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Running Head: OLD SPICE MAKES A COMEBACK

1

IMC 613 Week 3 Assignment

Jenna Beach

West Virginia University

March 31, 2014

OLD SPICE MAKES A COMEBACK 2

Background Overview: Old Spice

Old Spice’s rich and authentic history spans over 70 years as one of America’s iconic men’s

grooming brands. Old Spice was first introduced for women in 1937 followed by Old Spice for men in

1938. The Shulton Company, founded in 1934 by William Lightfoot Schultz, pictured below in Figure 1,

began manufacturing Old Spice products to provide grooming products to men of all ages (Procter &

Gamble, 2011b).

Figure 1

William Lightfoot Schultz: Founder of Old Spice

Pictured above is the Founder of Old Spice,

William Lightfoot Schultz (Procter & Gamble, 2011b).

In June 1990, Procter & Gamble, the world's largest consumer goods producer, purchased Old

Spice from the Shulton Company including the entire product line of fragrances, skin care, antiperspirant,

and deodorant (Procter & Gamble, 2011b). “The new owner overhauled the brand, changing its scent,

replacing its iconic clipper ship logo with a yacht, and targeting a younger demographic” (Bukszpan,

2012). Today, 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” (Procter & Gamble, 2011).

Brand Position

Old Spice’s brand position has undergone significant changes over the past few decades, most

notably in the last five years. “So ladies, does your man smell like an Old Spice man” is not a phrase that

would have heard a decade ago (Old Spice, 2010). However, with savvy marketing, Old Spice was able

to revive, modernize, and market its brand in 2010, creating a stronger brand position with a younger

demographic. Procter and Gamble teamed up with advertising agency, Wieden + Kennedy, to create a


clever advertising and social media campaign that would “produce a fresh identity, even for a brand that

many associate with their grandfather’s deodorant” (Aquino, 2011). The new marketing concept involved

former NFL player Isaiah Mustafa, pictured below in Figure 2, who used his charming and witty

personality along with his chiseled physique to engage potential consumers, mainly women, to rediscover

the nearly ancient Old Spice brand. A major reason Old Spice selected Mustafa as the brand’s

spokesperson was to target and stimulate the purchasing behavior of women consumers.

Figure 2

Isaiah Mustafa: 2010 Old Spice Spokesperson

Pictured above is legendary spokesperson Isaiah Mustafa

who was known for the saying, “I’m on a horse” (D'Zurilla, 2010)

Jason Bagley, Creative Director for Wieden + Kennedy, shared in an interview that his creative

approach was fundamentally due to the fact that women purchase 75% of the body wash and Old Spice

could sell more products by targeting a new audience (CNN, 2010). Television commercials featuring

Mustafa became an instant viral sensation with its campaign “Smell Like a Man, Man” (Bukszpan, 2012).

According to Nielsen data, overall sales of Old Spice Body Wash rose to 106% in 2010 (O'Leary &

Wasserman, 2010). Table 1 below outlines the growth pattern of Old Spice products beginning February

2010 and ending July 2010.


Table 1

2010 Old Spice Sales Increase

Old Spice Cleans Up:

Old Spice’s Body Wash sales have

jumped since the campaign’s

February launch

February

2010

July

2010

%

Gain

High Endurance $2.3M $4.6M 100%

Red Zone $1.1M $1.6M 49%

Liquid Body Wash $129.9 $148.6 14.4%

Dry Skin Defense Body Wash $8.2 $164.5 1900% Odor Blocker Body Wash $35.8 $649.6 1,715%

Overall $3,503 $7,312 106%

Original Source: Symphony IRI. The figures refer to the four-week period

ended 2/21 and 7/21 respectively. (O'Leary & Wasserman, 2010)

Later in July 2010, Old Spice released a sequel to the “Smell Like a Man, Man” campaign to

further build buzz, inviting consumers to submit questions via Twitter and Facebook to be answered

personally by Mustafa. According to Procter and Gamble, more than 2,000 people submitted questions in

a 48-hour period “setting new benchmarks for consumer engagement and sparking another viral hit”

(Procter & Gamble, n.d.a). This campaign involved working with Wieden + Kennedy to develop and

coordinate 186 customized video responses to celebrities and other social media influencers, including

Perez Hilton, Ellen DeGeneres, and Alyssa Milano, who asked Mustafa questions via Twitter, Facebook

and other social media sites” (Aquino. 2011; Bruno, 2010).

The video response campaign was a monumental success for Old Spice. The campaign sequel

resulted in “1.2 billion earned media impressions, including features on national broadcast networks and

international media outlets” (Procter & Gamble, n.d.a). Not only did the Old Spice YouTube channel

more than double its number of subscribers to 150,000, the number of Old Spice Facebook fans also

increased from 500,000 to 800,000, a 60% growth; and its Twitter following also “exploded 2700% to

over 83,000 followers.” (Bruell, 2010; Chaloner, 2011). Lastly, the heightened brand awareness

ultimately increased traffic to Old Spice’s website by 300% (Procter & Gamble, n.d.a).

In 1970, 1971, and 1972, Old Spice utilized a different branding approach with its advertising.

The brand positioned itself as a men’s product that would enable men to become themselves and find

success while women found their scent irresistible (Commercial News and Fun, 2011). Unlike the 2010


campaign, the brand message in the 1970s did not directly target women. Rather, Old Spice applied

persuasion techniques to target men, conveying the message that men should use Old Spice because “girls

like it” (Side Show Carny, 2006). In the 1970s, Old Spice products were positioned for fathers and

grandfathers, versus the 2010 campaigns that were branded for women to purchase for their significant

others.

The slogan used in a 1970s commercial, “The Mark of a Man” is similar to the 2010 slogan,

“Smell Like a Man, Man.” Both branding campaigns focused on the masculine activities that define the

characteristics of a man – rugged and manly – which indicated that the ultimate “man” used Old Spice

products. Old Spice combined 1970s masculinity with humor in its innovative approach in 2010 to

capture the attention of men and women. The benefits of Old Spice products as indicated in commercials

from the 1970s centered around the concept that men wanted to be a man and smell like one too.

However, in Old Spice’s 2010 and subsequent advertisements, the approach to the product benefits

shifted – ladies want their man to “smell like a man.”

The 1980s was an era of wholesomeness and was portrayed as extremely family oriented. During

that time, Old Spice positioned itself as a brand that was not for every man, rather it was intended for

family men with wives and children (Kaseyi, 2013). In 2010, this type of branding approach would not

have been received well or been as successful as indicated in its rebranding strategy. Applying Old Spice

products was a part of a man’s daily routine in the 70s and the 80s. However, in 2010 and subsequent

years that would follow, branding of Old Spice began focusing on the experience of the Old Spice

product. Wieden + Kennedy’s repackaging of Old Spice was “for the modern young man who might

remember Dad's cologne and appreciates a satirical take on that ancient history” (Parpis, 2010).

Today, Old Spice has continued marketing to a younger demographic of men who are entering

adulthood and becoming a “man.” In recent commercials, mothers of young men are not ready for their

teenage boys to grow up and begin doing manly things such as dating and moving on as young men. Old

Spice has begun to brand itself as a product that will make boys “grown up” men, hence the slogan

“Smellcome to Manhood” (Old Spice, 2014). Moreover, “Old Spice continues to sail the high seas of


masculinity—bringing a boatload of experience to helping guys navigate the seas of manhood (Procter &

Gamble, n.d.b).

Brand Elements

The Old Spice brand is widely recognized in today’s society. While some brand elements have

remained true, many improvements have been made to the brand’s elements that have allowed for more

edgy, contemporary, and competitive products. “Brand elements, sometimes called brand identities, are

those trademarkable devices that serve to identify and differentiate the brand” (Keller, 2013a). In order to

change consumer perceptions that Old Spice products are for older fathers and grandfathers, the brand had

to make considerable changes to provide a positive contribution to the brand equity to elicit certain valued

associations responses” (Keller, 2013a). The changes in brand elements have positioned Old Spice as a

continued leader of male grooming essentials.

Logos and Symbols

Over the course of the years, the Old Spice logo has undergone many variations. As Keller

stated, “logos can be adapted slowly over a period of time to achieve a more contemporary look” (2013, p

128). When Old Spice was first introduced, Schultz was interested in preserving a colonial framework for

the original products and chose a nautical theme (Procter & Gamble, 2011b). “Thus, sailing ships, in

particular colonial sailing ships, were used as a trademark. Through continuous use and advertising, the

various ships have become a valuable trademark identifying the Old Spice product for men” (Procter &

Gamble, 2011b). During the 1970s and 1980s, the Grand Turk was the original clipper ship symbol on

used on all mugs, bottles, and packaging until the early 1990s and is pictured below in Figure 3 (Old

Spice ships, 2012).

Since its inception, Old Spice has used the words ‘Old Spice’ in its logo while incorporating the

traditional scripted red font which is pictured below in Figure 4. Old Spice continued using the Grand

Turk and the scripted font but the position of the clipper varied from top to bottom. By the mid-1990s,

“the old clipper ships were replaced by contemporary racing yachts” ("Old Spice packaging," 2012). A

sample of this symbol is below in Figure 5. Also, in the 1990s, a less scripted, cursive-like font replaced


the traditional font and is pictured below in Figure 6. Old Spice reverted back to its Grand Turk clipper

ship and traditional scripted font which is slightly less curly now, and is utilized in all current branding.

The Old Spice logo as it is used today is pictured below in Figure 7.

Figure 3 Figure 4

Grand Turk in the 1970s Old Spice Traditional Font

(Traditional Bottles, 2012)

Figure 5 Figure 6

Grand Turk in the 1980s Old Spice Font in the 1990s

(Traditional Bottles. 2012) (Brand Profiles, n.d.)

Figure 7 Current Old Spice Logo

(Procter & Gamble, 2013)


Brand Name

The Old Spice brand name has always remained the same since it was first introduced in the 1930s.

According to Keller, a brand’s name “captures the central theme or key associations of a product in a very

compact and economical fashion” (2013, p 119). In today’s society, brand names are how individuals

refer to their favorite products and should be one that is can be recognized, recalled and is easy to

pronounce. The Old Spice brand has been around for centuries, but in recent years has become more of a

household brand that teens and young men use to attract ladies and smell manly, just like their fathers and

grandfathers have always done in the past.

Packaging

The packaging of Old Spice products has changed many times from 1971 until the current date.

According to Keller, “the package can become an important means of brand recognition and convey or

imply information to build or reinforce valuable brand associations” (2013, p 137). Old Spice revamped

the look of its cologne box, removing the stars that had previously adorned boxes and made the word

‘Cologne’ more prominent with the addition of ‘For Men’ directly underneath. At this time, “there were

no changes to the After Shave or Talcum boxes” ("Old Spice packaging," 2012). Old Spice continued

production of this packaging until 1980. In 1981, Old Spice made some adjustments to its packaging

including two double stripes above and below the logo. ‘Cologne’ became ‘Long Lasting Cologne’ and

‘After Shave Lotion’ simply became ‘After Shave’ ("Old Spice packaging," 2012). By the mid-90s, the

packaging took a modern direction, replacing the old clipper ships with contemporary racing yachts ("Old

Spice packaging," 2012).

The brand has preserved its cultural icon by incorporating its heritage and offering consumers the

Classic Scent Cologne and After Shave that remain packaged in the original buoy design with the

traditional red cap. The Old Spice cologne is now offered as a spray bottle that also comes packaged in

the same buoy design with a few minor adjustments in its logo to differentiate the spray. Today, Old

Spice has extended its brand to include deodorant, body wash, body spray, bar soap, hair care and styling

products, trimmers and shavers, shave gel and fragrances. The packaging of the new products has


developed into a more modern and sleek appearance, and has continued to utilize the traditional red

theme. The color red, in addition to the various patterns and graphics helps identify the brand, convey

descriptive and persuasive information as well as aid in product consumption (Keller, 2013c) Not only

does Old Spice claim its products will make young men look and smell good, but the brand also has

aesthetically pleasing packaging which helps sell products. Figure 8 below is a comparison of Old Spice’s

packaging as it evolved over the years.

Figure 8

Comparison of Old Spice Products

Brand Criteria

According to Keller, there are six general criteria for brand elements including memorability,

meaningfulness, likability, transferability, adaptability, and protectability (Keller, 2013a).

Memorability

Living in today’s world, it is highly unlikely that no one has not heard of the Old Spice brand.

Having the ability to be memorable is a necessary condition for building brand equity to achieve a high

level of brand awareness (Keller, 2013a). The Old Spice is definitely one of those unforgotten brands that

most everyone can recall, thanks to its hilarious and witty commercials. Old Spice could potentially be

more memorable and have a higher recall if consumers had grandfathers or wiser, older men in their life

who used the products in earlier times. Despite variations in its logo, the Old Spice logo has remained

somewhat consistent which helps in the ability to recognize and recall the brand.


Meaningfulness

The Old Spice brand has been successful in positioning itself as a product designed specifically

for men. Old Spice clearly describes who its intended audience is on its packaging with the words “For

Men.” Therefore, there is no mistake that this product is just for men. Through its commercials, social

media, and print advertisements, Old Spice has persuaded men and women that the entire product line

will make men smell like a man, particularly a masculine and desirable man, man.

Likability

As evident in the success of its rebranding campaign, many people like the Old Spice brand,

finding it a fun, humorous, and edgy brand. The consumers like the Old Spice brand, especially when

new products are constantly being developed and are useful in their daily grooming routines.

Transferability

Young men all over America, no matter the demographic area, are able to utilize Old Spice

products. The products offered by Old Spice allow something for every man whether it be deodorant,

aftershave, cologne or even trimmers. At this time, Old Spice has not transferred to multiple global

geographical areas. According to its website, Old Spice products are currently only available in America

and Canada.

Adaptability

Rather than marketing its brand name and products to older men, Old Spice recognized the need

to adapt to a new target demographic. The brand has recognized that it should not only focus on selling

its products to men, it should also focus on the women consumer as they are the primary purchasers of

body wash.

Protectability

The Old Spice brand has a very distinct logo, symbol, name, and tagline – making it nearly

impossible for another brand or individual to duplicate its iconic brand. There have been many

competitors that have entered the marketplace and have attempted to replicate Old Spice’s brand, but

none have been able to stand the test of time like Old Spice.


References

Aquino, J. (2011, February 10). The 10 most successful rebranding campaigns. BusinessInsider.com.

Retrieved from http://www.businessinsider.com/10-most-successful-rebranding-campaigns-2011-

2?op=1

Brand Profiles. (n.d.). Red, square Old Spice logo. Retrieved from

http://www.brandprofiles.com/oldspice-logo

Bruell, A. (2010, July 21). Old spice goes beyond hot-man-in-towel approach to boost sales. PR Week.

Retrieved from http://www.prweekus.com/article/old-spice-goes-beyond-hot-man-in-towel-approach-

boost-sales/1267017

Bruno, K. (2010, July 15). Old Spice mixes social media and web ads. Forbes.com. Retrieved from

http://www.forbes.com/2010/07/15/old-spice-youtube-procter-gamble-twitter-facebook-cmo-

network-social-media-advertising.html

Bukszpan, D. (2012, April 10). 10 brands that made a comeback. CNBC/Yahoo. Retrieved from

https://shine.yahoo.com/work-money/10-brands-made-comeback-151600113.html

Chaloner, P. (2011, December). Top 20 Infographics for social media 2011 [Image]. Retrieved from

http://www.freshegg.com/m/0/2011-12-infographic-on-social-media-01-600x15982.jpg

Commercial News and Fun (2011, September 24). Old Spice commercial 1970 [YouTube video].

Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=REV8vBubAIA

CNN. (2010, July 19). Old spice freshens up image. CNN.com. Retrieved from

http://www.cnn.com/video/data/2.0/video/showbiz/2010/07/19/am.seg.bagley.old.spice.cnn.html

D'Zurilla, C. (2010, February 18). It's the guy in the old spice commercial: Isaiah Mustafa. Los Angeles

Times. Retrieved from http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/gossip/2010/02/isaiah-mustafa-old-spice-

commercial.html

Kaseyi. (2013, February 16). Old Spice Commercial-1984 [YouTube video]. Retrieved from

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Py8hxDGGztU

Keller, K. (2013a). Strategic brand management (4th ed., p. 114-119). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice

Hall.

Keller, K. (2013b). Strategic brand management (4th ed., p. 128). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall.

Keller, K. (2013c). Strategic brand management (4th ed., p. 136-137). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice

Hall.

O'Leary, N., & Wasserman, T. (2010, July 25). Old spice campaign smells like a sales success, too. Ad

Week. Retrieved from http://www.adweek.com/news/advertising-branding/old-spice-campaign-

smells-sales-success-too-107588?page=1

Old Spice. (2014, January 3). Momsong [YouTube video]. (Retrieved from

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aiulXuIGXF0

Old Spice. (2010, June 29). Old Spice questions [YouTube video]. Retrieved from

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uLTIowBF0kE


Old Spice packaging. (2012). Retrieved from http://www.oldspicecollectibles.com/FAQ and

more/packaging.html

Old Spice ships. (2012). Retrieved from

http://www.oldspicecollectibles.com/FAQ%20and%20more/ships.html

Parpis, E. (2010, July 26). Spice it up. AdWeek.com. Retrieved from

http://www.adweek.com/news/advertising-branding/spice-it-102895?page=1

Procter & Gamble. (2013, April 8). Corporate newsroom. Retrieved from http://news.pg.com/press-

release/pg-corporate-announcements/old-spice-introduces-new-bar-soap-lineup-rope-not-included-

Procter & Gamble. (n.d.a). Old Spice fact sheet. Retrieved from

https://www.pg.com/en_US/downloads/innovation/factsheet_OldSpice.pdf

Procter & Gamble. (n.d.b). Old Spice hair fact sheet. Retrieved from

http://www.pg.com/en_US/downloads/innovation/factsheet_Old_Spice_Hair_final.pdf

Procter & Gamble. (2011a). About Old Spice. Retrieved from

http://oldspice.newshq.businesswire.com/about

Procter & Gamble. (2011b). History of Old Spice. Retrieved from

http://oldspice.newshq.businesswire.com/about/history_timeline

Side Show Carny (2006, September 20). Old Spice commercial [YouTube video].

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9t0z04Qz61Q

Traditional Bottles. (2012). Retrieved from

http://www.oldspicecollectibles.com/Bottles/traditional%20bottles.html

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