Canadian Market Situation Analysis for Axe

In 2002, Consumer Packaged Good giant, Unilever, introduced Axe Body Spray into the North American male grooming market. Shortly after its introduction men’s body spray quickly became an entire market of its own, a $5 billion market at that (Fast Company, 2012). Within two years of its North American inception, Axe had become the number one male deodorant brand in both Canada and the United States, a position it still holds today.

Axe is a $2.5 billion goal brand exerting relentless growth, after showing a 13.6% increase in retail sales from 2010 to 2011 (Fast Company, 2012). With a cutting-edge marketing team behind the brand, Axe is able to monitor their target markets subtle changes in urban society and stay current among hormone fanatic males. “With its coolly seductive fragrances and packaging, the brand has established itself as the world's top male grooming brand by coming up with a constant stream of new ideas to keep guys a step ahead in the mating game” (Unilever, 2013)

Although Axe's lead product is the fragranced aerosol deodorant body spray, other formats of the brand exist including; Axe Anti-Perspirant, Axe Deodorant, Axe Shower Gel, Shampoo, Shampoo and Conditioner and Hair Paste.

As stated previously, the estimated value of the male grooming market is $5 billion and growing (Fast Company, 2012). In 2005, Axe was estimated to own 83% market share of a $180 million market, with $150 million in annual sales (TIME, 2005). The estimated annual sales for Axe today are $300 million. With these sales, Axe currently owns a 72% share of the body-spray market, 58 points ahead of its direct competitor Old Spice.