Did you know that Old Spice, the iconic men’s grooming brand, was once considered outdated and unappealing? But thanks to a game-changing advertising campaign, the brand turned things around and became incredibly popular with a generation of younger consumers. In this article, we’ll explore Old Spice’s epic transformation with ‘The Man Your Man Could Smell Like’ campaign and how the brand revolutionized the way men’s grooming products are marketed.
Old Spice’s origins
Old Spice was founded in 1937 by William Lightfoot Schultz, a soapmaker who took inspiration from the exotic smells he encountered while sailing the seas as a young man. The brand was originally marketed to women, with a focus on fragrances, but later shifted its focus to men’s grooming products. By the 1970s, Old Spice was a popular and recognizable brand, but it struggled to connect with younger consumers who saw it as outdated and uncool.
The Man Your Man Could Smell Like campaign
In 2010, Old Spice launched ‘The Man Your Man Could Smell Like’ campaign, which featured a series of humorous and irreverent TV ads that poked fun at traditional male grooming ads. The ads were fronted by a suave and hyper-masculine character named Isaiah Mustafa, who talked directly to the camera and showed off his impressive physique and grooming routine. The campaign was an instant hit and went viral on social media, generating millions of views and a huge amount of buzz.
The impact of the campaign
The success of ‘The Man Your Man Could Smell Like’ campaign was a game-changer for Old Spice, helping the brand to connect with a new generation of consumers who were attracted to its irreverent and humorous tone. The campaign also helped to establish Old Spice as a brand that was in tune with modern attitudes towards masculinity and male grooming. Sales of Old Spice products surged, with the brand experiencing double-digit growth year on year.
The evolution of the campaign
Old Spice continued to build on the success of ‘The Man Your Man Could Smell Like’ campaign with a series of follow-up ads that featured other characters and scenarios. The brand also launched interactive social media campaigns that encouraged people to engage with the brand in new and inventive ways. For example, one campaign allowed users to submit questions to Mustafa via social media, and he responded with humorous and entertaining video responses.
The impact on the industry
«The Man Your Man Could Smell Like» campaign was a watershed moment for the male grooming industry, which had previously been dominated by traditional, conservative advertising. The success of the campaign showed that there was a huge appetite for products that were marketed in a more modern and humorous way, and other brands quickly followed suit. Today, it’s common to see male grooming products marketed with irreverent and humorous campaigns that aim to connect with younger consumers.
The legacy of ‘The Man Your Man Could Smell Like’
Old Spice’s ‘The Man Your Man Could Smell Like’ campaign remains one of the most successful and impactful advertising campaigns of the 21st century. It transformed the way male grooming products are marketed and showed that even long-standing brands can reinvent themselves with the right approach. Old Spice’s success also showed that a sense of humor and a willingness to embrace new media can be a powerful tool for any brand looking to connect with younger consumers.
In conclusion, Old Spice’s ‘The Man Your Man Could Smell Like’ campaign was a game- changer for the brand and the male grooming industry as a whole. It showed that even traditional brands can become modern and appealing with the right approach and helped to establish Old Spice as a brand that was in tune with modern attitudes towards masculinity and male grooming. By embracing humor and new media, Old Spice was able to connect with a new generation of consumers and inspire other brands to do the same.