 |
| Photo Credit: oldspice.com |
I think one of the best commercial adaptations of a social media
strategy comes from Old Spice. Old Spice was developed in 1937 and has grown to
be one of the largest and most recognizable brands in personal hygiene today.
“Procter & Gamble’s Old Spice is the quintessential
men’s grooming brand. With more than 70 years as an American icon, Old Spice is
the authority on the male grooming experience and has leveraged this heritage
to become the No.1 selling anti-perspirant/deodorant stick and body wash brand
with guys of all ages. Old Spice brings authenticity, performance and
confidence to male grooming and offers a wide product portfolio for today’s
man, including anti-perspirants, deodorants, body washes, body sprays, after
shaves and colognes” (Gamble, 2015) .
You may recognize the 70 year-old name, but you certainly
will not find any 70 year-old marketing content. In 2003 Old Spice was one of
the first brands to enter the male body wash market. Sales were strong and
growing until 2009 when Old Spice noticed their market share slipping as bar
soap became less popular and more brands like Dove, Dial, and Irish Spring
began aggressively pushing their body wash options. For the 2010 Super Bowl, they launched “The
Man Your Man Could Smell Like” campaign.
The campaign was designed to create a
fun and engaging marketing experience. The key was not just the video (though the commercial
was funny), but rather the YouTube, Facebook, and Twitter presence supporting
the video. In addition to over 50 million current views, Old Spice encouraged
users to comment or tweet questions and have them answered live by the “Old
Spice Man.”
I think the campaign was extremely "likable." According to Old Spice the campaign produced:
• Nearly 105 million YouTube views
• 1.2 billion earned media impressions, including features
on national broadcast networks and international media outlets
• 2700% increase in Twitter followers
• 800% increase in Facebook fan interaction
• 300% increase in traffic to http://oldspice.com
• Old Spice has become the #1 Most Viewed Sponsored YouTube
Channel
This campaign led to many others, giving Old Spice a reputation for being one of the most creative and unique companies in their use of social media. Some would argue that their videos have become a little too abnormal or bizarre, but it is hard to deny their continued support and social media interaction.
Follow Old Spice on:
YouTube
Facebook
Twitter
Instagram
Tumblr
This campaign led to many others, giving Old Spice a reputation for being one of the most creative and unique companies in their use of social media. Some would argue that their videos have become a little too abnormal or bizarre, but it is hard to deny their continued support and social media interaction.
Follow Old Spice on:
YouTube
Tumblr
Hi Brian, good example. I did a project in my undergrad about Old Spice and their social media campaign. They certainly have great humor in their ads! I love the idea of having an "Old Spice Man" answer questions from customers. It really gives the brand a sense of a personality behind it.
ReplyDeleteHey Brian,
ReplyDeleteGreat post, and great brand! I think the thing that makes this social media strategy particularly effective is the content that Old Spice is putting out there. The content is irreverent, inane, and ridiculous, and it is clearly meant to appeal to a male sense of humor. What is interesting is that even though it is deliberately self-deprecating, Old Spice makes no apologies for it. There is an authenticity in this sort of not-taking-ourselves-too-seriously messaging that a male target audience could appreciate, and this is why this strategy seems to have resonated so much through social media. A quick scan of Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube show that Old Spice’s content has an audience and it is being shared and viewed many times over. Indeed, the stats you highlight in your post speak volumes about how successful this campaign has been in creating awareness and expanding Old Spice’s social media reach.
Kerpen (2011) states that “just as in a relationship between two people, openness and trust helps a connection grow” (p. 102). Old Spice’s unapologetic authenticity, and its open willingness to embrace this sort of quirky messaging through its social media is what makes this a “likeable” campaign. If anything, Old Spice certainly stands out among P&G’s other male grooming brands like Braun and Gillette, whose own messaging and voice take a completely different tone.
References:
Kerpen, D. (2011). Likeable social media: How to delight your customers, create an irresistible brand, and be generally amazing on Facebook (and other social networks). New York, N.Y.:McGraw-Hill
Hi Brian,
ReplyDeleteThis is a great example of a brand that has rebranded through the years and has successfully adapted their communication strategy to center on social media. I personally find the content funny and have enjoyed being entertained by their advertising on TV and YouTube. The success is certainly in the stats for Old Spice, no one could argue with that.
Kerpen discusses engagement in Chapter 5, stating "when you make a commitment to listen to and engage with your customers and prospects, it fosters a genuine sense of trust and loyalty between you and them, and among them." Do you know if this type of engagement is visible on Old Spice social media? Have you observed Old Spice responding to posts? Assuming they do not necessarily respond or dialogue with customers on their social media sites...do you think it is possible to "grow relationships" without the engagement that is described by Kerpen? I ask this because Old Spice uses humor in their IMC to engage consumers. Humor is not something people would necessarily respond to in text…the response may come across as nonverbal. But there is a response gained, maybe a simple “like” in this case may just be enough consumer response for Old Spice. The communication strategy using social media would also have to keep in mind the target market and the type of product. My observation of Old Spice messaging is that they center communication indirectly on brand benefit (like an idealistic brand benefit rather than specific product attributes). I wonder if this strategy really builds a loyal, long-term customer…what do you think?
References:
Kerpen, D. (2011). Likeable social media: How to delight your customers, create an irresistible brand, and be generally amazing on Facebook (and other social networks). New York, N.Y.:McGraw-Hill