Ever frolicked naked in an amazing tonka bean storm?… Nah, neither have we.
Smell that? It’s Rock Face, the UK’s fastest-growing men’s care brand, launching its biggest, boldest, and most attention-grabbing campaign to date.
The ‘Makes Scents’ campaign promotes Rock Face’s range of male toiletries and body sprays while poking fun at the cliched tropes of men’s fragrance ads – from crashing waves to pouting celebrities in the desert.
In one of the creative executions, “Sweaty Desert Guy Smells Awful. We Smell Amazing,” Rock Face challenges at the over-the-top fantasy world that fragrances often project. Cutting through the nonsense, quite literally, Rock Face smashes through the pre-poster-ous billboards flogging bloke’s smellies.
The campaign also plays with outlandish descriptions like “This is a spiritual experience that smells like making love to an amazing rainforest,” or “This is an intense eruption that smells like frolicking naked in an amazing tonka bean storm.” Instead, it offers a refreshingly simple, no-nonsense approach to what a man truly wants to smell like, delivered with a distinctly British sense of humour that never takes itself too seriously.
From March 24 to April 27, Rock Face is taking over London with 1,000+ TFL ads, posters, and billboards, delivering almost 250 million impressions. That means half of Londoners will see it at least 60 times.
Splashed all over Leicester Square to London Bridge, Oxford Circus to Covent Garden, Mayfair, and beyond, expect to see Rock Face everywhere. From billboards, Tube panels, and underground lift and escalator ads that might just make commuters rethink their shower and spray choices.
And taking centre stage? A giant double billboard outside The Blind Beggar, East London’s most iconic pub, because what better place to remind people to freshen up?
The numbers don’t lie. This campaign is racking up more exposure than most influencers’ TikTok trends.
With placements in TFL stations, bus stops, and major shopping areas, escaping the message is practically impossible.
And the excitement doesn’t stop there. Rock Face is gearing up for new product drops in 2025, though details remain under wraps for now. What’s certain is that bathroom shelves across the UK are about to get a serious upgrade.
After an explosive year of growth, Rock Face has successfully secured £2.5 million in new funding to accelerate its next phase of growth. This investment will enable the company to expand its product offering, launch a new marketing campaign airing in March 2025, and further strengthen its market position.
Rock Face’s best-selling deodorant and body care ranges are flying off the shelves at Tesco, ASDA, Boots, Sainsbury’s, Ocado, Waitrose and Amazon, just about anywhere that stocks top-tier affordable and convenient grooming essentials.
The range of deodorants, body sprays, shower gels, and skincare, is created by world-class scent experts, offering premium cologne-quality fragrances without the premium price tag.
James Wilkinson, Rock Face CEO, said: “It’s always hard to get your advertising campaign to stand out, so we stayed true to our values of creating aftershave quality scents with no gold-plated nonsense. Some are hailing it as ‘the campaign of the scentury’.
“Having worked in fragrances for four years, I’ve always cringed at the industry’s over-the-top advertising. To literally punch a hole through the nonsense and celebrate the good-natured humour of Brits feels fantastic.
“This is just the beginning. We’re here to shake up men’s grooming, one legendary scent at a time.
“With its biggest campaign yet, Rock Face is making sure no one forgets what it means to smell amazing.”
