Olivia Munn and AXE Shower Team Up to Conduct a 'Social Experiment' to Test Guys' Morning Alertness

NEW YORK, April 7 /PRNewswire/ -- Most guys start out their weekday mornings by hitting the snooze button a few too many times, showering while still half asleep and wishing it was Saturday.  Regardless if they are running to class or rushing to make the train to work, guys may often miss out on key dating opportunities and signals that girls throw at them in the morning.  Whether it's missing the flirtatious gestures from his regular barista or forgetting the name of that cute girl on the bus, guys need help getting a jump start to their day.  

To view the multimedia assets associated with this release, please click:  http://multivu.prnewswire.com/mnr/axe/43394/

(Photo:  http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20100407/MM82453 )

The Facts About Waking Up

AXE Shower worked with research firm StrategyOne* to conduct a study among guys between the ages of 18-21 and found that more than half (53 percent) of those surveyed said that they are not alert at all when meeting an attractive girl in the morning.  In addition, 69 percent agreed that it takes a while for their minds to feel awake in the morning, while 57 percent admitted that they are not functioning at full capacity until a couple of hours after their day starts.

To help guys wake up and stay alert so they can catch key details that are essential to having good game, AXE created Rise Shower Gel and Deodorant Bodyspray, which are designed to help guys jumpstart their mind and body each morning.  

Olivia Takes to the Streets

Actress Olivia Munn teamed up with AXE Shower to help prove that guys need to conquer their morning grogginess so they can be on top of their game.  Munn led a "social experiment" with hidden cameras on a busy street by flirting with guys at random during the morning hours.  As part of the prank, AXE sent Munn out to approach certain lucky fellows in their foggy state to see if they would even notice her.

"Most of the guys I approached were too tired to even notice that I was trying to get their attention, let alone flirt with them," Munn reveals.  "Even basic places – like the park or a street corner – could be the best place to meet a girl, but if guys are too tired and get distracted easily, they could miss the details and ruin their chance.  Guys need to realize that if they are more alert and aware of their surroundings, they can get a date at any time of the day, especially in the morning."  

To view the full video of Olivia Munn and the AXE Rise "Social Experiment," log on to: www.facebook.com/AXE or www.youtube.com/AXE.

Wake Up and Stay Alert

AXE Rise Shower Gel includes uplifting Himalayan minerals, and AXE Rise Deodorant Bodyspray contains exhilarating citrus extract.  By incorporating AXE Rise into their morning grooming routine, guys can stimulate their senses so they don't miss a thing.

AXE Rise is the latest addition to the Fixers line of shower gels and deodorant bodysprays, which also includes Fever, Shock and Snake Peel shower gels, and Fever and Recovery bodysprays .  No matter what goes down, AXE will fix guys up with this mood-altering product line that is designed to revitalize the senses to fix a guy's mind and change his game throughout the day.

AXE Fixers Shower Gels have a suggested retail price of $3.99 for a 12 fl.-oz. bottle and the Deodorant Bodysprays have a suggested retail price of $4.99 for a 4 oz. can. Both are available at most food, drug, club and mass outlets.

About AXE

AXE, a leader in men's care, is an iconic personal care brand around the world that helps guys look, smell and feel their best.  The Unilever-manufactured brand is available in a line of deodorant bodysprays, deodorant and anti-perspirant sticks, shower gels and hair care products.  AXE is the No. 1 men's grooming brand in the U.S., excluding shaving hardware, and achieved this status only seven years after launch.  Including deodorant bodysprays, AXE is the largest men's deodorant brand in the U.S.

The brand's mission is to help guys get the girl with grooming products that reflect individual personality and lifestyle.  For more information, visit www.theaxeeffect.com.

About Unilever North America

Unilever works to create a better future every day.  We help people feel good, look good and get more out of life with brands and services that are good for them and good for others.  Each day, around the world, consumers make 160 million decisions to purchase Unilever products. In the United States, Canada and the Greater Caribbean (Trinidad & Tobago, Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico) the portfolio includes brand icons such as: Axe, Becel, Ben & Jerry's, Bertolli, Blue Band, Breyers, Caress, Country Crock, Degree, Dove personal care products, Hellmann's, Klondike, Knorr, Lipton, Omo, Popsicle, Promise, Q-Tips, Skippy, Slim-Fast, Suave, Sunsilk and Vaseline.  All of the preceding brand names are registered trademarks of the Unilever Group of Companies.  Dedicated to serving consumers and the communities where we live, work and play, Unilever employs more than 13,000 people across North America – generating nearly $10 billion in sales in 2009.  For more information, visit www.unileverusa.com.

*The Axe Rise Survey was conducted via online by StrategyOne between February 24 and March 2, 2010. The sample included 1,000 adults aged 18-21.

SOURCE Unilever North America