Axe Brand Universal Oil

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The packaging for Axe Brand Universal Oil. Photo from LKF Medical.

Axe Brand Universal Oil (also referred to locally as ‘Minyak Angin Cap Kapak’[1]) is a topical medicated oil used to relieve common aches and pains.[2] The brand was founded in Singapore in 1928. Since then, it remained a family business.[3] As of 2019, Axe Brand Oil is commercially produced by Leung Kai Fook Medical Company Pte Ltd (LKF).[4] Axe Brand Oil was awarded the SG50-Ipos Award by the Intellectual Property Office of Singapore (IPOS) in 2015, as part of the nation’s jubilee celebrations.[5][6]

Origins

Leung Yun Chee, the founder of Axe Brand Universal Oil. Photo from LKF Medical.
An advertisement for Axe Brand Universal Oil in Yeung Ching School Magazine (December, 1967). Photo from BookSG.

The origins of the Axe Brand Oil began in 1928 when founder Leung Yun Chee emigrated from Shunde, China to Singapore. In Singapore, he met a German physician, Dr Schmeidler, who shared with him the formula for a medicated oil. Shortly after, the Leung Kai Fook Medical Company was set up.[7]


It is reported that Axe Brand Oil contains a blend of camphor, menthol and mineral oil. The product includes other essential oils such as eucalyptus, lavender and wintergreen.[8][9]

Branding and early marketing efforts

Leung Yun Chee created the brand name and logo for the medicated oil. He named it after the axe because of its ubiquitous usage in most households as a means to chop wood for cooking fuel.[10] The brand’s use of green and blue has an added meaning, hinting at the company’s vision of global expansion. Quoted by Leong Mun Sun, Managing Director of LKF as of 2019: “Our logo has blue and green. Wherever there is a sky or land, you’ll find Axe Oil”.[11]


An opportunist and strategist, Leung Yun Chee used various promotion methods to increase brand awareness. He used calendars as promotional gifts and gave out free product samples. He also distributed pamphlets which contained gossip news on one side and advertisements of the medicated oil on the other.[12] To get his product into medical shops, Mr Leung made use of impression management. By donning a business suit and employing a chauffeur to drive him around in a posh limousine, this elicited the interest of shopkeepers.[13][14]


World War II led to the cessation of overseas trade due to the Japanese occupation.[15] With diminished foreign competition, Leung Yun Chee saw an opportunity to expand. As a result,  Axe Brand Oil made a breakthrough and saw an increase in product sales.[16][17]


In 1967, Shin Min Daily News — a Chinese language afternoon newspaper was first founded by  Leung Yun Chee and renowned Hong Kong writer, Louis Cha Leung-yang (better referred to as Jin Yong).[18] The paper not only delivered local news but served as an alternative platform for Axe Brand advertisements.[19]

Overseas expansion

Product sale overseas took off in the 1960s and was led by Leung Yun Chee’s sons — Leong Mun Sun and older brother, Leong Heng Keng who was the former Medical Chairman of LKF. The two penetrated the Middle Eastern market by targeting Hajj pilgrims en route to Mecca, Saudi Arabia.[20] The brothers would head over to Singapore’s harbour and board ships to hand out thousands of Axe Brand Oil samples before they set sail. As seasickness and headaches are common ailments during sea voyages, the medicated oil was an apt cure. Well received by travellers, this led to a further increase in brand awareness for the product.[21][22]


It was not long before the product reached the neighbouring shores United Arab Emirates (UAE), Kuwait and Bahrain. By the 1980s, Axe Brand Oil was sold in China, Hong Kong and African continental countries such as Nigeria and Kenya.[23][24][25][26] It was reported that in Africa, the medicated oil served as a perfume used to ward off mosquitoes.[27]


In the 1990s, Australia, Cambodia, Philippines, the United States and Vietnam were added to the list of countries which sold Axe Brand products.[28] From 2000 onwards, the Axe Brand label has been translated into 12 different languages.[29] Sales of the medicated oil could be found in Doha, Greece, Romania and Uzbekistan.[30] As of 2019, Axe Brand Oil products can be found in over 50 countries, with five Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) certified manufacturing facilities in the South East Asia region.[31][32]

Product development

A 3-D billboard at Suntec City, Singapore advertising Axe Brand Universal Oil in 2017. Photo from JCDecaux.
A roving advertisement for Axe Brand Universal Oil in Singapore. Photo from LKF Medical.

Following the death of founder Leung Yun Chee in 1971, Leong Heng Keng, who had helped manage the business for the past 20 years took over the company as Medical Chairman and expanded the family business.[33] Under his leadership, the LKF Medical Company introduced new product offerings as seen below:

Product Product Description
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Gold Medal Medicated Oil

Provides targeted relief for blocked nose, stomach and muscular pains.
Axe Brand Red Flower Oil
Formulated to provide relief and to aid circulation for rheumatic, muscle pains and stiffness or sprains caused by sports exercise.
Axe Brand Inhaler
Clears blocked/stuffy nose from colds with cooling aroma scent.

Newsworthy incidents

National Heritage Board 50 Made-in Singapore Products Exhibition (2015)

In commemoration of Singapore's 50th anniversary of independence, Axe Brand had been one of the 50 local brands selected for the exhibition. The exhibition was held at the National Museum of Singapore from 15 July to 6 September 2015. It displayed past and present Axe Brand products and memorabilia including old advertisement posters.[34][35]

Counterfeit sales

In 1978, following the success of Leung Kai Fook Medical’s Hong Kong Branch, there have been reports of competitors selling imitation versions of the Axe Brand Red Flower Oil.[36] In 1981, it was reported that Neo Beng Hock pleaded guilty for the sale of 5,000 dozen bottles of counterfeit Axe Brand Oil products along Leng Kee Road.[37]

References / Citations

  1. “Minyak Angin Cap Kapak”. Leung Kai Fook Medical. Accessed on 16 August 2019. Retrieved from: http://www.axebrand.com.my/detail/minyak-angin-cap-kapak/
  2. “Axe Brand Universal Oil”. Leung Kai Fook Medical. Accessed on 16 August 2019. Retrieved from: http://www.axebrand.com.sg/detail/axe-brand-universal-oil
  3. “Carving a name, across the world”. The Business Times. July 22, 2016. Accessed on 16 August 2019. Retrieved from: https://www.businesstimes.com.sg/hub/bt-salutes-enterprise-2016/carving-a-name-across-the-world
  4. “Leung Kai Fook Medical Company donates $470,000 for Pharmacy research and scholarship”. National University of Singapore. Accessed on 16 August 2019. Retrieved from: http://www.science.nus.edu.sg/newshub/1783-leung-kai-fook-medical-company-donates-470-000-for-pharmacy-research-and-scholarship
  5. Koh, Jeremy. “SG50 award for 5 local brands with half-century history”. The Straits Times. August 6, 2015. Accessed on 16 August 2019. Retrieved from:  https://www.straitstimes.com/business/sg50-award-for-5-local-brands-with-half-century-history
  6. “LKF Medical sharpens Axe to take brand on global stage”. South China Morning Post. August 9, 2019. Accessed on 16 August 2019. Retrieved from: https://www.scmp.com/country-reports/country-reports/topics/singapore-national-day-report-august-2019/article/3021108
  7. “Carving a name, across the world”. The Business Times. July 22, 2016. Accessed on 16 August 2019. Retrieved from: https://www.businesstimes.com.sg/hub/bt-salutes-enterprise-2016/carving-a-name-across-the-world
  8. “Axe Brand Universal Oil”. Leung Kai Fook Medical. Accessed on 16 August 2019. Retrieved from: http://www.axebrand.com.sg/detail/axe-brand-universal-oil
  9. “Axe Brand Pain Relieving Oil”. Solstice Medicine Company. Accessed on 16 August 2019. Retrieved from: https://www.solsticemed.com/Axe-Brand-Pain-Relieving-Oil-p/ax1.htm
  10. “Carving a name, across the world”. The Business Times. July 22, 2016. Accessed on 16 August 2019. Retrieved from: https://www.businesstimes.com.sg/hub/bt-salutes-enterprise-2016/carving-a-name-across-the-world
  11. “True to tradition”. The Business Times. July 19, 2019. Accessed on 16 August 2019. Retrieved from: https://www.businesstimes.com.sg/hub-projects/ceo-conversations-2017/true-to-tradition
  12. Neo, Lim Soon. “A dose of perseverance”. The Business Times. April 26, 1993. Accessed on 19 August 2019. Retrieved from: NewspaperSG.
  13. “Carving a name, across the world”. The Business Times. July 22, 2016. Accessed on 16 August 2019. Retrieved from: https://www.businesstimes.com.sg/hub/bt-salutes-enterprise-2016/carving-a-name-across-the-world
  14. “True to tradition”. The Business Times. July 19, 2019. Accessed on 16 August 2019. Retrieved from: https://www.businesstimes.com.sg/hub-projects/ceo-conversations-2017/true-to-tradition
  15. “Our Story, the history of Axe Brand”. Leung Kai Fook Medical. Accessed on 16 August 2019. Retrieved from: http://www.axebrand.com.sg/aboutus
  16. “Our Story, the history of Axe Brand”. Leung Kai Fook Medical. Accessed on 16 August 2019. Retrieved from: http://www.axebrand.com.sg/aboutus
  17. “What a relief: Leong Mun Sum”. The CEO Magazine. July 25, 2019. Accessed on 16 August 2019. Retrieved from: https://www.theceomagazine.com/executive-interviews/healthcare-pharmaceutical/what-a-relief-leong-mun-sum/
  18. “Shin Min Daily News celebrates 50 years of success with trade partners and readers”. Singapore Press Holdings. April 6, 2017. Accessed on 16 August 2019. Retrieved from: https://sph.com.sg/media_releases/3149
  19. “Carving a name, across the world”. The Business Times. July 22, 2016. Accessed on 16 August 2019. Retrieved from:  https://www.businesstimes.com.sg/hub/bt-salutes-enterprise-2016/carving-a-name-across-the-world
  20. Lee, Lynn. “Pioneers in a new push for Singapore”. The Straits Times. April 24, 2006. Accessed on 19 August 2019. Retrieved from: NewspaperSG.
  21. “LKF Medical sharpens Axe to take brand on global stage”. South China Morning Post. August 9, 2019. Accessed on 16 August 2019. Retrieved from: https://www.scmp.com/country-reports/country-reports/topics/singapore-national-day-report-august-2019/article/3021108
  22. “Successful Family Businesses Generation after generation”. PricewaterhouseCoopers. Accessed on 16 August 2019. Retrieved from: https://www.pwc.com/sg/en/publications/assets/family-business-survey-2016.pdf
  23. “Carving a name, across the world”. The Business Times. July 22, 2016. Accessed on 16 August 2019. Retrieved from:   https://www.businesstimes.com.sg/hub/bt-salutes-enterprise-2016/carving-a-name-across-the-world
  24. “True to tradition”. The Business Times. July 19, 2019. Accessed on 16 August 2019. Retrieved from: https://www.businesstimes.com.sg/hub-projects/ceo-conversations-2017/true-to-tradition
  25. “LKF Medical sharpens Axe to take brand on global stage”. South China Morning Post. August 9, 2019. Accessed on 16 August 2019. Retrieved from: https://www.scmp.com/country-reports/country-reports/topics/singapore-national-day-report-august-2019/article/3021108
  26. “Leung Kai Fook eyes African market”. Business Times. July 3, 1979. Accessed on 19 August 2019. Retrieved from NewspaperSG.
  27. Apparoo, Surendren. “Oiling its way to universal success”. The Straits Times. May 20, 2004. Accessed on 19 August 2019. Retrieved from NewspaperSG.
  28. “LKF Medical sharpens Axe to take brand on global stage”. South China Morning Post. August 9, 2019. Accessed on 16 August 2019. Retrieved from: https://www.scmp.com/country-reports/country-reports/topics/singapore-national-day-report-august-2019/article/3021108
  29. Apparoo, Surendren. “ Oiling its way to universal success”. The Straits Times. May 20, 2004. Accessed on 19 August 2019. Retrieved from NewspaperSG.
  30. “Interview with Leong Mun Sum, Managing Director, Leung Kai Fook Medical Company (Pte) LKF”. PharmaBoardroom. September 24, 2012. Accessed on 16 August 2019. Retrieved from: https://pharmaboardroom.com/interviews/interview-with-leong-mun-sum-managing-director-leung-kai-fook-medical-compay-pte-lkf/
  31. “Distribution”. Leung Kai Fook Medical. Accessed on 16 August 2019. Retrieved from: http://www.axebrand.com.sg/distribution
  32. “LKF in the region, manufacturing facilities”. Leung Kai Fook Medical. Accessed on 16 August 2019. Retrieved from: http://www.axebrand.com.sg/manufacturing
  33. “Keeping Axe brand oil legacy burning”. The Straits Times. May 17, 2014. Accessed on 16 August 2019. Retrieved from: NewspaperSG.
  34. “Celebrate SG50 at the Museums!” National Heritage Board. Accessed on 19 August 2019. Retrieved from: https://www.nhb.gov.sg/~/media/nhb/files/media/releases/new%20releases/nhb%20jubilee%20weekend%20programmes_updated.pdf
  35. Hamarian, Tiara. “Exhibition to showcase made-in-S’pore products” Today. October 25, 2013. Accessed on 16 August 2019. Retrieved from: https://www.todayonline.com/singapore/exhibition-showcase-made-spore-products
  36. Neo, Lim Soon. “Making medicine for the masses”. The Business Times. December 28, 1988. Accessed on 19 August 2019. Retrieved from NewspaperSG.
  37. “Sold fake brand oil”. The Straits Times. June 27, 1981. Accessed on 19 August 2019. Retrieved from NewspaperSG.