Guest Review: Axe/Lynx – ‘Angels at Victoria Station’

By Kiran Aditham 

Arnold’s Roger Baldacci is back with his bi-weekly ad reviews, this time for BBH’s new Axe/Lynx “Angels” spot as well as the ambient stunt that went along with it. Take it away, sir.


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“Wow (12 second pause). I could play with these balls all day.” I didn’t think Axe could ever top the most epic piece of film since Apple 1984. And with their new Victoria Station ambient idea, they still haven’t. Nonetheless, I love this effort from BBH that drafts off their brilliantly shot and edited TV advert running now. Hot angels dropping from the sky, discarding their halos, renouncing their faith and the eternal, complete, unconditional, unified love of all souls in the universe, just for one more go in the flesh at a greasy looking guy who rides a scooter. All because he sprays himself with what is essentially Febreze. Hyperbole? Just a bit.

While I am not a huge fan of stuntvertising—the flash mob has left the barn and it is apparently the new norm. But this idea is different. Now fallen angels are dropping from the sky to be with real people—none of which rode scooters thankfully. Here, Axe is coaxing consumers into interacting with the brand and making them part of the campaign. If you look closely, many of these interactions seem to take the form of dry humping these hot angels. Please God, forgive me for writing “dry humping hot angels.” Anyway, we always talk about how important it is to engage consumers in any medium, but it’s even more powerful when the engagement is literal as it is here in Victoria Station. Look, Axe gets branding. They know people buy brands, not products. They are remarkably consistent in their message that if you use their products, even if you are a greasy under-achiever, you will get laid. Enjoy this latest effort and pray they continue to push the boundaries. (Late to a meeting, can’t come up with a more clever end line relating to fallen angels.)


Roger Baldacci is an EVP, ECD at Arnold Worldwide in Boston and currently leads the creative vision for Carnival Cruise Lines.  He believes that teachers should make more than actors, the Patriots need a better pass rush and the karma boomerang always returns to the thrower.


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