There used to be a formula when it came to advertising men’s grooming products. You can picture it. Manly hero admiring his ripped torso in the mirror. Swooning female sex object. Every lad’s fantasy… Or not? In the wake of Black Lives Matter, LGBT+ struggles and #MeToo, young consumers want something more nuanced. Like Niv Shank’s 2021 stills campaign for AXE (which many of us know as Lynx).
Conscious of diversity, the shots feature models, actors and street cast subjects of different ethnicities, identities and personalities. Over a two-day shoot, Niv worked with the natural chemistry of the group to create a series of vivid scenes, taking us from the basketball court of an unspecified, sun soaked city to the stylish bathroom of a happening house share.
Intended for America and other global markets, the shots are subtle in their allusions to sex. Where one viewer might see a couple, another just sees a pair of friends. Whatever your own interpretation, this is a portrait of young men comfortable in their skin, relaxed and respectful, who view women as equals, not conquests. This is a masculinity fit for the 21st century.
The hero of the campaign isn’t some athlete with a six pack. He’s young and confident, with a unique personal charisma.
Director – Niv Shank
DP – Avner Mayer
Editor – Yael Elbee
Colorist – Christoph Hanisch
Advertising Agency – The Martin
Agency Creative Director – Mik Manulik
Art Director – Rahim Masunu & Jesse Lane
Creative Producer – Wylie Moran Client
AXE Production company – Ray Brown production
NYC Producer – Patrick O’brien
Producer – Erica Tashiro Gosnell
Stylist – Chumi Polak
Set designer – Lital Gurai
TALENT
Alan Godin Yuval Jonas Dana Goltsman Alex Ben Ami Karina Zeng Doron Arad Idan Hativ Abevech Nizan Gariv Dray
