AXE men's brand is official partner of esports company ELEAGUE

By Hilary Russ

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Esports content and tournament provider ELEAGUE has teamed up with AXE men's grooming brand, betting that young men sweating through video game competitions could be a natural audience for marketing that suggests AXE products boost men's desirability.

The Unilever NV brand will become the Official Personal Care Partner of ELEAGUE, a partnership between the global sports and entertainment talent agency IMG and Turner Sports, a division of AT&T's WarnerMedia.

ELEAGUE will work with AXE on marketing initiatives across television, digital and social media as well as on-site during gaming competitions.

The companies will create custom content, including for AXE's "You're Hotter When You're Chill" line of Ice Chill products.

"We are thrilled to bring on brands like AXE that really get the excitement of esports," Seth Ladetsky, senior vice president of sales at Turner Sports, said in a statement.

The content will feature esports players talking about how they avoid meltdowns during high-pressure in-game situations.

AXE sells body spray, deodorant, body wash and hair products mostly marketed as tools for young men looking for romance.

(Reporting by Hilary Russ; Editing by Sonya Hepinstall)