Martin Garrix feat. JRM - These Are The Times (Official Video) - Ad Analysis
AI Editor notes
Straight from the gut!!
“This is a classic 2019 play: get a huge artist, make a slick music video, and call it an ad. The earphone-cord-as-connection metaphor is visually clever but a little on-the-nose. It's an expensive way to keep AXE feeling relevant to teens who skip pre-rolls. Does it sell deodorant? Indirectly. It sells the idea that AXE is part of their world, which is the whole point of these brand-building exercises.”
Quick Summary
By embedding itself in culture rather than interrupting it, AXE uses a high-production music video with a global DJ to re-frame its brand for Gen Z. It sells the feeling of confidence and connection, using a can of deodorant as the magical catalyst that turns a shared music experience into a real-world romance.
Executive Summary
AXE's 'These Are The Times' is a textbook example of a brand moving from an advertiser to a content creator. This isn't a commercial that happens to feature a song; it's a music video that happens to be funded by and built around a brand. The strategy is to embed AXE within youth culture by partnering with one of its icons, Martin Garrix, to deliver genuine entertainment value. The core insight is that for a young generation, music isn't just background noise—it's a fundamental part of identity and a powerful catalyst for human connection. AXE wants to own the moment that a shared taste in music sparks something more.
The execution follows a clear Hook-Value-Proof-Ask structure, perfect for a long-form digital piece. The Hook is the surreal visual of the impossibly long blue earphone cord connecting two strangers (0:15). It’s an immediate, intriguing visual question. The Value is delivered as the cord pulls them on a whimsical, dance-filled adventure through a sun-drenched city, all set to Garrix's euphoric track. This section isn't about the product; it's about selling a feeling of joyful, fated connection. The Proof comes as the visuals escalate into a fantasy—the man tightrope-walks the cord between buildings (1:20), slides through an ice tunnel (1:36), and navigates a gallery of screens showing other people connecting. The lyrics ('These are the times that we've been waiting for') reinforce that this feeling is monumental. The subtle Ask happens at the climax. The protagonists finally meet on a rooftop (3:03), the journey complete. The brand's role as the enabler of this journey is implied—it was the spray at the beginning that kicked off this magical sequence. Martin Garrix's cameo (2:19) acts as a final stamp of cultural approval.
The debrief for the team would be that this model works for building brand affinity. By creating content people choose to watch, AXE bypasses ad-blockers and ad-fatigue. However, the connection back to the product is subtle, perhaps too subtle. The brand is the sponsor of the feeling, but the memory viewers leave with is likely the song and the love story, not the deodorant. The key learning is that while being a patron of culture is a powerful position, it requires a delicate balance to ensure the brand's message isn't completely overshadowed by the entertainment it provides.
Theme Keywords
Brand Position
AXE gives you the confidence to spark real-world attraction.
Brand Archetype
Magician
Creative Game Plan
Visualize the invisible, magical connection that music creates as a literal blue cord that physically pulls two soulmates together across a city.
Diagnosis: Issues & Solutions
Primary Issue: Strategic Sense
The Problem:
The branding is so subtle it risks being missed. While the goal is integration, not interruption, many viewers might just perceive this as the official music video for Martin Garrix, completely missing that AXE orchestrated the entire experience. The product's role as the 'catalyst' is shown once at the beginning and then forgotten.
The Solution:
Strengthen the narrative link. A simple bookend—perhaps the couple acknowledging the shared scent at the end—would tie the story back to the product and make the brand's role in the 'magic' more concrete without being heavy-handed.
Secondary Issue: Clarity of "What's Next?"
The Problem:
The campaign lives on YouTube and social platforms, but its digital potential feels underutilized. The video ends, and the viewer is left with a feeling but no clear action. Where should this feeling be channeled?
The Solution:
Incorporate a more integrated digital call-to-action. An end card could prompt viewers to a Spotify playlist curated by Garrix for AXE, or a TikTok challenge that was part of the campaign but not explicitly linked here. [4] This would convert passive viewing into active brand engagement.