Who: AXE and Sid Lee.
What: “You’re hotter when you’re chill,” a new animated spot featuring Toronto Raptors star Kyle Lowry. It comes in both six and 30-second formats, with digital banners following in the spring.
When and where: The spot debuted on April 5, timed to coincide with the NBA playoffs. The 30-second spot is residing on YouTube and Lowry’s Twitter page, while the six-second version is appearing as targeted posts on Instagram and Facebook, as well as on AXE pages.
Why: It’s supporting AXE’s new line of Ice Chill grooming products. The Raptors are expected to go far this year, and Lowry has long been one of the team’s favourite players—particularly among the adolescent males who comprise Ice Chill’s primary target.
How: The animated spot draws its inspiration from streetwear, basketball culture and current illustration trends. It’s specifically aimed at adolescents, with a message that confidence is a learned skill that anyone can acquire.
The 30-second version features Lowry (billed as “NBA All-Star Awkward Teenager”) narrating a story from his childhood about playing football in the park in his native Philadelphia and failing to shine in a key moment. It’s his older brother who imparts advice about the importance of being “chill” in stressful situations.
What’s the message: The gist is that AXE’s Ice Chill is perfect for helping users handle stressful situations—like, say, going pointless on 0-for-5 shooting in your team’s playoff opener. Maybe it’s the Ice Chill that helped the star point guard rebound with a more Lowry-esque performance (22 points, seven assists, four rebounds) in the Raps’ game two victory Tuesday night.
And we quote: “As teenage boys experience puberty, they often feel overwhelmed with insecurities surrounding their appearance and social interactions. We offer products that provide adolescent males with freshness and odour control, thus allowing them to feel like their most confident selves and remain emotionally and physically chill during stressful situations.” —Ling Chung, senior brand manager, AXE.
