Axe gamifies fragrance sampling with arcade-inspired bus stop activation

Greece – Axe is making fragrance sampling fun with a new campaign for its Cherry Fizz body spray. In partnership with Ogilvy Greece, the brand transformed a busy Athens bus stop into a life-sized claw machine called Grab the Sweet.

People could scan a QR code to play for tester strips which were released through a built-in dispenser and surrounded by oversized cartoon cherries. By gamifying the wait for a bus, Axe is tapping into Gen Z’s appetite for experiences and Instagrammable activations.

It’s a smart evolution of traditional sampling and a reminder that engaging young audiences often means showing up in humorous and unexpected ways.

In Cannes Lions 2025: The Unhinged Humour Opportunity, we unpacked how humour is now a growth strategy, with brands such as Duolingo and Axe (known as Lynx in the UK) regularly turning to absurdity and self-awareness to drive engagement and relevance.