Is it time to Axe that strategy?

There's no denying Axe has a pretty consistent, some might say gratuitous, advertising formula.

It goes something like this: almost-hot guy + super-hot women + Axe body spray = instant, unstoppable attraction and animal magnatism.

It's totally unrealistic, not to mention, complete and blatant overpromise. But it works. And when I say "it works", I'm only talking about the spots' ability to resonate with their intended audience - I have no idea if it's moving product off the shelves, but hold on that for now.

With that caveat...

What they had been doing "works" because its target doesn't care about real RTBs or overpromise; they simply enjoy watching hot chicks fall for regular dudes and daydreaming it could be them if they trade in their boring cologne or body spray for magic Axe. And its free to watch.

This spot from BBH UK plays it a little too safe with an approach that intends to deliver the exact same message, presumably against the exact same strategy, but takes 90 seconds and mutes the delivery so much, its audience is likely to miss the point and change the channel before discovering this is a spot for Axe. Check it out:



The strategy isn't the problem here...or is it? Why the decision to change the fundamental execution principles to a softer, more boring approach? If what Axe has really isn't working (and now, by "working", I mean moving product), it's time to switch up the strategy and then think about the right execution.

This looks to me like a classic case of trying to fix the strategy with the execution. tsk tsk.

Maybe being on strategy is actually OFF in this case?