Axe has 7% share of the men’s body wash category and it is the market leader. Old Spice is in second place with 6%. This category is ripe from leadership. As an ad-rat and someone who loves Bartle Bogle Hegarty, I’ve watched with great interest the Axe advertising phenomenon. But here’s the deal, 7% market share? Please.

Body wash isn’t even a new category anymore. An opportunity has been lost here. Unilever has to decide if it wants to own body gel or OWN body gel. If it’s the latter, they need to step up and spend some dough. BBH has been doing a good job of getting Axe on the map, but they’ve been diddling around with fun, yet small targeted programs. Lot’s of little stuff doesn’t compare with a big idea and a big spend. Old Spice and Nivea should not even be in the picture.

This category is ready to for a leader to emerge, but it needs some investment spending. Unilever has to start throwing some serious body punches. All it’s been doing to date is tickling. Men don’t like to be ticked. Peace!