Dr Squatch has arrived on Australian shores and has recruited the perfect wingman for the journey: former Aussie Rugby Union player Nick Cummins, affectionately known as “The Honey Badger.” With a rugged charm and a larrikin’s humour, Cummins fronts the brand’s playful campaign, “Find. Dr Squatch,” aimed at transforming men’s grooming routines with a natural twist.
B&T was – as Cummins would say – “bloody” delighted to sit down with the Honey Badger himself to scrub up on all the details of the former Wallabies player’s latest partnership.
When asked why he partnered with Dr Squatch, Cummins quipped, “It’s blokey, it smells good, and it’s natural. You can’t go wrong when you hit the trifecta!”
For Cummins, the B-Corp listed brand’s ethos aligns seamlessly with his own values. “With all the chemicals we’re exposed to these days, it’s hard to stay healthy. For me and my family, natural products are a no-brainer. You don’t want to be whacking something dodgy under the pits,” he said.
Cummins’ signature Aussie wit shines throughout the campaign, from the cheeky tagline—“You are nuts if you don’t give it a crack, and your nuts and crack will thank you when you do”—to his behind-the-scenes antics. One memorable moment? Nearly slicing his toe off with a knife while filming. “Luckily, I had my steel-capped boots on,” he joked.
The campaign’s out-of-home elements, featuring slogans like “Natural Soap for Natural Blokes,” are already turning heads in Sydney and Melbourne. Cummins reflected on the surreal experience of seeing his face plastered across cities, joking that he has a “pretty average mug to be on show that much”.
“It’s a bit crook when you’re stuck in traffic, and someone’s staring at you, then you realise they’re pointing at the billboard. At that point, you just slowly wind up the window,” he laughed.
For Cummins, it’s not just about selling soap; it’s about selling authenticity. “People don’t want to feel sold to, myself included,” he explained. “You want something you can relate to, something that resonates with you. If you’ve got a blokey approach with a couple of funny yarns thrown in the mix, people get on board”.
“I think that type of energy resonates with the Aussie audience. A bit of a laugh, a bit of a story, a bit of a grin, a little bit cheeky, but more just fun and down to earth. I think that’s a lot of my follower base anyway,” Cummins explained.
This authenticity, Cummins explained extends past the brand and into the staff themselves. “Their personality reflects the image of the brand,” he explained.
“No one was too precious, there were no victims, there were no eggshells, no one’s offended. And I think that’s probably something that people like when they’re choosing a product”.
For Cummins, it is this light-hearted, down-to-earth, no-nonsense nature of the spot and the brand itself that sets it apart from the wealth of other content in the space.
“These days, there’s a lot of restrictions and rules, and people seem to be on eggshells. So it’s a breath of fresh air to work with people who are unapologetically themselves, who are not breaking any rules, but they’ve just been a bit cheeky and living life on the edge”.
“It’s an easy approach and gives space for a bloke to go; well, you know what? This is fair, dinkum. It’s got some natural gear. It’s a no muck around, get the job done treatment and that’s me, I think that that sort of sets it apart”.
“There’s a lot of people, a lot of brands out there that have got fancy words and names and heaps of chemicals, and it just’s a minefield for a bloke trying to work out what to whack under the pit”.
According to Cummins, Dr Squatch’s arrival signals a shake-up in men’s grooming, and he couldn’t be prouder to lead the charge. “It’s off to a great start,” he said. “We’ve got more in the pipeline, and I’m stoked to bring more laughter and light-hearted, natural goodness to the masses”.
Dr Squatch’s range is available now at Woolworths and online.
