72andSunny on Finding Magic in Masculinity for AXE

72andSunny Amsterdam's new global work for AXE embraces modern masculinity by blowing the subject open to challenge traditional, often outdated preconceptions about what it is to be a man.

Having won the account back in January last year, the agency has invested a great deal of time and research into mounting a new strategy for the brand and today launches a campaign that digs deeper into the psyche of male consumers, shifting the idea of an ‘AXE Effect’ away from the product to empower the user.

The new work was propelled by a famous quote from Judy Garland - “always be a first rate version of yourself, not a second rate version of someone else” - a mantra used by the agency at pitch stage and held close throughout the process. Below, managing director at 72andSunny, Nic Owen, and Stephanie Feeney, director of strategy, talk through their brand film and what went into the confident and cool new stance.

Tell us about the approach to Find Your Magic and starting afresh with AXE…

SF: Strategically, it’s been about exploding the idea of masculinity as one ideal and opening up the possibilities for guys who are confident, carry themselves well, believe in who they are and express their individuality. We landed on the line ‘Find Your Magic’ super early and the idea of celebrating guys and their thing, then the hard work came in the craft and figuring out how to bring that to life in a way that felt real, true, honest and relatable.

NO: And celebratory. I think we’ve talked about female emancipation and revolution within women but I think, actually, bizarrely, it’s men who need a revolution and it’s kind of like we’ve been left behind a little bit. There’s still this very stereotypical view of how you should be and I think it’s especially true from our parents’ generation’s ideas about being a man.

Whereas now there’s more opportunity to be the man you are and be true to yourself and have that level of emancipation. But we haven’t got an enemy here, it’s alright to have a six pack and be a super masculine dude but as long as that is you being yourself. What we’re trying to get away from is people trying to be something they’re not, trying too hard or feeling pressure and not just able to explore.

SF: We want guys to come away feeling a bit lighter on their feet and excited about their own possibilities of who they can be.

Tell us about the scenarios presented in the film and how you arrived at them…

NO: It was difficult because you don’t want to make vignette manifesto work for the sake of it but to line it up you have to show some broadness to get the idea across that it’s about you and not conformity. Going through who those people are was really important. The protestor… the guy with the cats… it was all important. It’s an incredibly broad idea of masculinity. The two dudes in the bookstore who are attracted to each other is probably the best scene for nailing the point.

SF: We probably wanted the guys and girls to like the film, too. You want the girl to open up the bathroom cupboard and see some AXE and that’s cool.

NO: There probably wasn’t a pride in using it [AXE] before. It’s still a film about attraction with some sex appeal but it’s more of a level playing field this time. The girl isn’t the thing to capture, there’s more of a connection to be explored as we move forward with it. But the aim was to get all those things in and make it a pacy journey but without overloading it too much.

And the script is written in rhyme. Tell us about that aspect and what it adds…

NO: Yes, that was a long process, trying to get that right. Emiliano [Trierveiler], the creative director, read this poem out and that was the moment. But it was important it was instructional, too.

Hughie [Morgan] from Fun Lovin’ Criminals is the voice. He felt like the perfect dude. He’s so laconic and himself and has always had his own thing, the laidback nature of his voice. He felt like a good reinforce and his voice is so good on his 6 Music show.

And what about the soundtrack?

NO: It’s a Supergrass track and was chosen from a technical point of view. There’s a lot going on with the pictures, the voice, which is really important, and the music, and getting everything to sync together was probably our hardest thing to do. The music has to drive it and give it some lift but you don’t want it fighting with the voiceover.

And why was 60 seconds the right format to spearhead the campaign?

NO: To have a certain amount of stickiness on social and on screens but at the same time tell the complete story. This is about being you and in order to show that we had to show different guys from different walks of life and needed that amount of time to do it in.

For the main launch, 60 seconds online, on TV and in cinemas was the way to go to get people talking about it but at the same time pepper it with useful little how tos on Instagram and social channels [via Instagroom videos shot by Pulse Films’ Matt Houghton].

Tell us about the logistics involved on the shoot for the main brand film and where it took place…

NO: It took place in Berlin and we shot with Francois Rousselet out of Division Paris. Francois is a top director who worked on our If Carlsberg Did Haircuts film last year. He has an incredible eye, his energy is fantastic, his sense of style is brilliant, but he’s very collaborative with it.

We shot over six or seven days and I think the thing that we were really able to spend time on is the casting which we’re really grateful for. Between us, AXE and Francois, getting that casting right is absolutely vital and you see it from the film, print, through to the Instagrooms. It’s always been incredible casting with AXE but in the past it was more of a comedy character for storytelling purposes whereas here we had to get a balance right of casting individuals but not making them too unreal. The people had to have individual style and be who they are but also be accessible.

AXE Find Your Magic launches in the US on Monday 18 January and will roll out across further markets throughout the year.