• by Sarah Mahoney , April 15, 2026

Dr. Squatch has recruited actor Megan Fox as "Professor Fox" to front a six-part campaign for its new deodorant lineup. That's the latest in a string of high-profile celebrity partnerships the men's natural personal care brand is using to turn a commodity category into something men might genuinely notice.

Fox follows efforts starring actor Sydney Sweeney, athletic icon Mike Tyson, and footballer Justin Herbert in a roster of talent chosen not just for star power but for authenticity and edge. The campaign, set in the fictional Foundation for Odor Excellence (the F.O.X.), launches alongside two new products: an Invisible Glide clear gel and a butane-free spray deodorant. John Ludeke, chief brand officer, explains the thinking.

Interview has been edited for length and clarity.

Marketing Daily: Fox, Sweeney, Tyson, Herbert — can you explain your strategy for celebrity partnerships?

John Ludeke: Even though the end consumer for our products is primarily men, the No. 1 purchaser at retail is women buying for the household. So we've been trying to ensure we have a mix of talent across our campaigns that connects with both the end user and the person doing the purchasing. Megan is an incredible talent and icon — and she's also a mother of four, so she's actively involved in making decisions for the household. She also has a great sense of humor, and cares about better-for-you natural products.

We look for people who are real — not afraid to show their flaws. When you look at everyone we've worked with... they're authentic people with real character arcs. They're not trying to pretend to be something they're not. A lot of celebrities want to project this air of perfection, and that's just not reality — and it's not who we want to work with. We also want people who are iconic masters of their craft and have interesting perspectives

Marketing Daily: You've not focused much on the deodorant category before. Why now?

Ludeke: Most men are still using the same tired old products they've been using for a long time. There's an opportunity across most major personal care categories to get guys to switch to natural, better-for-you products.

We've never done a significant campaign to support our deodorant category. The primary goal is to do something fun and wild and entertaining that gives people a laugh, while also educating them on products.

We're also launching two new deodorant innovations — an Invisible Glide product, which is a water-based clear gel that's very unique in the natural space, and a spray deodorant formulated without butane, isobutane, or propane, which are the first one or two ingredients on most spray products out there. We thought: How do we work with someone like Megan who can help us make a big splash and do something iconic, while still carrying a meaningful message?

Marketing Daily: Many brands build long-running umbrella campaigns. Dr. Squatch seems to prefer shorter, more specific flights. Why?

Ludeke: The attention economy has changed dramatically. If you're working with a commoditized product people don't really care about — insurance, telecom — a more sustained campaign focused on awareness and top-of-mind still works well. But for a lifestyle-driven category where we're trying to change how people think about it entirely, just being in front of people and reminding them you exist isn't enough.

Everything we do should still look and feel like Dr. Squatch — same tone, same style, same emotion — but we want to keep things fresh, so people always find something new to discover with the brand.

Marketing Daily: Any surprises from past campaigns — what worked, what didn't? The Sweeney bathwater effort generated enormous coverage. Mike Tyson, maybe not so much?

Ludeke: With anything, you never know exactly what the audience response is going to be. You just can't guarantee it. We try to do things that are fun, exciting, and have a unique perspective on culture and on the personal care category. If it gets picked up in a big way, that's a welcome and unintended benefit.

Marketing Daily: Is the average American man more grooming-savvy than he used to be?

Ludeke: Notably more. A few years ago, our primary customer was optimizing for function and value — just buying the cheapest thing that got the job done. We've seen a pretty dramatic change. More and more guys are thinking seriously about better-for-you products. That's helped our business, but it's also driving real innovation across the category — brands at Walmart and Target, brands coming out of TikTok and Sephora, everyone's raising their game.

It's a pretty exciting time if you're a customer. And it means companies like us have to compete to keep offering the best innovation, because there's never been more great products out there to choose from.