Fragrant Branding of Old Spice

Today, let’s take a look at the fascinating story of targeting, positioning, and one major transformation.

Old Spice: How a Scent for Grandfathers Became an Iconic Brand for the Youth

Old Spice was launched in 1938 and, thanks to its strong musky scent, became a symbol for an older target audience. So, Old Spice faced the challenge: how to bring the brand to younger consumers? A 2010 study revealed that 60% of men’s grooming products were bought by women. How should they tackle this data?

The key moment was the "The Man Your Man Could Smell Like" campaign featuring the iconic actor Isaiah Mustafa. The campaign targeted women more, appealing to their physical and emotional preferences, whether through masculine appeal or the self-ironic humor of the actor. The campaign also cleverly integrated social media, with Mustafa recording 186 personal messages for Old Spice fans on Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube over two and a half days. Within 24 hours, the campaign, with 6 million views, became one of the most popular interactive campaigns in history.

These phenomenal results show us how important it is to continually adapt, innovate, and have the courage to try something new, even with a traditional brand.