Before 2010, Old Spice was known as the brand used by your father and grandfather. Originally manufactured by the Shulton Company in 1937, the company first launched Early American Old Spice for women, followed quickly by Old Spice for men. Purchased in 1990 by Proctor & Gamble, Old Spice took on the task of appealing to a younger audience.
It wasn’t until 2010 that Old Spice cast former professional football player Isaiah Mustafa as the “Old Spice Guy” that a marketing campaign legend was born.
With its humor, special effects and direct appeal to women, the ad quickly went viral, garnering sequels, a dedicated YouTube channel where Isaiah answered fan’s questions and a spinoff campaign featuring Terry Crews. Meanwhile, the company’s sales more than doubled and Old Spice became the year’s top-selling bodywash for men.
To recreate the ad, I could only think of one Star Wars character that carried the smooth, sophisticated confidence of the Old Spice Guy. Lando Calrissian is the most confident opportunist in the galaxy. A gambler, con artist, playboy and businessman, he’s always looking for his next big score.
While I love the older version of Lando, as portrayed by Billy Dee Williams, I felt the Star Wars Black Series 6-inch figure based on Donald Glover was a better match to replace Isaiah Mustafa as the subject of my ad parody/recreation. And of course, knowing Lando, he’d probably find some place out of the way to shoot his advertising images.
When launching a marketing campaign, it’s important to know not only who’s using it, but who’s buying it, too. The Old Spice Guy campaign worked because it appealed to women who were buying the bodywash with over-the-top promises of what life could be like if only their man smelled as good as him. Plus, it appealed to men through its humor and their desire to be as cool as the Guy.
Creating marketing campaigns that recognize two different targets (consumer and purchaser) and successfully connect with them are hard to create. But with the right story and the right message, it can be done.
When you’re ready to create a marketing campaign or strategy to promote your business and boost your sales, I can help. Just drop me a line and let’s get started.
Until next time… May the Force be with you.