Unilever and Indie Brands Spin on Y2K’s Renaissance

Y2K was a rebellious, free-spirited time in pop culture: an epoch colored by jelly sandals, Chupa Chups and velour sweatsuits for the ladies and emo flair for the men.

Because scent is praised for its ability to elicit fond memories, Axe and Viking Revolution are capitalizing on the Y2K craze by bringing Millennial-age men back to their adolescence. This, while introducing Gens Z and Alpha to a time where young men cockily performed a full body spritz of Axe to accessorize spiked hair, Lacoste shirts and popped collars.

The brands feel no apropos time than 2026 to bring back the scents that were popularized by the so-called “metrosexual,” a once flippant label for a man who cared how he presented himself to the world – an idea of male grooming more earnest now than ever.

“Men’s grooming has evolved well beyond traditional beard and hair care, and body mist felt like a natural next step for us,” said Victor Mendoza, founder of indie brand Viking Revolution. “With Y2K culture having a resurgence, it was also the perfect time to put our own spin on a nostalgic category that feels relevant for how men are using fragrance today.”

Y2K Reboot

Unilever-owned Axe is bringing back fan-favorite fragrances from the early 2000s – namely, Kilo, Anarchy and Touch – with the new Y2K Reboot Collection. Officials say the limited-edition body sprays – its “OG” Kilo, with notes of bergamot and sandalwood, 2012’s Anarchy with notes of citrus and musk, and 2004’s Touch with notes of lavender and cedarwood – are redesigned for a new era with a lighter, more controlled spray application.

Meanwhile, Viking Revolution is vrooming into the body mist category with the launch of its new Signature body Spray Trio. The new collection features a curated selection that suggests the outdoorsy feel of the holiday season with Sandalwood, Spiced Vanilla and Coffee & Whiskey.

The launches come at a time when men are prioritizing personal care, incorporating fragrance and self-care into their daily grooming routines. Last year, Viking Revolution experienced its largest year of sales to date, generating $50 million in revenue and expanded into 900 Walmart doors and online this past January. Viking Revolution was acquired by Essor, formerly Branded, in 2021, with more than 400,000 five-star reviews under its belt.

“After seeing the overwhelming response to our fragrance collection, we knew there was an opportunity to take that momentum into a new category,” said Mendoza.

While bringing back Y2K scent profiles, the brands are shying away from creating fragrances that men may find overpowering by modernizing them. Water-based and alcohol-free, Viking Revolution’s new body mist trio are billed “sophisticated scents,” formulated to deliver a lightweight fragrance refresh from morning to night, according to brand officials. Axe’s limited-edition scents, which launched between 2002 and 2012, are being brought back per customer request. The new scents utilize new spray technology to deliver a gentler mist for better control to yield less “overspray,” but carry up to 10% more sprays per can for longer-lasting use.

“Bringing back Kilo, Anarchy and Touch wasn’t just about nostalgia — it was about listening to our community,” said Dolores Assalini, head of Axe US. “The Y2K Reboot Collection is our way of showing up for the fans who grew up with Axe and never left, while introducing a new generation to the iconic scents that built the brand. It’s heritage, remixed for today – grounded in the confidence and self-expression that have always defined Axe.”

Nostalgic Campaigns

As part of the limited-edition release, Axe is unveiling two new campaign spots, “Wedding” and “Afterdate,” which revisit classic Axe scenarios through a modern lens. As the characters look back at younger versions of themselves (emo rocker and preppy punk) the films playfully capture the idea of people (even men) aging like fine fragrance.