he hunt is still on; only nobody is chasing the hind anymore. Things have come full circle - advertisers would have us believe - and it�s the man�s turn to be hounded. And it was probably the communication for Unilever�s 21-year-old deodorant brand Axe that set the ball rolling. �The Axe Effect� - spraying on some Axe deodorant makes a man irresistible to women - has become a well-established idea appealing both to advertisers, and more importantly, to the target audience - young men the world over. In India too, the Axe male is the guy who gets the women; he is someone who every other man, consciously or sub-consciously, wants to be.

So, while the Indian male still tries his luck, Axe in turn, has not had any trouble seducing him. In late-2000 (that is, in its very first year), Axe saw double-digit market share, which was outstanding for a brand positioned in the luxury category. The year 2003 saw Axe emerge as India�s biggest deodorant brand. With a market share of 29 per cent, Roy believes Axe will achieve iconic status soon and will become "the next Pepsi" in less than 10 years. ... more