The NBA's shortest star shows off the perks to being small in Axe commercial

When people call you short, they're really just saying the worst thing about you is that there isn't more of you.

That's the profound revelation that hits a showering man in Axe's latest commercial -- the first in a new ad series called "Shower Thoughts." 

Cue the daydream sequence of five-foot-three retired NBA star Muggsy Bogues -- the shortest man to ever play the game professionally -- laying waste to a couple of much bigger opponents foolish enough to challenge him on the court.

The minute-long spot is the latest effort in Axe's new marketing makeover, which was first unveiled in a celebrated commercial during the Super Bowl last month.

The brand wants to shed its bro image -- reflected in a string of infamous commercials showing women single-mindedly lusting after men's deodorants -- and replace it with a more modern, nuanced take on masculinity.

Instead of stereotypes, Axe wants to celebrate individuality and feature men of all appearances and interests owning how they look.

"Frankly, what I've observed is a lot of talk -- probably starting four or five years ago -- was around 'the end of man' and masculinity what's happening with it and have guys lost their way," said Axe's brand manager, Matthew McCarthy. 

"I think that is a lot of bullshit because I think this is incredibly optimistic and exciting time for guys because guys are really in a position now where they can define masculinity however they want."

For "Shower Thoughts," Axe is tapping author and poet Carlos Andrés Gómez, who speaks professionally about what makes a man in today's world, to ensure they get the details right.

He says Axe won him over by showing him the Super Bowl commercial, which the brand says provoked an overwhelming response when it aired during the game. 

"What they showed and what they captured in the video was many of the concepts I'd been talking about," Gómez said. "It was a really bold statement about inclusivity and it wasn't one that played into these outdated concepts of masculinity or cliches...You don't see a lot of brands embracing that."

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