Celebrity endorsements are nothing new in the world of advertising. But the most memorable adverts are the ones that are just a little weird. Take, for example, the trend started by Travis Scott of “celebrity McDonald’s meals”. Scott was the first celebrity signed to endorse McDonald’s. “The Travis Scott” was so popular that it caused supply shortages. The fast-food chain has since launched “The J Balvin”, “The BTS”, “The Saweetie”, “The Mariah Carey”, and “The Cardi B and Offset“.
But what if we took things one step further? What if there was an exclusive celebrity product that could only be accessed by buying a product? Again, purchase-exclusive rewards are nothing new. There have been plenty of advertising campaigns where get something extra, or the chance to win something, for buying a specific product. But the recently-announced collaboration between Lil Baby and Axe might just take the cake.
Introducing “Shōnen Baby” By Axe
So there’s a lot to unpack here. Lil Baby has teamed up with Axe to create a manga called Shōnen Baby. They have advertised it on social media by giving the rapper an anime transformation. Shōnen is a genre of manga primarily targeted at teenage boys. Mangas in the shōnen genre are typically heavy on action and adventure. Popular examples include “the big three” of Naruto, Bleach, and One Piece. Honestly, it’s a great combination for Axe, which has a reputation for being the go-to deodorant for teenage boys.
The collaboration is part of the promotion for Axe’s fine fragrance line. This line includes scents such as blue lavender, golden mango, and aqua bergamot. To gain access to Shōnen Baby, individuals need to purchase a valid Axe product at Walmart and upload a picture of their receipt to Axe’s website. That will grant them access to a digital download of the manga when it releases on July 11. According to Axe’s website, receipts must be uploaded by June 15. Axe has not released any further details about the manga itself. However, the idea of a Lil Baby manga is just weird enough to make you want to buy an Axe product.
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