BNet reports that Procter & Gamble (PG) “faces an unpleasant dilemma on its Old Spice brand”: the campaign featuring “an impossibly handsome man in a towel” is hugely popular but sales of the product are going down.
So the question remains: is advertising an art form meant to entertain the masses? Or is it meant to sell soap (or deodorant, as the case may be)?
In this troubled economic times, I vote for sales.
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July 26th, 2010 at 9:22 am
WOW really? Funny I was just looking at those new commercials and thought "I may have to get some old spice LOL" But of course the degree for men and the other one where the ladies climb all over guys has been hot for the past 5 + years.
I agree on sales no matter what the economy. But guys are simple. We want good smelling stuff that will drive women to wildly jump on our bones while looking cool.
They're new commercials (though late) are a good start. Smart move would be to "spice" things up online.
July 26th, 2010 at 9:34 am
I think this new ad campaign is about revitalizing a brand image – Old Spice was something Baby Boomer dads wore, and who wants to spend like their dads (or remind their wives/girlfriends of their dads?)
July 26th, 2010 at 11:39 am
I would say, based on the purchasing patterns for this type of product, that it is too early to declare the campaign a success or not. Look again in six months.
July 26th, 2010 at 12:45 pm
I agree with Steve H. too early to draw any conclusions. Maybe in a month or two we would have a better idea.
Also we need to remember that despite the marketing efforts and budgets if the product is in decline there is a reason for this!
July 26th, 2010 at 6:07 am
Will the attempt at a “metrosexual” image alienate the core deomgraphic?
July 26th, 2010 at 1:57 pm
Or, perhaps the campaign has shown some success after all:
http://www.brandweek.com/bw/content_display/news-…
– MDT
July 26th, 2010 at 3:05 pm
Hey – don't get me wrong! I love the commercials. I find them entertaining and engaging. I am glad they were produced and doubly glad they went viral (I don't watch much TV, so I had missed them live).
But my point is this:
Keeping the campaign going in the face of (maybe) short terms sales declines is a business decision: do you have the financial stamina to keep the media buy going in the face of sales declines (or flat liner results) with the promise of an eventual uptick or do you bail out?
This decision isn’t unlike a decision to dump a stock you buy and which declines shortly after: do you believe it will come back or don’t you.
July 26th, 2010 at 4:59 pm
UPDATE: AdAge weighs in here – http://adage.com/article?article_id=145096
Here is an excerpt:
The question is: How much Old Spice body wash has he sold? And the answer is a bit of a mystery.
The bottom line: Mr. Mustafa and Wieden & Kennedy are clearly selling some body wash, but they may not be responsible for the bulk of Old Spice's sales gain this year.
How much of Old Spice's recent gains — of that 106% bump measured by Symphony IRI in June, for example — come from Mr. Mustafa's ads and how much from the coupons? "It's impossible to know," said P&G spokesman Mike Norton.
Nor is it clear how much Old Spice's 106% gain will disappear from P&G's top line when coupon redemptions, which don't figure into scanner data but do come off the company's top line when financial results are reported next month, figure in.
OK, now for a bit more fun: great spoof here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o-IHk6FKyeg
July 26th, 2010 at 6:04 pm
A low calorie version of the product is needed. It's just too strong for today's daily bathers. Remember, this was formulated to MASK body odors originally and hasn't changed formulations since the early 1900's. Todays young to middle aged set would react better to a natural CANNIBIS scent than Old Spice!
July 26th, 2010 at 6:08 pm
Old Spice is no BAY RHUM. Now, that's the real deal! Problem with any of these scnets is they dominate the room and distort the taste of your drink or food.
July 26th, 2010 at 9:31 pm
This campaign caught lightning in a bottle. You can't simply buy that kind of exposure. Many have tried, and many have failed, all while spending a great deal of money along the way. Let's face it, a lot of advertising really is crap. Most of it is forgettable. That is why brands are investing in images that cut through the clutter—they want customers to develop an affinity for their products. Good for you Old Spice.
Kevin Roberts of Saatchi and Saatchi did a good job of describing this affinity when he called preferred brands Lovemarks. They simply have a consumer connection that goes beyond reason. People come to like certain products at such a deep level that they become part of their personal brand. It's those types of relationships that require an emotional connection, something beyond hard sell sales messages. It's what pulled Apple from the abyss in the 90's to being the top bluechip stock available.
Entertainment is a great way to start building loyalty, and the ROI from this is going to be great. I would love more commentary on this. Is creativity necessary to engage consumers?
I've shared more on the campaign, and why generic sales messages are not where it's at on my blog: http://www.hottomali.com/blog/2010/07/26/old-spic…
July 27th, 2010 at 2:58 am
I think ads are to entertain masses, celebrities too are what sell. They use celebrities or famous people to make sales. Nowadays, I think people are smarter, they stick to practical and proven products they trust.
July 27th, 2010 at 10:09 pm
my friend el frawg loves the old spice guy
July 28th, 2010 at 9:09 am
Looks like somewhere, someone has their numbers wrong: http://mashable.com/2010/07/27/old-spice-sales/
What's that thing they say about statistics again?