Axe / Lynx

Axe was launched by Fabergé in 1983. Today it is the biggest mens toiletries brand in the world and is market leader in most of the 60 countries it sells in, with a 10%-20% share of the market. In the Summer of 2002, Unilever spent $90million introducing Axe to the USA and Canada.

The brand was launched as Lynx in the UK back in 1985 (It is also known as Lynx in Ireland, Australia and New Zealand). South African's knew the brand as Ego until that became Axe in 2002.

The range consists of around six fragrances. To ensure that the range is kept on the ball with current fragrance market trends, a new version is launched each year with the poorest selling scent quietly dropped. It's a bit like a deodorant version of Big Brother or the Weakest Link. The new fragrances are normally launched in January of each year and tend to be based on the most popular fine fragrance trends of the time - this is why Axe / Lynx products tend to smell better than your average deodorant.

The Lynx / Axe range has now branched out with shaving, skin care and haircare products. To coincide with this, in 2000, Fabergé also opened several Lynx Barbershops in the UK, one in London's busy Oxford street. Unfortunatley, it didn't take off and it's now closed.

The range was introduced to the USA and Canada in 2002 with six fragrances: Axe Phoenix, Axe Orion, Axe Kilo, Axe Voodoo, Axe Tsunami and Axe Apollo.

In around 2005, the Fabergé name was dropped from the packaging. The only reference to manufacturer is the Unilver logo on the back of the can.