The situation
In 2009, Old Spice was a 70-year-old brand most American men associated with their fathers and grandfathers. The brand had been losing market share to Axe (Unilever) and other male-grooming brands targeting younger consumers. Old Spice deodorant and body wash had little relevance to men under 35. P&G needed to either revitalize the brand or de-prioritize it within the portfolio.
What Old Spice (P&G) did
P&G hired Wieden+Kennedy and launched "The Man Your Man Could Smell Like" in February 2010. Featuring actor Isaiah Mustafa in absurdly confident scenarios delivered in one continuous take, the campaign was simultaneously aspirational and self-aware. The Super Bowl debut was followed by a viral response-video phase — Mustafa filmed personalized YouTube responses to celebrities and fans within hours of their tweets. The campaign generated 1.8B impressions in three months. The brand voice was defined: irreverent, confident, absurd, and male — with deliberately broad appeal across age and ethnicity.
The mechanics — step by step
- Bold creative reframe — irreverent confidence
- One-take execution — distinctive
- Real-time response phase — converted broadcast to dialogue
- Cultural moment — viral within days
- Sustained over years — multiple campaigns extending the platform
- Product portfolio expansion — body wash, deodorant, cologne
Outcome and numbers
Old Spice body-wash sales doubled in three months following the campaign launch. Within two years, Old Spice overtook Axe as the leading US male body-wash brand. The brand has sustained its position for 14+ years through multiple campaign extensions. The rebrand has been studied across business schools as one of the most successful brand-revitalization campaigns in modern marketing.
Why this case is on every syllabus
Old Spice is taught as a canonical rebranding case, an example of viral content marketing, and a demonstration of how a stagnant brand can be reframed for a new generation. It also shows the value of distinctive creative voice in commodity categories.
How to cite Old Spice (P&G) in a paper
Cite Old Spice when discussing brand revitalization, rebranding, viral marketing, or creative reframe. Use the 2010 Super Bowl launch and the response-video phase as specific evidence.
Three takeaways students miss
- Bold creative can revitalize stagnant brands
- Distinctive voice cuts through commodity categories
- Real-time response extends broadcast into dialogue
- Viral campaigns require sustained follow-through
- Rebranding works when underlying equity remains