A hybrid between a fine fragrance and a deodorant, the collection features five scents: Blue Lavender, Aqua Bergamot, Green Geranium, Golden Mango, and Pure Coconut. AXE wants to prove that it's the "G.O.A.T of the fragrance industry" and carried that messaging throughout the space.Photo: Courtesy of AXE
Upon checking in, small groups of guests were guided through a sensory experience in almost complete darkness, with the intention of heightening their sense of smell. Blue lavender, the hero scent of the collection, permeated the space. Brand ambassadors led each guest through the experience, which featured cheeky language that alluded to the fragrance notes and a diffuser box that generated light puffs of fragrance.
There was also an immersive tunnel, dubbed the AXE Vortex, that brought each of the fragrances in the new collection to life through graphics, moving images, neon highlights, and mirrors, allowing guests to be completely enveloped by each scent.
“Our new Fine Fragrance Collection is just as good as expensive, luxury colognes, so we wanted to let the scent speak for itself,” explained Caroline Gregory, global brand director at AXE, about the concept. “We chose to reveal the fragrance first, so that attendees wouldn’t let any preconceived notions of AXE get in the way of the actual scents.”
She added that the brand mailed AXE-scented invites to the guests. “We wanted guests to be genuinely impressed that this was AXE, and therefore rethink what they thought they knew about our brand.” Around 150 guests, including a mix of NYC media, cultural tastemakers, and influencers, attended the event.
The AXE Fine Fragrance Collection, which was developed in partnership with top perfumers Givaudan and Firmenich, features an eclectic range of scent profiles, with notes inspired by foods such as lavender ice cream and drinks like flavored and hard seltzers.
Once reaching the party space, guests discovered who the mystery host was via branded touchpoints including cocktails that incorporated the fragrance notes, branded LED ice cubes, and black light menus. Brand ambassadors served samples from the collection on silver platters.
“Over the years, we have evolved our marketing strategy so that we can more authentically connect with our audience,” Gregory said. “As we geared up to launch our Fine Fragrance Collection, we saw that fragrance was the No. 1 driver of confidence, and that young men were spending upward of $75 on scents to achieve this feeling. Because we are a brand that is all about quality and affordability, we felt perfectly poised to create a premium scent that everyone can afford.”
Keep scrolling to see key vendors and more from inside the launch party...
VENDORS
Audio/Visual & Lighting: Luminae Productions
Catering: Relish Catering
Collateral: Albert's Printing
Ice Sculpture: Okamoto Studios
Production: M&C Saatchi Sport & Entertainment, AKC Productions
Rentals: Taylor Creative
Staffing: Matrix Model Staffing
Venue: Bathhouse Studios
