old spice social media case study

Old Spice Marketing Strategy 2024: A Case Study

This article examines the evolution of the Old Spice Marketing Strategy and its impact on brand positioning. We will delve into the success of the iconic Old Spice campaigns, including the “Man Your Man Could Smell Like” YouTube ad, which garnered 6 million views in its first week, and the impressive sales increase of 125% year-on-year. We will also explore the strategies behind Old Spice’s transformation from a brand associated with old men to one that resonated with a younger audience.

Key Takeaways:

• Old Spice’s ‘Man Your Man Could Smell Like’ YouTube ad garnered 6 million views in its first week.
• Old Spice experienced a sales increase of 125% year-on-year after the ad campaign in 2010.
• The company’s website traffic surged by 300% following the ad’s launch.
• Old Spice’s YouTube channel became the #1 Most Viewed Sponsored YouTube Channel after the ad campaign.
• Old Spice became the #1 body wash brand for men in the U.S. after the successful ad campaign.

As we delve deeper into the Old Spice Marketing Strategy , we will explore the successful ad campaign that propelled the brand to new heights. Stay tuned for more insights and key metrics that showcase the effectiveness of Old Spice’s marketing approaches.

The History of Old Spice: A Brand with an Image Problem

Prior to its successful marketing campaigns, Old Spice was a brand with an image problem and negative perception among consumers. Founded in 1934 by William Lightfoot Schiltz, Old Spice initially gained popularity as a men’s grooming brand. However, by the late 1990s, younger consumers in London described Old Spice as iconic but with negative connotations, comparing it to Nelson’s Column in Trafalgar Square with pigeon excrement on Lord Nelson, highlighting a perception that was outdated and uncool.

Old Spice faced significant challenges with its brand image, being perceived as old-fashioned and not aligning with the desires of a younger demographic. The negative stigma hindered its growth and market share, leading to declining sales in the early 2000s.

To overcome this image problem, Old Spice implemented a comprehensive rebranding strategy and partnered with the advertising agency Wieden+Kennedy in 2006. Recognizing the need to make the brand relevant to young men while leveraging its rich brand history, Old Spice embarked on a journey of transformation.

The rebranding efforts aimed to tap into emotional connections with consumers, primarily through humorous and satirical advertising campaigns. By addressing the negative perception head-on and injecting a fresh and funny take, Old Spice managed to shift consumer sentiment and enhance brand perception.

The strategy proved to be a turning point for the brand. By 2010, Old Spice had become one of the leading male grooming brands in the United States, demonstrating a significant turnaround in consumer perception. The successful advertising campaigns featuring celebrities like Isaiah Mustafa became viral sensations, reflecting a marketing strategy that resonated with consumers.

Social media engagement played a crucial role in Old Spice’s rebranding efforts. With the rise of platforms like YouTube, Twitter, and Facebook, Old Spice leveraged these channels to create a loyal following among younger consumers. The brand’s campaigns generated massive online buzz and engagement, attracting millions of views and increasing its social media fan base exponentially.

Furthermore, Old Spice expanded into new product categories like deodorants, bar soaps, and body washes, accelerating its growth and exceeding expectations in its first year of launch. The brand’s diversification strategy helped it become the number one brand for men’s body wash, with sales increasing over 125% within a year after the repositioning.

Through its rebranding efforts, Old Spice successfully transformed its image and perception, showcasing the power of strategic marketing and the ability to connect with consumers on an emotional level. The brand’s journey from a struggling brand with an image problem to a market leader stands as a testament to its resilience, adaptability, and commitment to staying relevant in a changing consumer landscape.

The “Man Your Man Could Smell Like” Campaign: A Fresh and Funny Take

The “Man Your Man Could Smell Like” campaign, launched by Old Spice in 2010, revolutionized the way brands approach marketing. This clever and humorous YouTube ad instantly went viral, captivating audiences with its witty and entertaining storytelling. The ad, featuring former NFL star Isaiah Mustafa, quickly gained traction and generated significant buzz across social media platforms.

The success of the “Man Your Man Could Smell Like” campaign had a profound impact on Old Spice’s brand perception and market presence. The ad’s unique approach not only entertained viewers but also led to a remarkable increase in sales. In a short amount of time, Old Spice saw their product sales surge by up to 107%.

Recognized for its exceptional creativity and effectiveness, the campaign received several prestigious awards, including the Cannes Grand Prix and the EFFIE Award for marketing excellence. The accolades further solidified Old Spice’s reputation as an industry leader in innovative advertising.

The “Man Your Man Could Smell Like” campaign video quickly became a YouTube sensation, accumulating 220,000 views within a few hours of its release. The ad consistently maintained an average of approximately 100,000 views every few hours, showcasing its enduring popularity.

Old Spice’s creative team took the campaign a step further by producing a staggering total of 186 personalized videos during the campaign. These videos, ranging from 10 to 15 minutes in length, engaged viewers in an interactive and entertaining manner. The personalized videos garnered over 65 million views, making it one of the most successful online advertising campaigns of its time.

With nearly 105 million views on YouTube alone, the “Man Your Man Could Smell Like” campaign reached a massive audience and generated an astounding 1.2 billion earned media impressions. This level of exposure solidified Old Spice as a dominant force in the world of advertising.

The campaign’s successful integration of humor resonated with audiences worldwide. As a result, Old Spice experienced a remarkable 2700% increase in Twitter followers and an 800% increase in Facebook fan interaction. The brand’s website traffic also surged by an impressive 300% following the campaign.

Thanks to the “Man Your Man Could Smell Like” campaign, Old Spice captured a staggering 75% of all conversations in its category. The incorporation of funny and unusual concepts in their ads resulted in 11 million video views within 48 hours, firmly establishing Old Spice as a trendsetter in the advertising industry.

The campaign’s exceptional success showcases the power of humor in marketing and how it can reinvent a brand’s image. Old Spice’s “Man Your Man Could Smell Like” campaign serves as an inspiring example of effective and engaging storytelling that truly captured the hearts and minds of consumers.

To think outside the box and create memorable campaigns, brands like Skittles with their “Taste the Rainbow” campaign and Dollar Shave Club with their “Our Blades Are Fing Great” campaign have also leveraged humor to connect with their target audience, generating significant brand awareness and loyalty.

Platforms such as Twitter, Instagram, and TikTok have proven to be incredibly effective in sharing humorous content and increasing brand visibility. With their vast user base and engaging features, these platforms offer brands a unique opportunity to connect with consumers on a personal level and cultivate a loyal following.

The Power of Social Media: Old Spice’s Ongoing Engagement

Building on the success of the “Man Your Man Could Smell Like” campaign, Old Spice recognized the immense potential of social media platforms for brand engagement. To keep the momentum going and foster a stronger connection with their audience, Old Spice launched an ongoing social media campaign. This campaign, known as the Old Spice Response Campaign, revolutionized the brand’s digital presence and further solidified its position as a leader in viral marketing.

The Old Spice Response Campaign leveraged the power of social media to create personalized and interactive content. Fans were encouraged to submit questions and comments on platforms such as Facebook and Twitter, and in return, they received video responses from the charming Old Spice Guy himself. This personalized approach not only delighted fans but also generated millions of views, resulting in a substantial increase in subscribers and followers on social media.

The campaign’s engagement strategy went beyond mere video responses. Old Spice strategically utilized social media platforms to drive website traffic, increase views on their YouTube channel, and encourage active participation in the online conversation surrounding the brand. By creating shareable content and fostering meaningful interactions, Old Spice successfully turned its audience into brand advocates.

The Old Spice YouTube channel played a vital role in the campaign’s success. The channel became a hub of entertaining and engaging content, attracting millions of views and going viral. By consistently providing entertaining videos and responding directly to fans’ inquiries, Old Spice established itself as a dynamic brand that prioritized customer engagement.

The impact of the Old Spice Response Campaign was far-reaching. It not only contributed to a surge in sales but also expanded Old Spice’s customer base and appealed to a wider range of consumers. The campaign’s success garnered industry acclaim, including prestigious awards such as the Grand Prix for Film and the Film Craft Grand Prix at the Cannes Lions International Advertising Festival.

Partner Marketing: Collaborations That Fuel Success

In addition to its successful marketing campaigns, Old Spice has also capitalized on the power of partner collaborations to drive its success. By teaming up with renowned agencies, influencers, and other brands, Old Spice has been able to expand its reach, enhance brand credibility, and create impactful campaigns that resonate with their target audience. These collaborations have played a vital role in Old Spice’s marketing strategy, leading to increased brand awareness, customer engagement, and revenue growth.

Old Spice Partner Collaborations

Old Spice has partnered with various entities to create memorable and effective marketing campaigns. One notable collaboration is its partnership with popular advertising agency Wieden+Kennedy. Together, they developed the iconic “The Man Your Man Could Smell Like” campaign, which not only revitalized the brand but also attracted a younger demographic.

Old Spice has also collaborated with influential figures to amplify its marketing efforts . For instance, they teamed up with NFL player Von Miller to create engaging content that resonated with sports enthusiasts and promoted the brand’s products. By leveraging Miller’s popularity and authenticity, the collaboration successfully increased brand relevance and expanded Old Spice’s customer base.

Old Spice Marketing Partnerships

Old Spice has also ventured into co-marketing partnerships with other brands, creating mutually beneficial alliances that drive success for all parties involved. These partnerships are designed to increase brand visibility, reach new audiences, and generate revenue growth.

For example, Old Spice collaborated with popular video game franchise “Fortnite” to launch an exclusive in-game cosmetic item featuring Old Spice branding. This partnership not only helped Old Spice tap into the massive fanbase of “Fortnite” but also positioned the brand as relevant and appealing to gamers.

Another successful marketing partnership was with the hit TV show “Stranger Things.” Old Spice and Netflix’s collaboration resulted in a co-branded campaign that combined the show’s nostalgia with Old Spice’s humor. This partnership gained over 820 million media impressions and resonated particularly well with “Stranger Things” fanatics, further solidifying Old Spice’s brand relevance and increasing its customer engagement.

Benefits of Partner Collaborations

Partner marketing collaborations offer numerous benefits for brands. By pooling resources and expertise, partnering brands can achieve increased brand awareness, expanded customer bases, improved customer loyalty, and ultimately, higher revenues.

Collaborations also help brands tap into new markets and demographics by leveraging the partner’s existing customer base. These partnerships provide opportunities for cross-promotion, allowing both brands to reach a wider audience and enhance their visibility in the market.

Additionally, co-marketing partnerships allow brands to combine their strengths and resources, resulting in more impactful campaigns and creative initiatives. By sharing content creation, distribution channels, promotional activities, and milestones, brands can generate greater buzz and engagement around their shared initiatives.

Assessing Collaboration Potential

Before entering into a marketing partnership, thorough assessment of the potential return on investment (ROI) is crucial. Industries should evaluate factors such as brand alignment, target audience overlap, and the partner’s credibility and reach. This ensures that the collaboration will be worth the time, effort, and resources invested.

Clear communication and goal-setting are also vital for the success of any co-marketing partnership. Establishing effective communication channels and aligning on the objectives, expectations, and timelines will help ensure that all parties are on the same page and working towards shared goals.

Case Study: The Impact of the “Got Milk” Campaign

In 1993, the California Milk Processor Board launched the groundbreaking “Got Milk” campaign, aiming to address the decline in milk demand caused by the rise of sugary drinks in the 1980s. The campaign focused on highlighting the inconvenience of running out of milk rather than emphasizing its health benefits, resonating with consumers on a relatable level.

The “Got Milk” campaign was a masterclass in effective marketing strategies. The campaign’s impact was visible from the very beginning, with the iconic “Aaron Burr” commercial airing on October 29, 1993, marking the start of a cultural phenomenon. The commercial cleverly depicted a man unable to answer a trivia question about Aaron Burr, showcasing the need for milk with a powerful and memorable punchline.

The campaign utilized a mix of media platforms to engage and resonate with the target audience. Television commercials, billboards, and celebrity endorsements played a significant role in promoting milk consumption. Well-known personalities such as Michael Jordan, Britney Spears, and Whoopi Goldberg became the faces of the campaign, enhancing its reach and appeal.

The impact of the “Got Milk” campaign was undeniable, as it successfully reversed the decline in milk sales. Following the campaign’s launch, California saw a significant surge in milk sales, indicating the efficacy of addressing consumer pain points and leveraging relatable messaging. Recognizing its success, the National Dairy Board adopted the “Got Milk” campaign nationwide, reinvigorating milk’s popularity across the country.

The “Got Milk” campaign became a powerful example of successful marketing, receiving numerous awards for its creativity and effectiveness. Even though it launched in 1993, the campaign’s impact continues to be felt almost three decades later. This highlights the enduring power of a well-executed marketing strategy that addresses consumer needs and resonates on an emotional level.

Key Statistics:

In California alone, the “Got Milk” campaign ran approximately 70 commercials and around 350 milk mustache ads nationally in print and on TV. These efforts reinforced the campaign’s message and contributed to its success in boosting milk consumption.

The “Got Milk” campaign’s impact is undeniable, showcasing the power of addressing consumer pain points and crafting relatable messaging. This case study serves as a testament to the long-lasting effectiveness of strategic marketing campaigns that capture the attention and preference of consumers.

Case Study: Dove’s “Real Women, Real Beauty” Campaign

Dove’s “Real Women, Real Beauty” campaign has been widely applauded for its impact in redefining beauty standards and promoting a more inclusive representation of women in the media.

In a study conducted by Dove’s PR representation, Edelman, it was found that only 2% of women considered themselves beautiful. This shocking statistic served as the driving force behind Dove’s mission to challenge conventional beauty norms and celebrate the diversity of real women.

By featuring women of different ages, sizes, and ethnicities in their advertising, Dove struck a chord with consumers and sparked conversations about self-esteem and body image. Their powerful messaging resonated with individuals who had long felt excluded from traditional beauty standards.

To amplify their message, Dove leveraged digital platforms and social media. On YouTube, their video “Dove Real Beauty Sketches” became the most viewed online video ad of all time, surpassing 114 million views globally. The video highlighted the disparity between how women perceive themselves and how others see them, emphasizing the importance of self-acceptance.

On social media, Dove cultivated a strong following, with 14.3 million fans on Facebook. Their engagement rate significantly outshined competitors like Old Spice, solidifying their position as a leader in the industry.

Not only did the “Real Women, Real Beauty” campaign garner attention and spark important conversations, but it also drove tangible results for Dove. In 2019, 114.81 million Americans used Dove products, reflecting the brand’s wide reach and consumer loyalty.

The campaign’s success did not go unnoticed within the advertising industry. Dove’s “Real Women, Real Beauty” campaign was recognized with a Titanium Grand Prix award, highlighting its game-changing impact and innovative approach.

Overall, the Dove campaign serves as a shining example of the transformative power of embracing authenticity, challenging beauty standards, and leveraging digital platforms to make a meaningful impact.

Case Study: Apple’s “Think Different” Campaign

Apple’s “Think Different” campaign was a game-changer in the world of advertising, marking a significant turning point for the company. In the late 1990s, Apple was struggling to stay afloat, facing tough competition from Microsoft. However, with the introduction of the “Think Different” campaign, Apple successfully rebranded itself through its core values, ultimately reshaping its image and impact on the tech industry.

The campaign centered around celebrating individuals who defied the norm and challenged conventional thinking. Through powerful storytelling and captivating imagery, Apple positioned itself as the innovative alternative to Microsoft, appealing to the creative and forward-thinking audience.

The impact of the “Think Different” campaign was profound. It not only resonated with consumers on an emotional level but also altered the perception of Apple as a brand. The focus on celebrating individuality and the inherent value of each person’s unique perspective set Apple apart from its competitors and transformed it into a revolutionary innovator.

The success of the campaign cannot be understated. By rebranding through its core values, Apple effectively captured the attention and loyalty of its target audience. The “Think Different” campaign paved the way for Apple’s future successes, shaping the direction of the company and leaving a lasting impact on the tech industry as a whole.

The case studies of Old Spice, the “Got Milk” campaign, Dove’s “Real Women, Real Beauty” campaign, and Apple’s “Think Different” campaign highlight the power of effective marketing strategies. These campaigns demonstrate the importance of understanding target audiences, crafting relatable messages, leveraging partnerships, and embracing authenticity. By learning from these case studies, marketers can gain insights and inspiration to create their own successful marketing strategies.

Old Spice’s “The Man Your Man Could Smell Like” campaign exemplifies the impact a well-executed marketing strategy can have. With over 60 million views on YouTube, this campaign not only achieved significant sales growth among its target audience of younger men but also garnered industry recognition, winning prestigious awards like the Cannes Lions Grand Prix for Film and the Clio Award for Best Integrated Campaign.

Throughout the years, Old Spice has undergone a transformation to remain relevant and appealing to a new generation. By redefining its target market to focus on young males aged 18-35 and emphasizing modernity and playfulness in its rebranding efforts, Old Spice has successfully positioned itself as a go-to brand for young adult males. The “Old Spice Swagger” campaign, in particular, achieved remarkable results, leading to a fourfold increase in sales and effectively engaging the target audience.

As with the “Got Milk” campaign, Dove’s “Real Women, Real Beauty” campaign, and Apple’s “Think Different” campaign, these case studies demonstrate the importance of staying attuned to consumer trends and preferences. Adapting marketing strategies to meet emerging demands, such as the growing interest in sustainability and eco-friendly products, can open up new opportunities for brands like Old Spice. By integrating technological advancements, such as customized scents or smart packaging, Old Spice can continue to captivate its target audience and expand into emerging markets.

What were the key elements of Old Spice’s successful marketing strategy?

How did old spice transform its brand image, what was the impact of the "man your man could smell like" campaign, how did old spice engage its audience on social media, how did old spice leverage partnerships to fuel its success, what was the impact of the "got milk" campaign, how did dove’s "real women, real beauty" campaign challenge beauty norms, how did apple’s "think different" campaign impact the company, what can marketers learn from these case studies, related posts:.

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Nina Sheridan is a seasoned author at Latterly.org, a blog renowned for its insightful exploration of the increasingly interconnected worlds of business, technology, and lifestyle. With a keen eye for the dynamic interplay between these sectors, Nina brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to her writing. Her expertise lies in dissecting complex topics and presenting them in an accessible, engaging manner that resonates with a diverse audience.

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11 Social Media Marketing Lessons from the Old Spice Campaign

The Old Spice campaign has proven to be one of the most memorable creative marketing and advertising concepts ever executed.

It has longevity and endurance that has been achieved through a mix of several reiterations as well as using online and offline marketing, social media and PR that has kept the original content bubbling across the Web.

Wieden + Kennedy created the original ad for the Super Bowl for their client Procter and Gamble the owners of the iconic Old Spice brand.

The ad featured former NFL athlete Isaiah Mustafa and was a a video centric marketing campaign that combined both traditional and social media.

The Old Spice Campaign Facts and Figures

Here are some of the numbers that were the result of the continuous marketing campaign.

• The number one most viewed sponsored channel on YouTube
• 236 million YouTube Views
• 80,000 Twitter followers in 2 days
• Facebook Interaction increased 800% with the personalized videos (Fans now total over 1.5 million)
• Sales figures increased by 107 %

At the end of the day you can have all the noise, buzz and viral success you like but if you don’t increase sales you might as well pack up and go home. The Old Spice campaign achieved both.

1. Keep Your Videos Short and Snappy

Originally one of the rules of thumb for on-line videos was that they shouldn’t be any longer than two minutes but the Old Spice YouTube videos were mostly less than a minute and as short as 17 seconds. They have taken “snappy” to a new level.

2. Turn Your Advertising into “Content” that is Easy to Share

A traditional offline video is hard to share, so making your ad into a YouTube video enables it to be shared and the distribution crowd sourced.

3. Make you Marketing Content Searchable

I don’t know about you but sometimes you see a funny ad on TV and you have to wait for it to be replayed to view it again. Publishing on-line as well as off-line makes it searchable and  able to be viewed on demand.

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=owGykVbfgUE&feature=player_embedded#![/youtube]

4. be everywhere.

Marketing on as many appropriate multi-channel and multi-media marketing channels using social media ensures that broadest possible distribution is achieved by tapping into viewers media and platform preferences. The agency participated and promoted across many social media channels and networks including Facebook , Twitter and YouTube . The campaign wasn’t just published on social media channels but also the promoted using social media marketing to spread the brand message.

5. Respond in Real Time

In 24 hours the old spice guy responded to Tweets (including a marriage proposal) with 116  YouTube videos (The crew was given 7 minutes to record each video including the writing and the shooting with only one or two takes). This princilple of real time response can include responding to comments on Facebook and tweets on Twitter  to keep the conversation rolling.

6.  Use Other People’s and other Media’s Networks (for free)

The Wieden + Kennedy campaign decided to respond to Tweets with YouTube video responses and when the “Old Spice” guy responded to “The Ellen Show” tweet with a YouTube video then of course this was broadcast to millions on her shows network. Individuals with large on-line influence such as Guy Kawasaki and Perez Hilton had video responses which tapped into their large personal brand audiences globally. Tap into large networks by giving them the attention they want and crave and they will spread it for free to their distribution networks whether that be Facebook, television or Twitter.

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Cs95FmimP0&feature=player_embedded[/youtube]

7. use social media to activate mass media.

This then leads us to another lesson. If your social media marketing is good enough, mass media will pick it up, especially if it has humour and entertainment value and will advertise it for free to millions of their viewers and readers.

8. Keep the Content Pumping

Savvy bloggers know this marketing secret and that is to keep the content pumping. The “Old Spice” campaign which was video centric managed to produce 100’s of videos led by a team of 4 writers, a camera crew and a half naked actor. The approach was certainly quantity over quality which social media advocates will recognise. Don’t wait for your post to be perfect before hitting the publish button because it never will be.

9. Drive Engagement through Personalization

One of the writers behind the Old Spice campaign Jason Bagley said. “ No one expects to ask a question and then be responded to. I think that’s where we broke through .” The marketing team responded personally to tweets with custom YouTube videos , this both surprised and amazed the global audience.

10. If it Works Keep Repeating a Proven Formula

The old saying “when your on to a good thing stick to it” applies very much to this marketing success which initially started with the Super Bowl YouTube video which received 100,000 views every few hours has been repeated twice with a new angle every time. The second  time was a 2 day marathon of high quality personalized video responses to questions asked by fans on Twitter and YouTube. The latests reiteration was last month with a rival introduced called Fabio (an ageing male super model) and cleverly called the “New Old Spice Guy”

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H73O8zaHmAo[/youtube]

11. Add a Negative Twist

The creators of the campaign decided  to add a negative twist to rejuvenate the campaign by introducing a rival “Fabio” the “New Old Spice Guy” and had the viewers vote on who they preferred . This produced a lot of “Buzz” online and negative comment (viewers “loved” Isaiah Mustafa the original old spice guy) that continued to drive the viral conversation with the original “Old Spice Guy of course winning the competition. I have found negative headlines to produce much better responses than the positive angle eg “ 30 Things You Should Not Share on Social Media “

What impressed you about this campaign?

More Reading

• The 10 Best Facebook Campaigns
• The 10 Best Social Media Campaigns
• 50 Social Media Marketing Tips and Tactics
• 9 Secrets of an Online Video Marketing Strategy

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Old Spice case study: How a 75-year-old brand changed digital marketing forever

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Before this now-legendary social media and video campaign, Old Spice was a brand that was previously associated with old men. This case study looks at how the ‘Man Your Man Could Smell Like’ YouTube ad got 6 million YouTube views in its first week, netting the P&G brand a sales increase of 125% year-on-year in a highly competitive market dominated by Unilever’s Axe.

Old brand with an big image problem

The Old Spice products were manufactured by the Shulton Company, founded in 1934 by William Lightfoot Schultz. The brand’s first product, Early American Old Spice for women, originated in 1937, and Old Spice for men followed not long after in 1938. Bought by Proctor and Gamble in 1990 to break into a new market, Old Spice attempted to broaden its appeal through marketing spin-offs to younger men in 1999. They waited until 2002 to launch a rebrand but began to be edged out of the 12-24 age market by deodorant brand ‘Axe’. In response, they launched the largely unsuccessful ‘Swagger’ campaign. By 2006, Old Spice was falling in the ranks. In an effort to improve its market share and revenues, the company engaged the award-winning advertising agency, Wieden+Kennedy, known for its iconic Nike “Just Do It” and Chrysler “Imported from Detroit” ad campaigns, among many others.

The agency had two key challenges:

• Draw on the long-standing history and expertise of the brand and reposition it to make it relevant to young men

• Target both men and women in order to generate conversation about body wash.

A fresh and funny new take that was impossible to ignore

The agency’s solution was the now famous ‘The Man Your Man Could Smell Like’, casting former NFL star Isaiah Mustafa, as the “Old Spice Guy.”

In the 30-second ad, which aired on YouTube a few days before the 2010 Super Bowl and then on TV the day after the game, the charismatic (and shirtless) Mustafa delivers promises of what’s possible “when your man smells like Old Spice and not a lady.”

Based on its humour, delivery and direct style, the ad went viral, and the brand along with it. The online and televised ad garnered 75% of all conversations in the category.

Following the launch of the ad campaign, the company’s sales more than doubled, their website traffic increased by 300%, the Old Spice YouTube channel became the #1 Most Viewed Sponsored YouTube Channel, and Old Spice became the #1 body wash brand for men. The ad was also the recipient of the 2010 Cannes Lions Film Grand Prix award and Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Commercial.

View the original ad below:

Follow up Q&A session

The success of the ad led to an ongoing social media campaign to keep the internet buzz going. Wieden+Kennedy's solution was the Response Campaign, in which the Old Spice Guy would respond to questions submitted by fans through a variety of social media channels, including Facebook and Twitter, through a series of YouTube videos. In less than three days, Wieden+Kennedy filmed over 180 video responses to questions from fans and celebrities, and then posted them on YouTube.

Within the first day, the Response Campaign had accumulated 5.9 million views; within one week, the number grew to over 40 million. The brand’s YouTube channel more than doubled from 65,000 to 150,000 subscribers, while their Twitter and Facebook followings soared by 2,700% and 800%, respectively.

By the end of July 2010, sales were up 125% year on year, and by the year’s end, Old Spice had become the #1 selling brand of body wash for men in the US. In May 2013, the company once again leveraged the success of its YouTube campaign and launched two new video ads to sell its latest shave gel products. Together, the two videos totalled over 7.6 million views in just two weeks.

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Case Study: Old Spice's "The Man Your Man Could Smell Like" Campaign 🧔

Introduction: A Journey to Rebrand 🚀 Once upon a time, Old Spice was known for its grandfatherly image and its classic, traditional scent. But in 2010, the brand embarked on a journey to revamp its image and appeal to a younger, hipper audience. Enter the "The Man Your Man Could Smell Like" campaign, which quickly became one of the most memorable and successful advertising campaigns of the decade 💡.

The Star of the Campaign: The Old Spice Guy 🎥 The campaign featured actor Isaiah Mustafa as the "Old Spice Guy," a charismatic, confident, and funny character who challenged traditional notions of masculinity. In a series of clever and entertaining commercials, Mustafa used humor and irony to promote Old Spice's products, such as body wash and deodorant. He addressed the viewer directly and made fun of the typical, predictable commercials that came before his. "Hello ladies," he quipped, "look at your man, now back to me. Unfortunately, he isn't me. But if he stopped using lady-scented body wash and switched to Old Spice, he could smell like he's me."

The Viral Effect: A Surge in Sales and Recognition 🚀 The commercials went viral and quickly became cultural touchstones. People couldn't get enough of the Old Spice Guy and his witty one-liners, and the brand experienced a surge in sales and recognition 💰. Old Spice even responded to fan tweets with personalized video messages, further engaging its audience and cementing its image as a hip and modern brand 💬.

The Secret to Success: Key Elements 💡 But the "The Man Your Man Could Smell Like" campaign was more than just a series of funny commercials. It was a masterclass in marketing strategy and creative execution. Here are some key elements that made the campaign such a success:

Targeting the Right Audience: Understanding Young Men 🧔 Old Spice recognized that its target audience was young men who were looking for a grooming product that was both effective and cool. The brand realized that it needed to break away from its old-fashioned image and appeal to this new demographic.

A Bold and Creative Approach 🎨 The Old Spice Guy was a charismatic and confident character who challenged traditional notions of masculinity. By using humor and irony, the brand positioned itself as a fun and unconventional choice for men's grooming products.

Effective Use of Social Media 💬 The brand responded to fan tweets with personalized video messages, further engaging its audience and establishing itself as a social media savvy brand.

Focusing on User Experience 💻 Old Spice wanted to create a memorable experience for its audience, and it did just that with the "The Man Your Man Could Smell Like" campaign. The commercials were entertaining, the Old Spice Guy was likeable and relatable, and the brand's use of social media was innovative and effective.

Conclusion: A Resounding Success 🎉 The "The Man Your Man Could Smell Like" campaign was a resounding success, and it cemented Old Spice's image as a hip and modern brand. The campaign won numerous awards, including a Grand Effie, a Gold Lion at the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity, and a Clio Award 🏆.

Key Lessons Learned:

Know Your Audience 🧔

Be Bold and Creative 🎨

Use Social Media Effectively 💬

Ready for more?

CASE STUDY – Old Spice: Smell Like A Man, Man

“Look at your man. Now look at me. Now back at your man. Now back to me.”

Chances are pretty high that you read that in the voice of the guy from the Old Spice ad – and for good reason.

Winner of Cannes Lion Film Grand Prix. An Emmy for Outstanding Commercial. No. 4 in Ad Age’s top campaigns of the 21st century. 

There’s no debate: Old Spice made an absolute killer campaign.

The Campaign

It’s an ad that travelled around the world, eventually becoming part of pop culture: Old Spice: Smell Like a Man, Man . 

The idea was simple: Using short, rapid-fire monologues, actor Isaiah Mustafa explained that anything is possible if your man smells like Old Spice.

In the time since the initial commercial aired, other well-known figures such as Fabio and even Terry Crews were introduced as competition to Mustafa, featuring dueling adverts.  

But why was the campaign so successful?

The Origins

Having failed to successfully rebrand back in the late 90’s and early 2000’s, Old Spice was rapidly losing market share to Lynx (‘Axe’ in certain markets). Something needed to change.

Their biggest issue: Old Spice marketed their product to an aging population, which resulted in diminishing returns in the long term. They needed a way to return to their previous position as a major competitor.

Enter creative agency Wieden + Kennedy in 2010 with Isaiah Mustafa, and the body wash market was changed forever.

The Audience

With the goal of completely rebranding Old Spice as a product for a younger audience, the marketing strategy found its major focus in one key fact: 60% of body wash purchases were made by women .

Instead of focusing solely on young males as their target audience, Wieden + Kennedy switched things up and made young females the major focus of the campaign. 

At the heart of the campaign was research and understanding . This agency took the time to understand their audience, assess their wants and needs, and then they went the extra mile in developing an understanding of the people around their audience. 

The re’s no point trying to sell to consumers if you don’t know what makes them tick. In this case, the people consuming and the people buying were two completely different demographics. They were targeting the wrong crowd, and that shift in thinking was the key to success.

Not many other campaigns even come close to Old Spice’s level of success.

Old Spice quickly rose to become the top men’s body wash brand in the USA, bagging themselves a list of international awards and accolades.

Just a handful of the extremely impressive stats:

300% increase in website traffic

Sales of old spice had doubled by july of the same year, 1.2 billion earned media impressions, a full-blown sesame street parody, what’s the takeaway.

Old Spice took a long, hard look at themselves, realised that something wasn’t working, and got to work fixing it.

There are lessons here for any business:

• Do the research. Your exact target market may not be what you think it is. It’s always worth doing your research and digging into the data.
• The market changes. That means you need to change with it. All brands become outdated with time, so it’s up to you to stay on top of trends and keep your offering relevant.
• Be authentic. It’s the simplest sounding advice, with the toughest application. Old Spice’s ad campaign was so blatantly self-aware that it became a meme. The time for straight-faced corporate lists of your product’s benefits has passed; we’re now in an age where humour and authenticity are your greatest tools. 

We can’t guarantee an ad campaign so amazing it gets parodied by Sesame Street, but our team does know a thing or two about branding and marketing.

Need some insight on how to improve your current marketing strategy? Get in touch with our team, or check out some of our past marketing work .

Thank you for taking the time to get in touch. We’ll be right back to you with our smarter way.

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Integrated Marketing Case Study: The Old Spice Campaign

The following case study shows how an advertising firm, Wieden+Kennedy, created a comprehensive campaign to increase awareness and sales of Old Spice.

As you watch the video pay particular attention to the numbers (or metrics) used to evaluate the campaign:

• What metrics were used as the impetus to support creation of the campaign?
• What metrics were used to determine if the campaign was successful?
• Were there specific metrics that mattered because they drove other important metrics?

• Original Content. Authored by : Lumen Learning. Provided by : Lumen Learning. License : CC BY: Attribution
• Old Spice Responses Case Study. Authored by : stroommedia. Located at : http://youtu.be/fD1WqPGn5Ag . License : All Rights Reserved . License Terms : standard YouTube license

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Case Study on Successful Viral Marketing Of OldSpice

About Old Spice

OLD SPICE – is a leading American brand of grooming products for males. Procter & Gamble acquired the brand in 1990 from Shulton, Inc., which was the original producer of Old Spice. After its acquisition, Proctor & Gamble constantly made efforts to change the brand’s earlier image of ‘a product your grandfather would use’ to ‘a product for the youth’ by targeting men with the age group of 17-35.

Business Objectives:

Brands like AXE & DOVE were quite popular as compared to the relatively outdated Old Spice. In order to increase their market share and sales in this highly competitive environment, they needed to create a buzz.

When it comes to advertising, Old Spice seems to have done everything right when they brought in the ad agency Wieden+Kennedy. They revamped the entire brand image to appeal more audience. Also, despite the product’s target market being male, as a part of their marketing strategy they wanted to target females, as according to them its women who often make purchasing decisions in respect of hygiene products even for male household members.

Strategy Adopted 

In February 2010 they came out with their campaign commercial ‘the man your man could smell like’ that featured former NLF star Isaiah Mustafa as the “Old Spice Guy” who can be seen addressing the viewers in prompt monologues which promoted the advantages of using the brand’s products. While reciting the monologues the Old Spice Guy does various extraordinary activities and yet maintains an eye contact with the camera. This commercial was funny, unique and grabbed the attention of the viewers.

Another campaign “ Questions ,” was launched in early June 2010, which again got good reviews from consumers and industry experts.  By this time the Old Spice Guy had become very popular among the masses.

To further build buzz, they launched a Response campaign where Old Spice invited consumers to submit questions via social media channels like Twitter and Facebook that were to be answered personally by the Old Spice Guy.

Questions were sent by more than 2,000 people and within the short span of 48-hour about 200 personalized video responses were created and posted to YouTube. The “response” videos have been viewed more than 46 million times making it one of the fastest growing and most popular campaigns in history.

Result Achieved:

Below is the result of the continuous marketing campaign:

The Response Campaign generated nearly 5.9 million YouTube views in the first day alone which is more than what Obama’s victory speech had achieved in its first 24 hours. This number grew to over 40 million by the end of the week. During this same period their Facebook fans rose 800 percent—from 500,000 to 800,000 while Twitter followers increased by 2,700. Meanwhile Subscribers to the brand’s YouTube channel increased from 65,000 to 150,000 which is more than double.

The launch of “Smell Like a Man, Man” ad led to an incredible rise in sale. And the Response Campaign grew the brand even further. Sales were up 125 percent year on year by the end of July 2010. Old Spice had become the top-selling brand of body wash for men in the United States by the end of 2010. Also, brand’s website traffic increased by 300 percent .Today, Old Spice remains the number one brand channel on YouTube.

The company has also done an amazing job creating social media buzz through Facebook by frequent online promotions and status updates for keeping the audience engaged, resulting in average 1,000-2,000 “Likes” on every new update.

Today, when it comes to online marketing, Old Spice is at the top of the ladder by using web analytics to collect data and to increase their customer experience .

Lessons learned from their marketing campaign:

Make concise videos

Generally internet users ditch lengthy online videos. If you have to post a video on Youtube make sure that it is not too long. Old Spice ensured that their videos were snappy and not more than one minute long.

Let your presence be felt everywhere

Marketing on varied multi-media channels using social media such as Facebook, Twitter and Youtube ensures high number of target audience is reached and distribution is widespread. By creating and sharing ads on online channels such as Youtube you get to reach out to a larger number of crowds unlike the traditional offline videos.

Build connection by getting personalized

Interact with the audience to keep them engaged and build a relationship. The marketing team of Old Spice responded to tweets with 116 Youtube videos and the audience was amazed with the real time responses. Further those who were lucky to get response from the Old Spice Guy, wrote about it on other social media networks. Hence again brand got promoted online by the user.

Be creative

Marketing strategy used by Old Spice was absolutely creative and genius. Who could have thought that a male grooming brand would successfully create a large fan base amongst the female viewers? This is simple yet unconventional approach towards creating a wider audience. 

Viral Marketing is another digital marketing strategy that is highly capable of creating brand awareness and recognition along with boosting sales and conversions.

Thus, being a part of Digital Marketing, it can elevate your business growth if used optimally. To understand the complete manner in which Digital Marketing can help you grow, enroll in our Certified Digital Marketing Master Course .

Image Credits:  Old Spice

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Web series built to educate and entertain

Create a branded content campaign tackling puberty issues that would educate boys and their moms while staying true to the hilariously unique world of Old Spice.

Talking about puberty can be awkward. So when Old Spice was launching their new “Wild Collection” product line for young dudes, they wanted to bring levity and much-needed answers around an oftentimes cringe-worthy subject. Enter the “Old Spice School of Swagger,” an online curriculum featuring an animated web series built to foster conversation between moms and sons about the journey to manhood.

We developed concepts and content for the online curriculum microsite and wrote, designed, and animated the 4-part series. Starting with a deep dive into research about puberty related issues, we brought insights to life with Old Spice spokesmen Isaiah Mustafa and Terry Crews, and a host of new characters developed for the collection including Professor Wolfthorn, Krakengard, and Hawkridge.

The online curriculum, microsite, and “The Struggle is Real: Wild Guide” manual for boys and moms, served as a launching pad for the Old Spice web series. The School of Swagger concepts extended to social media and point-of-purchase marketing helping boys and moms everywhere tackle difficult conversations about the path to manhood, while successfully launching the ultra popular “Old Spice Wild Collection” of antiperspirants and deodorants.

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5 Marketing Lessons From Old Spice

Funny. memorable. manly. the minds behind the old spice guy campaign reveal their keys for marketing success..

He was "the man your man could smell like." We looked away from him and were suddenly transported onto a majestic ocean liner. An outstretched hand offered us "two tickets to that thing you love," shortly before the tickets magically dissolved into diamonds. Then he was on a horse. Really. This crazy-yet-crisp introduction to one of the most popular viral ad campaigns in history, which aired for the first time during last year's Super Bowl showdown between the Indianapolis Colts and the New Orleans Saints, sparked an Internet phenomenon, reaching more people than Procter & Gamble (Old Spice's parent company) could have possibly fathomed. The ad amassed 220,000 YouTube views in the few short hours after the Super Bowl, and the video continually gained about 100,000 views every few hours. Even comments on sites like 4Chan and YouTube were overwhelmingly positive. The video had gone officially viral. Months later, when the campaign had seemingly hit its high point, marketing agency Wieden & Kennedy dreamt up one of the most memorable social media campaigns to-date: A two-day marathon of high-quality, personalized video responses to questions asked by fans on Twitter and YouTube—set up, shot, and published online in Mustafa's own bathroom. Produced by a small team of four writers, a camera crew, and one shirtless actor, each video response maintained the humor level. Some of the best videos featured the Old Spice Guy beating a pirate piñata with an oversized fish, helping a guy propose to his girlfriend, and flirting voraciously with actress Alyssa Milano. In 48 hours, Old Spice earned nearly 11 million video views, and gained about 29,000 new Facebook fans and 58,000 new Twitter followers. This year, Wieden + Kennedy took its campaign further by introducing a rival for The Old Spice Guy: former male supermodel Fabio. The two Old Spice titans clashed in Old Spice's Mano a Mano En El Baño, a YouTube event held on July 26, where both men submitted responses to the same posts on Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube, and viewers could vote for their favorite Old Spice Guy response. The epic conclusion to the YouTube duel featured time travel, multiple Fabios, and intergalactic balloons. The Old Spice Guy campaign has set the bar for how other companies and agencies can approach viral advertising, by focusing on the fans first. Old Spice has struck a perfect balance of content and advertising, but the fact of the matter is, other companies can, too. We caught up with a couple of writers behind the Old Spice campaigns and delineated their keys to success. 1. Put the focus on short, snappy video content. A recent online video study shows that 82 percent of Internet users watch online video at an average of 5.6 hours a week. And if you have a video that wants to be seen, the best possible platform, according to comScore , is YouTube. "It's generally a good idea to keep things short on YouTube," says Jason Bagley, creative director at Wieden + Kennedy, and a writer for the campaign. "People don't generally want to sit through long things." The vast majority of Old Spice's videos average at slightly less than a minute per video. Unless they're inspiration- or premise-driven videos, most ads and promotions uploaded to YouTube should hit this sweet spot between a minute and 90 seconds. "When you're putting [videos] on [YouTube], you're competing against every other YouTube video," says Craig Allen, another creator director at Wieden + Kennedy. "It's not like there's a special category for commericals." Old Spice shot short clips out of necessity. The crew was given an average of seven minutes to find posts, and write and shoot responses in one or two takes. "When we're doing one of these interactive experiences, we're writing them so fast and shooting them on the spot, so they just naturally come out short," Bagley says. While most companies' marketing campaigns won't involve two-day filming marathons, having the luxury of added time shouldn't mean longer videos; keep it short, keep it simple. If the marketing campaign doesn't involve video—not sure why not, in this day and age—the ad should still be succinct and concise. Shorter ads are easier to follow, digest, and on the development side, create. 2. Pump out the content. The old saying, "Never put all your eggs in one basket," certainly applies to marketing. Old Spice heeded this advice during its video response-heavy social media campaigns. "[The approach is] definitely quantity over quality," Allen says. "We try to make the best things we can, and we'll get it as great as we can, but then we say, OK, next one. It's more about pumping out so many videos than it is about getting five that are absolutely perfect." If you create quality content, chances are that people will want more. After all, more content for fans to consume means happier fans. Old Spice attacked this idea by producing as many commercial-quality video responses as possible. From Mustafa in a towel to all of the wacky props, every video response certainly felt like Old Spice went out of its way to film a commercial just for that one fan. "Whenever a brand can give back—to give to the consumers more than it asks of them, in terms of entertainment and value—people are going to have a better feeling about that brand," Bagley says. "I think any brand can do that. At Old Spice, we always try to provide more in terms of entertainment and surprise and enjoyment to build that equity with the consumer." 3. Keep fans engaged. Most companies engage their fans once the product is made and ready to market, but Old Spice went a step further by actually letting its fans influence every video. Fans become fanatics when their favorite brands go out of their way to invite the audiences in on the fun. "We wanted consumers to have a chance to help incorporate some of the challenges within that story too, so some of the comments we were looking for were interesting things that we could play off each character," Bagley says. Wieden + Kennedy knew that a successful campaign couldn't be run by the company alone; the fans were the oil to make it work and function properly. By allowing fans to drive the content within their YouTube videos, Wieden + Kennedy had an endless supply of material to Old Spice Guy-ify. "We were creating and sending miniature TV commercials back to individual consumers that were personalized, and we were doing it on a rapid-fire basis," Bagley says. "No one expects to ask a question and then be responded to. I think that's where we broke through." In the Old Spice Guy vs. New Old Spice Guy Fabio campaign, the creative team even let fans control the outcome of the most important part of the story: the ending. "Just like the rest of the story, we actually took the ending from a Twitter comment from one of the fans. One of the fans suggested that Isaiah should just go back in time and talk Fabio out of doing this, so that inspired the ending," Bagley says. 4. Market everywhere at once. "We did six to seven TV spots [with Fabio], we let those roll out with a print campaign, and then started doing some other videos with him," Allen says. "The idea was, 'Let's just put it out there. Everywhere.'" If there's any company that effectively executes the idea of blitzkrieg marketing, it's Old Spice. When the company introduced New Old Spice Guy Fabio, Wieden + Kennedy posted simultaneous ads on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and several other sites all at once. The strategy? Get people talking. "We worked really closely with [senior digital strategist] Dean [McBeth] and the media team to make sure that we're putting these [ads] in places that people would definitely see what's going on. We ran it heavily on TV, on the YouTube masthead, we did everything we could," Allen says. "We saw an immediate response of people: 'Why is this happening?' 'I don't like it.' 'I think it's cool.' People [were] fighting back and forth before we even started our actual interactive campaign." Consider all of the channels for advertising, too. Having several ads across many different networks is the best way to attract as many fans as possible to your cause. By marketing all at once, the hope is that the multiple discussions on each network converge to create one giant conversation. "The key is interacting with consumers and building a relationship that's not just putting out a TV spot every once in awhile and hoping that works," Bagley says. "At least from a creative point of view, it's much more fun to be able to play in these new mediums and keep the conversation going." 5. Trust your marketing team. Seriously. Not every company can be as brave as Procter & Gamble. The fact is, the company took an enormous chance with Wieden + Kennedy, since the campaign's success was completely contingent upon how audiences would respond to the fast and absurd humor. "Obviously we got the scripts and the executions approved by [Old Spice] ahead of time, but when it comes to the YouTube videos, there isn't time for an approval process," Bagley says. "With that, we just have a whole lot of mutual trust." Often times, companies and owners will want to micromanage such important projects as marketing campaigns. Old Spice was able to balance careful monitoring with free reign, but in general, it's best for companies to let the creative departments do their thing. This way, the advertisement won't be confused by over-editing or muddled by too many voices. "We had to make [more than] 168 videos in two days, there would've been absolutely no way to have a client approval process," Bagley says. The client company should always watch and grade the final product before releasing it to the market, but if you want to rapidly produce content like Old Spice, you have to give your creative team have a little more of a leash to play with, and simply play the "support" role. Having the level of trust Old Spice has isn't easy to achieve, but it pays dividends.

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Old Spice’s 2010 Rebrand

Dating back to 1937, Old Spice is a brand with a long and venerable history. It covers a range of men’s grooming products, with its antiperspirants and body washes being among the most popular.

However, despite its many years of success, the company encountered serious branding problems following the turn of the millennium. To counteract them, it launched a daring rebranding campaign, an effort that would go down in history as one of the most successful of its kind.

Image source: Addio.ecrater.com

The Problem

Prior to its 2010 campaign, people saw Old Spice as a relatively uninteresting brand aimed at older generations of men. This isn’t to say that it was all bad – it had a great legacy and certain appeal to it. But it became stagnant, and it certainly did not have an edge that would make it appealing to the younger generations – a demographic the company desperately needed to reach to remain competitive on the market.

In short, Old Spice had an identity crisis. It needed to appeal to new target groups but had no real way of doing so. Or at the very least, no way that was better than what the competition was doing. As a result, it needed a drastic change.

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The solution.

When it decided to rebrand, Old Spice didn’t hold back. It kept the name but altered almost everything else. Most importantly, it completely changed its tone of voice and positioning – the revamped Old Spice was anything but uninteresting.

Of course, this entailed many changes across different areas, but there is no doubt as to what made this campaign work – the video ads were the absolute stars of the show, and the tone they set continued to guide the company’s marketing efforts to this day.

The first commercial, titled “ The Man Your Man Could Smell Like ” has become the stuff of legend. It first aired online before making its way onto TV, and it was an instant hit, particularly with the younger, internet-savvy generations the company was hoping to attract.

The commercial features Isaiah Mustafa, an actor and former football player, addressing the viewers using snappy sentences in several random environments. It radiates humor and quirkiness, which has allowed it to generate an incredible amount of buzz almost instantly.

The company followed up on this commercial with a series of additional YouTube videos, dubbed the “Response Campaign,” which was met with an equally warm reception.

Mustafa continued to reprise his now-legendary role of “the Old Spice Guy” in subsequent commercials, and the company continued to build upon its success with additional marketing campaigns focused on this brand of humor (the commercials featuring Terry Crews are another crowd-favorite). Old Spice took any sense of seriousness out of its image, and the audience loved it.

Image source: Youtube.com/user/OldSpice

The Results

A huge success across the board, the rebrand completely changed how the public perceived the brand. In particular, that first commercial was a 30-second ad which turned Old Spice from something bland into one of the hottest internet properties overnight.

Naturally, the numbers back this up . Old Spice’s online presence skyrocketed, as did its sales figures. In the end, Old Spice became a brand you could recognize – its outdated image was completely gone, replaced by an energetic, witty, and humorous brand identity. By understanding new trends, Old Spice was able to engage with its target demographic, capitalize on them, and has been reaping the rewards ever since.

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Case Study | Old Spice – The Advertisement That Took The Brand By Storm

Case Study | Old Spice – The Advertisement That Took The Brand By Storm 3 min read

Old Spice has been a long standing global brand of cosmetics for men. Their range includes after-shave lotion, lather shaving cream, talcum powder, shampoos and hair cream. In India the first and most successful product launched was after-shave lotion.

In the year 1986, the market share of Old Spice products in India was as follows:

• After-shave lotion – 65%
• Lather shaving cream – 9%
• Talcum powder – 1%
• Shampoo trace
• Hair cream trace

Colfax Lab. Ltd. The manufacturers had been marketing the products in the west through departmental stores. They planned a strategy to boost their products sale in India in 1987 and decided to reduce reliance on after-shave lotion and promote other products as well, as they had found there was good market for other products too.

Shampoo : As Colfax had only one type of shampoo, whereas competitors had several types, they decided to lie low on this product.

Talcum powder : As talcum powder was purchased mostly by women, and Old Spice was a brand for men, the sale was restricted. Hence it was decided to promote lather shaving cream along with after-shave lotion as the two products complemented each other.

A market survey gave the following figures of use of cosmetics by men:

• Shaving cream is used by 94% men After-shave lotion by 79%
• Hair cream by 33% Talcum powder by 86%
• Shampoo by 63%\

Also Read: Journey From Wills Cigarettes To Wills Sports

Advertising Plan

Advertising budget was not enough for undertaking a full-fledged multi-product campaign. After-shave lotion to be the umbrella product and from 1985 the Surfer Ad campaign was launched. The advertisement gives a masculine Macho image to the product. It gave a fillip to the after-shave lotion and had marginal impact on other product sales. 40 towns with 70% business were selected for the campaign. TV was taken as the primary medium. Product differentiation was through package size, with introduction of 50 ml pack with atomiser.

Objectives of the advertising plan were to increase awareness of the product in customer’s minds and encourage trial usage of lather shaving cream. Strategy was to keep the brand personality of lather shaving cream same as that of aftershave lotion, that of a masculine macho man and gradually increase focus on lather shaving cream without decreasing importance of after-shave lotion.

Since the lather shaving cream was a superior product as compared to other shaving creams, keeping advertisements of both the products, lather shaving cream and aftershave lotion consistent, improved the brand image of both the products.

The product was targeted towards 25 plus men with income of 10,000 per month. Research had shown that as the brand image is most important, brand character had to be clearly defined too.

Old Spice man is adventurous with a devil-may-care attitude. His activities and sports have a touch of danger. He thrives on risks and women pine for him. Creative strategy lead to making of the Polo film, horses symbolising the machos in men, who are irresistibly attractive to the elitist women.

Polo is intrinsically adventurous and full of risks. Medium had to be elitist i.e. TV which provides the following:

• Maximum excitement to brand for large target audience.
• High reach Quick building of sales
• Cost effective

Three spots a month were given of 20 seconds duration on the national network.

Old Spice brand has remained one of the most respected brands worldwide. In 1988 lather shaving cream advertisement was among top 10 advertisements in the world

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YouTube Case Study: Old Spice

How a 75 year-old company stays fresh

by Tara Baboushkin

Organization/background: The Old Spice products were manufactured by the Shulton Company, founded in 1934 by William Lightfoot Schultz. The brand’s first product, Early American Old Spice for women, originated in 1937, and Old Spice for men followed not long after in 1938. In June of 1990, Procter & Gamble purchased the Old Spice product line and now offers a full line of men’s care products, including anti-perspirant, deodorant, body wash, body spray, bar soap, shave gel, and fragrances. The corporate website is: http://oldspice.com/en-US/.

Business need or problem: Old Spice first launched its body wash in 2003. As the product category grew in popularity, so too did the competition and by 2006, Old Spice was falling in the ranks. In an effort to improve its market standing – and revenues – the company engaged the award-winning advertising agency, Wieden+Kennedy, known for its iconic Nike “Just Do It” and Chrysler “Imported from Detroit” ad campaigns, among many others. Their challenge was twofold: 1) To draw on the long-standing history and expertise of the brand and reposition it to make it relevant to young men; 2) To target both men and women in order to generate conversation about body wash.

Social Media Solution: The solution was the now infamous “The Man Your Man Could Smell Like” ad, which features former NFL wide receiver, Isaiah Mustafa, in his new role as the “Old Spice Guy.” In the 30-second ad, which aired on YouTube a few days before the 2010 Super Bowl and then on television the day after the game, the sharp and shirtless Mustafa delivers promises of what’s possible “when your man smells like Old Spice and not a lady.”

Business result: The ad went viral, and the brand along with it. The online and televised ad captured 75% of all conversations in the category. Since its initial launch, the original YouTube ad has been viewed over 45 million times, and is the recipient of the 2010 Cannes Lions Film Grand Prix award and Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Commercial. The colossal success of the “The Man Your Man Could Smell Like” ad gave rise to an ongoing social media campaign, which bolstered the company to explosive success. Following the launch of the ad campaign, the company’s sales more than doubled, their website traffic increased by 300%, the Old Spice YouTube channel became the #1 Most Viewed Sponsored YouTube Channel, and Old Spice became the #1 body wash brand for men.

What actually happened: Following the viral success of the original “The Man Your Man Could Smell Like” ad, Wieden+Kennedy wanted to find a way to maintain the momentum and keep the conversation going. Their solution was the Response Campaign, in which the Old Spice Guy would respond to questions submitted by fans through a variety of social media channels, including Facebook and Twitter, through a series of YouTube videos.

In less than three days, Wieden+Kennedy filmed over 180 video responses to questions from fans and celebrities, and then posted them on YouTube. Within the first day, the Response Campaign had accumulated 5.9 million views; within one week, the number grew to over 40 million. The brand’s YouTube channel more than doubled from 65,000 to 150,000 subscribers, while their Twitter and Facebook followings soared by 2,700% and 800%, respectively. By the end of July 2010, sales were up 125% year on year, and by the year’s end, Old Spice had become the #1 selling brand of body wash for men in the US.

In May 2013, the company once again leveraged the success of its YouTube campaign and launched two new video ads to sell its latest shave gel products. Together, the two videos totalled over 7.6 million views in just two weeks.

This is a great example of how a company that is over 75 years old can use YouTube as well as other social media platforms to reinvent and sustain itself.

Carefully Crafted on July 16

A Company Culture Lesson from Old Spice Social Media

Years from now, this week’s Old Spice social media campaign will still be used as case study . Aside from the obvious lessons about social media engagement, there’s another equally important lesson that we shouldn’t lose sight of: A company’s culture and its willingness to take calculated risks will shape its social media engagement — and success.

Recently, I’ve had interesting, ongoing conversations with a number of friends who work for PR/marketing/advertising agencies about the cultural collisions between social media and “traditional” communication. Lots of complaints about long approval processes. For example, it takes days just to get a blog post approved. All t weets need to be scripted and approved by the agency powers that be. How is that engaging, timely or relevant?

Companies need to put their best foot forward online. That makes sense. But, how can companies do this and still be social, not scripted? Don’t forget, we live in an age where quickness equals relevancy.

If Old Spice can pump out a couple hundred videos in just two days, should it really take that long (or longer) for a smaller company to churn out one blog post? Or, one Facebook update? Or a few tweets? This Old Spice campaign never would have worked if management had to approve every single video created, tweet sent or Facebook update posted.

So, what’s a company to do? 3 tips to get started:

• Hire the right employees. If someone will be representing your brand in social media, make sure that person possesses the right mix of skills. Just because they’re good at traditional PR, doesn’t mean they’ll excel in this new landscape. Likewise, just because they write a popular personal blog doesn’t mean they can effectively manage social media to achieve business-driven goals.
• Train your employees. Social media is constantly evolving. Help your employees understand the goals, their role, how you’ll measure success, and how to do their jobs well. Encourage them to read thought-leader blogs , attend webinars or conferences, and network with other social media-types. Provide opportunities to test new tools. Reward out-of-the-box thinking. Position them for success . Don’t just throw them into the deep end and cross your fingers.
• Create social media guidelines . Establish guidelines to create some boundaries for appropriate and inappropriate behavior and content. If employees get into a “gray” area, they need to understand who to ask. But, if they’re within those boundaries, don’t be a bottleneck. Make sure these guidelines also articulate the approval process, what to do if/when a crisis starts to peculate, and how to live up to the company’s brand standards.

What would you add to this list? How has social media changed your corporate culture? What is your company’s social media approval process? Is it helping or hindering your engagement and effectiveness?

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company culture , old spice , social media guidelines , social media policy

[…] Heather Whaling’s a company culture lesson from Old Spice social media […]

[…] to give the Old Spice marketing team the freedom to conduct the campaign as they saw fit (see PRtini’s post for more on that), I think there’s another reason that was equally […]

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Old Spice Case Study : Effectively Harnessing Social Media in Personal Care

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