Axe Pokes Fun at ASMR in Showing Guys How to Shave Their Body Parts

Marketers have been piggybacking on the ASMR phenomenon for quite a while—creating videos designed to tingle your brain with relaxing whispering, tapping and scratching sounds. Michelob Ultra even tried it on the Super Bowl with that Zoe Kravitz video.

Now, Axe (the Unilever personal care brand known as Lynx in Europe) is getting in on the act, but with its trademark humor. A new campaign stars Matthew, a soft-spoken man who offers advice on how best to shave different male body parts—in a bathroom comically set up with microphones everywhere. 

Check out three four-minute videos below. 

The camaign, which both employs ASMR while also poking fun at it, was made by 72andSunny Amsterdam and promotes Shower & Shave Foam range of 2-in-1 products. 

The campaign broke online Wednesday morning. In addition to the four-minute films on YouTube, there will be 10-second cutdowns running on Snapchat. 

“Axe wants to inspire ‘shave curious’ guys with our shower and shave foam, to have fun, explore and ultimately push boundaries when it comes to liberating guys to be themselves,” Caroline Gregory, global brand director at Unilever, said in a statement. “That’s why when 72andSunny Amsterdam came up with this series we knew we were on to something great. We’re looking forward to sharing this with the world and hope audiences have as much fun watching these films as we did making them.” 

Gregg Clampffer, creative director at 72andSunny Amsterdam, added: “I have never shaved anything but my face. Maybe my feet once, but I didn’t tell anyone about that. I think this campaign from Chris Baur and Rachel Sato-Banks shows that guys today don’t have to be buff, or swim, or bike or have an excuse to shave themselves. They can just be regular dudes who like the comfort of being cleanly shaven on all different kinds of body parts.”

CREDITS

Creative Agency:  72andSunny Amsterdam
Director: Cloé Bailly
Production Company: Caviar
Sound Design Company: Stainless Sound
Post/VFX Company: Glassworks Amsterdam