Difference between Old Spice and Axe
In the male personal products category, both Old Spice and Axe have managed to corner a hefty portion of the market. Both offer distinct products catering exclusively to men, and both have captured the public’s imagination in their own unique ways. Let's see what the two brands have to offer.
Profile
Old Spice is the name of a popular brand of male grooming products produced in the United States. Old Spice is presently manufactured by Procter & Gamble, after the brand was acquired from the Shulton Company in 1990.
Axe is a line of male grooming products under the ownership of Unilever. Its primary target market is young males.
Products
The Old Spice line is best known for its cologne that comes in a distinctive buoy-shaped bottle. This particular product is still in the original scent, although a newer version called Pure Sport has also been released. An entirely new fragrance line called OS Signature as also released in 2006, and this was given the Grooming Award for Best Sporty Fragrance in 2006 by FHM magazine. At present, Old Spice fragrances are produced under the distinct lines: "High Endurance", "Classic", and "Red Zone".
While the flagship Axe product is the scented aerosol deodorant body spray, there are other products marketed under the same brand. The Axe product line consists of deodorant body sprays, sticks, roll-ons, and anti-perspirant sprays and sticks. In 2009, Axe produced a new product called Axe Bullet, which comes in an 8-centimeter container. The Axe line has also since been expanded to include shower gels, aftershave, colognes, shampoo, and a variety of hairstyling and skin care products.
Marketing Campaigns
Both Old Spice and Axe owe much of their respective popularities to strong marketing and advertising campaigns that have greatly bolstered their products’ awareness level and brand recall with the general public. Old Spice for example is widely known for its distinctive Red Zone campaign, which features the memorable Isaiah Mustafa character. This campaign has been particularly successful in reaching audiences via a variety of social media sites. Axe hasn't fallen behind in its marketing and advertising promotions as well, with a powerful series of TV and magazine campaigns that feature striking imagery and content. Thanks to its deep brand media campaign, Axe is considered one of the most recognizable brands on the market today.
Summary
Old Spice
- A popular brand of male grooming products produced in the United States
- Cologne comes in a distinctive buoy-shaped bottle
- Produced under the distinct lines: "High Endurance", "Classic", and "Red Zone"
- Widely known for its distinctive Red Zone campaign
Axe
- A line of male grooming products under the ownership of Unilever
- Primary target market is young males
- Flagship Axe product is the scented aerosol deodorant body spray
- Line has been expanded to include shower gels, aftershave, colognes, shampoo, and a variety of hairstyling and skin care products
