Old Spice - They Know How To Make A TV AD

Just over five days ago the Cannes Lions International Advertising Festival 2010 concluded, as per usual, in fine style after handing out some very deserved awards. One of the categories that I am most interested in is the Film category (possibly because its hard to produce truly fresh work in this medium these days) and the 2010 festival did not disappoint with its selection for the top award - a Cannes Film Lions Grand Prix. The deserving ad - Old Spice's "The man your man could smell like" TV spot.

Look at your man. Now look back at this ad. Now back to your man. Now back to the ad… how good is the ad!? According to its creators - agency WIEDEN+KENNEDY - the ad was created to appeal to men as well as women, showing them both how great a man can smell when they use Old Spice Body Wash. The ad does just that - appeal to both men and women. With more than 11 millions views and a compliment from jury president Mark Tutssel at Cannes: "Old Spice was the perfect film – it took an old sleeping brand and woke it up. Overnight it became a cultural phenomenon and captured the imagination of the planet." I would say it has done its job.

The interesting thing is that the TV spot is the culmination of a massive make over of the Old Spice brand that started almost 5 years ago. Apparently Old Spice send more than ⅔ of their entire ad budget for 2009 on a series of ads just like the one that picked up the Cannes award. The goal was to move the brand away from being associated with sailor, fishermen and your dad to something younger and fresher - more spice if you will. So has it worked? Well take a look at the transition their print adverting has taken over the last few decades above and consider that TIME magazine is blogging about how exited they are about the sequel they must be doing something right. Yes there is a sequel....

Now if you don't agree that is some of the best copy writing for a TV ad you have come across lately I want to see what you have been watching. Shot in a similar style to the first ad - the whole as is a single tracking shot - and again staring former NFL player Isaiah Mustafa as "The Man Your Man Could Smell Like" is set for viral success and I don't have to tell you why.  Now if you will excuse me I have to go and practice my swan dive……