In 2010 an Old Spice marketing campaign achieved viral success. Even more impressive was the fact that they did this as part of a rebranding that completely changed their target audience. There were many factors that contributed to their success, but there are 3 key things that this campaign can teach us about marketing. Things that keep us talking about these ads to this day.

#1 Make It Short, Sweet, and Snappy

The commercial that debuted the ‘man your man could smell like’ campaign featured witty dialogue and cheesy, rapid-fire transitions that caught and kept audiences’ attention from the start. And let’s face it, opening with a shirtless man didn’t hurt either. What Old Spice knew, and capitalized on, was that viewers have a short attention span.

Aim For 90 Seconds

In today’s digital world, we are exposed to so much content that we have to pick and choose what we pay attention to. Longer videos just take up too much of our time. That is why there is a sweet spot for video advertising, and that sweet spot lies somewhere around 90 seconds. After 60 seconds viewers start to drop off, and after two minutes less than 57% of viewers are still watching. Anything less than a minute risks not connecting with your audience or expressing a compelling story.

The Old Spice commercial was only 32 seconds long, but that was because it was made for TV. I am willing to bet that viewers would have kept watching for another 28 seconds at least.

You Have 10 Seconds…

Of course, there is a second factor in whether we tune into the video at all: capturing attention right away. If a video doesn’t hook us, and hook us fast, we are going to click away. On average, a video needs to grab our attention in the first 10 seconds in order to keep it. A fact that Old Spice played on repeatedly.

Keep It Engaging The Whole Time

Not only were the first few seconds engaging, and the commercial short overall, but the constantly changing set and props were creating new interest points that kept us from becoming bored. New things were even being added in the last 4 seconds! When paired with witty dialogue a winning combination was born.

#2 Create A Fantasy

In most marketing campaigns it is important to tell a story or create some kind of fantasy that will entice people to engage with your brand. The Old Spice rebranding campaign was no different.

Know Your Buyer

The story that Old Spice wanted to tell for this particular campaign meant that they had to change their target audience, which was a two-fold process. First, Old Spice wanted to lower the age of their demographic from 55+ to 18-35. Next, they used a crucial piece of research to flip their marketing strategy on edge. Knowing that women make approximately 70% of all the purchases of male toiletries, Old Spice decided to market to them instead.

Satisfy A Desire

Armed with that strategy Old Spice built a fantasy that would skyrocket their sales. They started off by creating a comparison between real life and the fantasy that Old Spice products could help women achieve. Then viewers were dazzled with a bit of romance and the repeated offer: “Smell like a man, man.” The idea was simple; Old Spice products could make your man better, or maybe help you attract a woman if you’re a man. The only way to achieve this would be to use Old Spice products.

#3 Don’t Let Your Video Stand Alone

It is easy to think that a well-made video or advertisement can stand alone, but the team at Old Spice knew that that isn’t exactly true. After their commercial aired they saw how effective it was and decided to continue to build a relationship with their customers. Their plan was to saturate the market and get everyone talking about their brand. Interacting with people in this way turned them from customers into fans.

Blitzkrieg Marketing

From the beginning, Old Spice had a plan to reach their audience on a new turf: the social media platforms that were gaining traction with the technology age. They advertised on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and TV all at once. They wanted to be everywhere, and get people talking. This caused an immediate debate that paved the way for their encore.

Interactive Follow-Up Campaigns

When all the buzz around the initial campaign reached its peak, it was time for a second wave to break. In a spark of genius the Old Spice marketing team dreamed up and produced a two-day interactive series of videos where the “Old Spice Guy” answered fan questions and interacted with celebrities. Relating to their audience in that way was a huge victory for the Old Spice brand. 

Ydraw Can Do The Same Thing

Are you looking to create a video as part of a marketing campaign? We want to help you. Ydraw specializes in a range of animation styles that can help you achieve the same charming effect as Old Spice for your audience. Our team creates short, engaging videos that keep the mind active by continuously triggering the sense of sight. With a variety of animation styles, we can tell any story in an artistic way, and we are constantly looking for new technology to help us enchant audiences with beautiful animations.

But don’t just take my word for it. Our happy clients can tell you how we have helped them.