A few months ago, none of us thought of Old Spice as a fresh and marketable company, but that all changed with the “The Man Your Man Could Smell Like” commercial that debuted February 2, 2010. It was a fantastically-made commercial that combined great ideas, viral sensibilities, quotable lines, some sweet behind-the-scenes work, and a little bit of the ridiculous.
Old Spice recently released a second 30-second commercial (once again featuring actor Isaiah Mustafa) called Questions. This video was released June 29, 2010. It already has over five million views on YouTube, proving that it was just as addicting as the first video.
Even with all of that, though, nobody expected the next step from Old Spice.
On Tuesday, June 13, Old Spice’s Twitter account stated: “Today could be just like the other 364 days you log into twitter, or maybe the Old Spice man shows up @OldSpice.”
Old Spice then proceeded to release very simple, short video featuring the Old Spice Guy (towel and bathroom in tow) responding to fan comments on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and other social media sites. Each of these responses followed suit with the manly personality portrayed in the original commercials, combining a hilarious mixture of arrogance and random wit that has been appealing to both men and women. Viewers everywhere can’t stop watching or talking about them; many of the videos have received over 15,000 views in less than 24 hours!
Regardless of how enjoyable the videos have been, they are still part of a marketing campaign. As such, it’s no surprise that many of these video responses have been directed toward internet-savvy celebrities like Ellen DeGeneres, Apolo Ohno, and Ryan Seacreast.
Many regular users, followers, and fans have been treated to a response, though, too. Once social media users started to catch on to what was going on, they started flooding the Old Spice team with questions and comments for the Old Spice Guy to respond to — including a request for a proposal from one user to his girlfriend (you can read more about that story at Mashable).
After a full day of shooting, I don’t think anyone expected the videos to start again today, but early on Wednesday morning the Old Spice Twitter account said, “The Old Spice man/guy on a horse is online, talking to everyone who’s been talking about him” and the videos started again.
This is quite possibly the best marketing campaign I have seen in a long time. Old Spice has found a way to not only refresh their brand in a way that is relevant, but also to create a social media phenomenon. Fans are eagerly awaiting new commercials and promising to use the product. Customers, celebrities, and other brands are all connecting with Old Spice and the videos are being reposted (and retweeted) everywhere.
To truly appreciate the marketing genius in this campaign, consider the fact that a majority of these YouTube videos do not include an image of the product, a logo, or even a mention of the product name. Here’s hoping Old Spice can keep the campaign interesting, or at least that they know when to quit before the campaign loses its effectiveness due to overpopularity or dilution.
Looks like all things must come to an end, as the most recent youtube video from Old Spice so hilariously puts it.