Unilever-owned deodorant brand Lynx, also marketed as AXE in some countries, teamed up with four renowned streamers for an experiment based on a study by Liverpool University, which showed that wearing AXE body spray boosts one’s confidence. Unfolding just ahead of the League of Legends Grand Finals, the brand conducted the experiment to test that theory and find out if wearing Lynx body spray influences gamers’ performances during matches.
Dubbed “The 0.1% Effect,” the experiment was possible thanks to the help of gamers from the UK, US, Mexico, and Germany. RossBoomSocks, xChocoBars, RobertoCein, and LPGjustJohnny were given a 0.1% kit before the test, which included a monitoring band and an Axe deodorant. Running in two phases, the team asked the gamers to play without using the body spray as part of the first stage. The second phase involved them playing in the same conditions only this time, they had to apply a Lynx fragrance.
Throughout both episodes, the team recorded the participants’ vitals and changes, concluding that even though there wasn’t a major impact, a slight uplift in performance of approximately 0.1% was noted. A small value, indeed, but is this enough to tell the difference between winners and losers? To find out, Lynx is taking the test even further, addressing other gamers within select markets to try Lynx’s properties for themselves and see whether they notice a change in the way they play.
To get a better picture of the results, the brand reached for Dr. Rachel Herz‘ help — a world-renowned expert on the psychological science of smell. “I am not at all surprised to see that AXE had a positive effect on two of the subject’s performance. Scents have the ability to alter our emotions and moods more than any other sensory experience. This is because of the unique connection in the brain where scent, emotion, memories, and associations are processed,” explains Herz.
“AXE was designed to make young people look, feel, and smell their best and through our 0.1% Effect experiment, we explored whether it could even help them game at their best,” said Mark Lodwick, AXE Brand Director. “As an Official Partner of League of Legends, we collaborated with notable League of Legends streamers to test the theory that smelling good can impact confidence and in turn, game play.”
The initiative targeting gamers is probably making you wonder if applying body spray really influences the way you play a match. To discover that, head over to www.the01effect.com, where you will find what steps you need to follow in order to conduct your own test at home.
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