Old Spice Provides Interesting Content

Most everyone has seen Old Spice’s wonderful new media marketing campaign. What I find compelling is that the campaign is a product of confusion. The people at Old Spice found their voice, having an extremely handsome spokesman discuss the (obviously unattainable) benefits of wearing Old Spice. That is, the marketing campaign focuses on the Uber Man, suggesting that Old Spice is for men who can do just about anything and that using the product makes such a man possible. We recognize that it is in good fun, that this is impossible.

Exhibit A.

This tone establishes a bit of fun for the campaign, one that started out very strong using Bruce – my hero from countless B-movies and TV shows – Campbell. Here, the new spokesman is even better (sorry, Bruce). He is pitch-perfect for Old Spice’s campaign, and I assume cheaper than other spokesmen. But, he doesn’t come into his own until he begins his VERY popular response campaign.

Take this:

And this: (Come on! Zeppelin over a bacon factory!!! Genius!)

And his swan song:

What we get here is a perfect use of new media, a commercial adapting to the nature of the web – in this case, twitter-like responses. It creates a content, an intimacy that the web accomplishes better than almost any other medium. There is a personal bond with the users who view these commercials, its product, and most importantly its spokesman. We care for him by the time the ride is over, revisit his other commercials, and share them with our friends. It is a wonderful fiction, a wonderful story blending the illusion with the real.