Old Spice was your grandpa’s deodorant… until a guy on a horse changed everything. Here’s how one wild campaign brought it back to life.
Remember when Old Spice was just for dads?
Yeah, neither do we—because in 2010, they flipped the script in a big way. With the launch of “The Man Your Man Could Smell Like” campaign, Old Spice went from the back of the medicine cabinet to everybody’s favourite deodorant. And they did it with humour, swagger, and a guy riding a horse.
Here’s what went down.
Old Spice was looking for a way to shake off its outdated image and get younger audiences excited about a brand that felt... well, a little dusty. Enter the now-iconic ad featuring Isaiah Mustafa, who stared straight into the camera and confidently declared, “I’m on a horse,” while rattling off why your man could never be as cool as him—but he could at least smell like it.
The commercials were ridiculous—and that’s exactly why they worked. They quickly went viral, racking up millions of views and sparking conversations across social media. Suddenly, Old Spice was cool again, attracting a whole new generation of customers who didn’t just want to smell fresh—they wanted to be in on the joke.
The lesson?
Don’t be afraid to poke a little fun at yourself. Sometimes, the best way to revive an old brand is to get playful and totally unexpected. Old Spice didn’t just sell deodorant—they made people laugh, and in the process, they became relevant again.
Ready to Get Playful with Your Marketing?
Think about this:
Could a little humour or absurdity give your brand a fresh, new vibe?
Is your brand taking itself too seriously—what’s one playful idea that could surprise your audience?
How could you use creativity and humour to connect with a new generation of customers?
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