Old Spice Guy

There’s something that’s been keeping me online longer these days: a brilliant publicity campaign that has really gone viral. If you haven’t had the pleasure of making the acquaintance of Old Spice Guy, hit him up on Twitter and YouTube and get ready for the, um, guilty thrill of your life.

In February this year, Old Spice launched the ad “The Man Your Man Could Smell Like.” It was disarmingly cocky, engagingly absurd and charming with a low budget feel. In a word: brilliant. It didn't take long for the ad to go viral. Yes, even in the Philippines, which has, arguably, never heard of Old Spice.

The first was deliciously cheeky. The Man Your Man Could Smell Like, an African American guy blessed with good looks, a great body and oozing sex appeal, clad only in a towel, greets us in a shower, “Hello, ladies, look at your man, now back to me, now back at your man, now back to me.” Then he goes on, sadly, he isn’t me, but if he stopped using ladies scented body wash and switched to Old Spice, he could smell like he’s me. Look down, back up, where are you? You’re on a boat with the man your man could smell like. What’s in your hand, back at me. I have it, it’s an oyster with two tickets to that thing you love. Look again, the tickets are now diamonds. Anything is possible when your man smells like Old Spice and not a lady. I’m on a horse.”

Yes, that's how it goes. You've got to see it to appreciate.

Incidentally, “The Man Your Man Could Smell Like” was Grand Prix Winner at the Cannes Lions International Advertising Festival this year.

The second ad, which followed way too many months later, was even more over the top. In “Questions,” the same actor asks viewers, um, questions. Still clad in a towel, he says, “Hello ladies. How are you? Fantastic. Does your man look like me? No. Can he smell like he's me? Yes. Should he use Old Spice body wash? I don't know. Do you like the smell of adventure? Do you want a man who smells like he can bake you a cake in the dream kitchen he built with his own hands? Of course you do. SWAN DIVE! Into the best night of your life. So, ladies. Should your man smell like an Old Spice man? You tell me.” This scene ends with him wearing jeans, on a motorcycle.

What's great about both ads is that they while use a lot of visual tricks, they were both taken in one long shot and they didn't use CGI. Refreshingly old school!

Taking the campaign to a new level, Old Spice Guy went online on Twitter, YouTube and Facebook for two days. His first tweet said, “Today could be just like the other 364 days you log into Twitter, or maybe the Old Spice man shows up @OldSpice.”

For two days, he shot video responses to tweets, YouTube and Facebook posts, responding to stars like Alyssa Milano, Rose McGowan and Ryan Seacrest; online personalities like Digg founder Kevin Rose, Twitter co-founder Biz Stone and Guy Kawasaki; and regular internet users. His video responses were posted in real time, instantly generating an online sensation.

Cheeky, sexy Old Spice Guy had come to life and was actually responding to real people. Clad only in his trademark towel.

Again, brilliant. And cheap.

The Old Spice Guy is played by former professional football player Isaiah Mustafa. He's also an actor who shot to fame with the Old Spice commercials. He recently signed a deal with NBC, so we should be seeing more of him.

As for Old Spice Guy, I'm not quite sure what else is cooking. He bid the web goodbye by saying, “I must ride my jetski lion into the sunset.” And ending with, “Silverfish handcatch!”

Yes, that's how it goes. You've got to see it to appreciate.

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