LOLA MullenLowe and Lynx have just proven that a product innovation can change the rules of attraction. Here’s the story. A study conducted by Censuswide revealed that 60% of cat owners wouldn’t date someone their cat dislikes. In other words, if her cat doesn’t like you, you’re done. But in Lynx’ stories the man gets the girl, so LOLA MullenLowe created Lynx with Catnip, the first-ever body fragrance infused with catnip (Source: IFRA) – nature’s love potion for felines – designed to charm both humans and their cats.
Catnip is a mint-family plant that contains nepetalactone, a compound that mimics cat pheromones, making cats instantly drawn to it. Now, for the first time, it’s been bottled into a fine fragrance. The result? A scent so intriguing, it will have even the meanest felines rolling at your feet. The agency worked with Lynx’s expert perfumers over a year of testing to create a fragrance that appealed to both people and cats, adding geranium, nutmeg and cedar in careful balance.
“Once we spotted such a powerful insight, we just had to build a product around it. But it was no easy task. Fortunately, we had a bold client willing to take it on. With their expertise in fragrance development, we didn’t just create a campaign—we created a one-of-a-kind product,” stated Tomás Ostiglia, executive creative director, LOLA MullenLowe
“Confidence is key—but let’s be honest, if her cat isn’t on board, you’re in trouble. With Lynx with Catnip, we’re giving guys an edge. This idea takes our purpose as a brand and our platform, The Power of a Fragrance, to a whole new level,” added Caroline Gregory, global brand director, AXE & Lynx.
With a launch film directed by award-winning director Andreas Nilsson, the campaign brings this unexpected idea to life with Lynx’s signature humour. And it doesn’t stop there. The campaign expands into print, OOH, audio, guerrilla marketing, and a bold social push aimed at turning every unfortunate “cat hates guy” story into a love story instead.
The new product and the full campaign have been launched first in the UK market, with plans for potential expansion into other regions.
Credits:
Client: Unilever [Lynx/Axe]
Global Brand Director: Caroline Gregory
Global Brand Manager: Matthew Yocum
Global Assistant Brand Manager: Gareth Roberts
Lynx Marketing Manager: Josh Plimmer
Unilever PC Head of Media: Clare Fineberg
Unilever Global Head of Safety, Environmental & Regulatory Science: Julia Fentem
Regional Senior Advertising Producer Unilever: Attilio Gianfrancesco
Unilever R&D: Benjamin Liu Tagasako
Fragrance Development Team: Sylvain Eyruad, Jonathan Warr, Jacob Varela, Jacob Varela, Celine Carraze, Damienne Couvant, Aurelie Brogniart, Martin Cowen & Stephanie Sebastiao
Creative Agency: LOLA Mullenlowe
Executive Creative Director: Tomas Ostiglia
Creative Directors: Jorge Zacher, Dante Zamboni
Social Creative Director: Maria García Campos
Associate Creative Director: Diego Vieira
Copywriter: Marcos Colombres, Josefina Mateo
Art Director: Fabio Tridenti, Ezequiel Scarpini
Social Media Creatives: Alexander Peck, Ben Willis
Social Media Manager: Ana Teijeiro
Social Visual Designer: Rodrigo Muñoz
Global Business Director (IPG): Federico Duberti
Managing Director: Tom Elliston
Account Director: Cristina Panea
Account Manager: Paula Portela
Head of Production: Felipe Calviño
Producer: Marina Saro
Production House – CANADÁ
Direction: Andreas Nilsson
Executive Producer: Victor Mata
Producer: Christy Alcaraz
Production Manager: Dani Molina DOP: Lasse Frank
Production Designer: Jon Blud
Wardrobe: Violeta Comella
MU & Hair: Andrea Trenado
Editor: Jonnie Scarlett @ The Quarry
Post Production: Melt Creative
Post Production Coordinator: Marina Martínez
Colour: Xavi Santolaya
Sound: IXYXI
Music Agency: Big Sync Music
Senior Music Supervisor: Alicia Leinot
