Masculinity is in the spotlight, and Axe has its own version – Bathsculinity, an attitude of being happy with oneself and confident (in and out of the bath). It’s a humorous way of making a topical issue sell Axe products. If it also does good for half the human race, well and good.
In the 72andSunny Amsterdam campaign, a series of 15 second social films starring actor and comedian, Lil’ Rel Howery, men are being urged to indulge their bathsculine side. The videos are 15 seconds of silliness, narrated by a bloke in a bath. In other words, they’re young bloke magnets.
And just in case people still don’t get what bathsculinity, the official definition is also being published on Wikipedia and Urban Dictionary, in an attempt to get bathsculinity officially recognised as the new word of 2019.
The campaign follows hot on the heels of the latest research by AXE/Promundo published on April 8 – The Cost of the Man Box – which demonstrated that harmful masculinity has a tangible impact on the economy. The research finds that dated stereotypes of what it means to be a man, and the behaviours they lead to, are costing the United States $15.7 billion every year.
The Cost of the Man Box builds on Axe/Promundo’s initial The Man Box study published in 2017 that found that over 72% of young guys in the US have been told that a real man should behave a certain way.
Caroline Gregory, global brand director at AXE, commented, “The campaign is about allowing men to have fun and enjoy themselves, inspiring guys to wash like no one’s watching and bring out their bathsculine side, both inside and outside of the bathroom. We are showing that pampering yourself and celebrating your individuality is beneficial and enjoyable – and certainly makes you no less of a man.”
Adam Koppel, creative director at 72andSunny Amsterdam, added, “The purpose of the bathsculinity campaign is to start a new conversation around masculinity in the 21st century about what it really means to be a man. Finally, stereotypes are being recognised for what they are and men are being encouraged to express themselves more freely and to look after themselves.”
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Credits
Creative Agency: 72andSunny Amsterdam
Director: Jeff Tomsic
Production Company: Go Films
Sound Design Company: Ambassadors & Stainless Sound
Post/VFX Company: Ambassadors
Client: Axe
Vice President: Rik Strubel
Brand Director: Caroline Gregory
Brand Manager: Chiara Grillo
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