axe
product purchased by a consumer. The overall message will be that everyone deserves to feel
clean and confident, so Axe is going to help with that.
This overall repositioning by Axe aims to unify a companywide shift into a new target market,
and also redefine Axes brand image. The advertising, promotional, and public relations
campaign all hope to acquire the attention, desire, purchases, and overall loyalty of men aged 40
to 65.

Axe Deodorant Proposed Target Market, Positioning, Communications Objectives and

Strategies
a) Proposed Target Market:

Consumer Characteristics

Buying Situations

DEMOGRAPHIC

AWARENESS and INTENTIONS

Age: 40-65 years old

Birth Era: Baby Boomer Generation

Product Knowledge: Identify the product as a

mature source of deodorant, easy to apply, long
lasting effects, and generating inner confidence.
BEHAVIOUR

Gender: Heterosexual Males

Involvement: Low involvement, habitual purchase

Life Stage: Middle aged men currently in or

approaching self-actualization stage

Dissatisfied Customers may be inclined to change

brands on next purchase

Martial Status: Single, married, in a relationship, or

divorced

BENEFITS SOUGHT

Race: Any race or ethnic Decent

GEOGRAPHIC
City Size: Large urban city to small rural towns

Product Feature: Quick and easy application,

favourable scent, attractive packaging, long lasting
scent (freshness)
Needs/Wants: Favourable and long lasting scent
OUTLET TYPES

Region: Predominantly North America

In-Store: Focus Heavily on grocery stores, drug

stores, and major chain (Wal-Mart, Metro, etc.)

PSYCHOGRAPHIC
Culture: Mainstream North American Culture

Direct: Products can also be purchased online

through many websites (Amazon, EBay, etc.)
USAGE

Lifestyle: Comfortable living, independent, settled

down

Usage Rate: Daily usage

Personality: The everyday working man focused

heavily on work as opposed to social development,
set in their ways
Social Class: Middleclass
Values: Social norms, self-actualization stage, and
regaining youth (40 is the new 30)
SOCIOECONOMICS
Education: High level of education (University
Graduate/Post-Graduate)
Income: Middle to high income, (able to live
comfortably)
Occupation: Full time employment, Career based,
professionals

User Status: User must re-purchase product

monthly

b) Proposed Positioning
-

Axe deodorant is positioned as a strong, long lasting, fresh deodorant that breeds
inner confidence to conquer outer situations, for the everyday man.

c) Proposed Communications Objectives

-

To form a distinction in 85% of targeted consumers awareness of Axe over its

direct competition by the first quarter of 2014.

To build a brand image of confidence focused on personal success, with 75% of

the target market by the second quarter of 2014.

To be the deodorant of choice within 65% of the evoked set of target audience by
the third quarter of 2014.

To generate brand loyalty within 60% of the target audience by third quarter of
2014.

d) Proposed Communications Strategies

The new Axe image will utilize multiple aspects of the promotional mix to achieve the proposed
communication objectives
a. Advertising Campaign
The majority of the new Axe campaign will revolve around heavy advertising through major
promotional channels.
i. The first promotional channel will be through a series of television
commercials. A national television commercial will help form distinction
for the brand as well as develop the new brand image and awareness. The
television commercial will be aired on networks such as TSN, CBC, and
Global.
ii. A national print promotion will follow the television commercials. The
print advertisements, much like the television advertisements, will help
form distinction for the brand as well as develop the new brand image and
awareness. The print advertisements will be focused on major

publications such as Forbes, Car and Driver, Sports Illustrated, and

National newspapers such as the Globe and Mail. Print advertisements
will also be seen through major urban city newspapers like the Toronto
Star. This promotional campaign will be focused on the target market
mainly in the urban areas of Canada.
iii. Out of Home promotion will be focused heavily in the metropolitan areas
in Canada. Similar to both the television commercial and the print
advertisements, these out of home promotions are focused to increase
brand image and awareness as well as create a distinction with the Axe
brand over its competition. These promotional efforts will be focused on
billboards and shopping malls in major metropolitan cities. The new Axe
effect will also follow Axes tradition of unique out of home ads, however
these will be focused on the new positioning of confidence.
iv. Radio broadcast commercials will be the final advertising promotional
effort. Like all other advertisements, the radio will generate an increase in
brand awareness and image, as well as generating a distinction with the
Axe brand over its competition. These stations include: CKNWAM980 in
Vancouver, 660News in Calgary, 680News in Toronto, 1310News in
Ottawa, and CJAD800AM in Montreal. Seeing as many working men
drive to and from work, the Axe brand will be heard during the traffic
hours throughout the day having a direct target on the desired audience of
males.
b. Promotion campaign
i. The Axe brand will have sample booths set up throughout all major
distribution chains such as Wal-Mart, focusing on the heavily populated
metropolitan areas, as well as through close suburban towns. These
booths will have mini take home samples of Axe deodorant sprays and
sticks. There will also be information on the new position, and the new
testimonial promotion challenge (see part ii of this section). The sample
booths will define the Axe brand with the target audience and make it their
brand of choice. The booths will be run by mature male and female teams

that will be able to deliver product benefits in a way that relates to the
target audience.
ii. A consumer driven promotion will be created based on consumer
testimonials about how they applied their new found confidence to their
everyday life. The tagline of the promotion will be what have you
conquered with your new found confidence the NEW Axe effect. This
promotion will allow the target market to relate to the new axe effect
brand and make this the brand of choice as well as increase brand loyalty.
There will be select winners that will be entered in a draw for many
different adventurous prizes, which include: sky diving, bungee jumping, a
day on the sports track, as well as a cash grand prize and a chance to
appear in a commercial.