MANILA, MARCH 25, 2013 – OPEN Philippines signs up with Unilever Axe Philippines to find the world’s First Pinoy Astronaut, as part of a global push for the launch of new male grooming fragrance Axe Apollo.
OPEN, the specialist retail marketing agency of Lowe + Partners, takes charge as strategic and creative lead for the Philippine leg of this campaign to find everyday people who can ‘Leave a Man, Come Back a Hero’. The agency’s remit is to localize the Axe Apollo Space Academy (AASA) and oversee the Philippine campaign from its initial stages until actual liftoff in 2014.
For its biggest and most ambitious marketing move in 30 years, Axe is introducing Axe Apollo by scouring over 20 countries for 20-30 people to turn into astronauts. This brings to light the AASA, even getting legendary Apollo 11 astronaut Buzz Aldrin as the official spokesman.
Gem Laforteza, brand manager for Axe Philippines says: “The program we’ve launched is an opportunity for our great nation to join the global community in taking the next big leap. We’re very excited to meet the First Pinoy Astronaut. It could be anyone.”
Alan Fontanilla, managing director for OPEN Philippines adds: “This is an exciting time not only for us but also for anyone who dreamed of going farther beyond the skies. We have worked with Axe before and are delighted to be on board again for such a unique and inspiring campaign.”
Axe and OPEN’s efforts have enlisted more than 20,000 aspiring Filipino astronauts to date – placing the Philippines in the top five countries with the most registrants after the US, UK, Germany and France – and resulted to a 200% increase in Google searches for the brand since the launch, even outdoing previous digital campaigns for Axe. Two of the Philippine legs’ semi-finalists will head to the AASA Global Space Camp in Orlando, Florida, for the final selection process in December 2013.
OPEN won this business in a pitch against Movent, 1DMG and NuWorks Interactive in late 2012.
