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I'm on a Horse

By | Posted Under Miscellaneous | Comments (36)

I'm on a Horse.jpg

Unless you’ve been living in barren wasteland for the past few months you’re undoubtedly familiar with Old Spice’s most recent marketing campaign starring one Isaiah Mustafa. The ads market the body wash to men by way of attempting to charm your lady friend with the things she likes and inferring that you smell like a wimp. I find that emasculation is always a proven winner when selling hygiene items to men because nobody wants to smell like a sissy so you’d better musk the fuck up, Alice! Say what you will about the product but the marketing strategy is inventive and the commercials themselves are some of the finest we’ve seen in a long time. Just in case you have actually been trapped in a closet with no handle on the inside of the door, here is the original spot:



Like I said, it’s quite amusing, especially for a brand that more people tend equate with their grandfather’s heady aroma as opposed to a product they would actually use. TK has previously provided us news that Mustafa would like to parlay his body wash fame into larger motion picture roles and I, for one, can’t blame him. Whether it happens or not is really anyone’s guess but we’ve certainly seen stranger things occur. While Old Spice’s campaign doesn’t seem to be losing any steam as they’re now having Mustafa answer questions and comments submitted by fans on Twitter and Facebook (they’re quite amusing) what I’m really enjoying is some of the parodying that other companies are beginning to do with the same formula. Take, for example, this one from the Harold B. Lee Library:



Dare I say that it could be six bajillion times better than the original commercial? I would totally buy that body wash if it was only so I could smell like Jay and get some sweet library loving. The straight A’s wouldn’t hurt either.









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Comments

I'm in a CART. WHSHYAAAA!

God that killed me.

Hey, I have a question--the Old Spice ad campaign is certainly clever and has gained a lot of attention, but has that translated into higher sales? (I almost said higher smells.) Because last I checked, that stuff smells like loneliness.

Posted by: Snuggiepants at July 20, 2010 8:18 PM

It still smells better than ANY scent of Axe.

Posted by: webelos8 at July 20, 2010 8:23 PM

webelos8 Well, YEAH. But the only people wearing Axe are eighth grade boys and guidos.

Posted by: Snuggiepants at July 20, 2010 8:26 PM

I'm sorry. But is that a *Yale* sweatshirt? Really? Yale? THAT's their model of academic success? Yale is full of girls who wear leggings with Ugg boots. Which is a clear marker of ditziness.

bah.

Posted by: esme at July 20, 2010 8:27 PM

Apparently, Snuggiepants, it's now #1 in America.

http://www.campaignbrief.com/2010/07/old-spices-campaign-is-not-onl.html

Posted by: Robert Scott at July 20, 2010 8:29 PM

His name is Isaiah Mustafa??!??! Good luck ever becoming President with that name. Oh, wait...

/this is in no way a right-wing comment, I am just truly amused by his name

Posted by: MM at July 20, 2010 8:32 PM

@Snuggiepants I will use that as leverage to be sure I never have to buy that crap for my kid again. icky

Posted by: webelos8 at July 20, 2010 8:37 PM

I just wish they got rid of that stupid ditty at the end.

Also, the Terry Crews Old Spice commercials make me want to go out and commit random acts of violence.

Posted by: Big Softie at July 20, 2010 8:44 PM

I like to imagine Jay smells like a mix of old books and a good Irish Stout.

Um.

Anyway...

That library spoof was fantastic.

Posted by: MelBivDevoe at July 20, 2010 8:55 PM

I work at a digital ad agency. My boss made me watch a whole shitload of these videos. Then he stared at me accusingly as if to say, why haven't YOU come up with something online that will put our clients products to #1, garner them sixty-dickety-billion Facebook likes and oodles and oodles of media mentions? My answering glare says, when you get me a budget higher than thirty five cents, some lint and a paper clip, maybe I will.

Results to date: stalemate.

Posted by: malechai at July 20, 2010 9:01 PM

Bruce Campbell's Old Spice commercials are still #1 in my book, and my book is the book of THE LORD

Posted by: the_wakeful at July 20, 2010 9:01 PM

I nominate malechai's comment for EE, for the following reasons:

1. use of the word "dickety"
2. trifecta of "thirty five cents, some lint and a paper clip"
3. rhyme ("date" and "stalemate")

Also, I agree that Bruce Campbell's Old Spice commercial still = #1, but this guy's pretty good.

Posted by: MM at July 20, 2010 9:05 PM

esme--That's a "Y" for Brigham Young University. I was shocked thatmy alma mater came up with this actually good commercial...for the library of all things.

Posted by: kelsy at July 20, 2010 9:08 PM

i don't think BYU came up with that ad-i think a student who WENT to BYU did. It's been making it's way through Facebook posted by every mormon kid on the planet. Pretty funny stuff.

Posted by: katie at July 20, 2010 9:14 PM

I do like stout, ma'am. Thanks, Mr. Scott.

Posted by: Jay at July 20, 2010 9:14 PM

I love the Old Spice ads as much as the next guy, but apparently they will fuck your junk up if you use the product.

http://www.grist.org/article/2010-07-14-dear-old-spice-man-will-using-your-deordorant-manke-me-um-less-m/

Also, that Library spoof was the tits.

Posted by: Beth at July 20, 2010 9:16 PM

Bruce Campbell's ads were the best ads in the history of ads ever.

Out of all the would be matinee idols that commercials sometimes tease us with, I think this guy's got the goods. Nothing sexual.

Posted by: RobP at July 20, 2010 9:33 PM

You fucking offend my fucking maleness, Old Spice! My masculinity!

I dunno, I'm slightly dubious if a deodorant has variations that sound like Doritos anyway.

Posted by: Jay at July 20, 2010 9:52 PM

Posted by: Beth at July 20, 2010 9:16 PM
---
Holy shit, I use the bodywash and the pit stop, and that would help explain ... er, um, something that happened to me recently.

Do you know anything about any class-action lawsuits over this? And while I'm at it, any class-action suits against Head & Shoulders, Colgate, Cottonelle and/or K/Y?

*Grabs bottle of manly bodywash on bathtub shelf, sets MurderToilet on full flush*

Posted by: , at July 20, 2010 10:22 PM

you’d better musk the fuck up, Alice!

This is my new favoritest phrase EVER in the history of the world and I CANNOT WAIT to use it on someone.

Also, my secret shame: pseudo-Mr. vB wears .... Axe. It's pretty much out of laziness and ignorance of scents. And when I go out and get him a bottle of something good like Chanel Platinum Egoiste he'll totally wear that instead. But, yeah. Axe. In my house.

I'm thinking of putting my car up on blocks and moving into a trailer.

Posted by: Anna von Beaverdouche at July 20, 2010 11:20 PM

Which scent does he use, AvB?

I've used Clix, myself, for five years and I receive a lot of compliments, regularly (some quite fervent, from well-grounded, non-ditzy, mature women), so I've been totally in-the-dark about this Axe-hate.
And I am neither an eighth-grade boy, nor a guido.

Posted by: Rykker at July 20, 2010 11:40 PM

As a high school teacher, I can attest that Axe is not only for 8th grade boys--they bathe in that stuff 9-12.

Posted by: kimmyhula at July 21, 2010 12:29 AM

they bathe in that stuff 9-12

That would be 9th grade—12th grade, not 9 am—12 pm. Though they might do that, too.

Posted by: kimmyhula at July 21, 2010 12:34 AM

I wear Pleasures for Men...

...that is all.

Posted by: DeistBrawler at July 21, 2010 12:38 AM

kimmyhula I feel you so much. I was walking through a common area of a high school one day this past school year and the Axe smell was so overpowering. Then, right at that moment, someone set off a stink bomb in the bathroom adjacent to this common area.

STINK BOMB AND AXE BODY SPRAY AND FRITOS (because teenagers always smell like corn chips for some reason--their very skin smells of it) AND WET PUPPIES. THAT IS WHAT IT SMELLED LIKE.

AND MUST. IT WAS MUSTY.

I thought I would gag.

Posted by: Snuggiepants at July 21, 2010 12:40 AM

I figure if the man can do those two complex-to-perform ads, somehow maintain likeability through that much content from a one note character - and end with a silverfish catch...well...he could do anyone.

anything!
I meant...anything, is what I meant.


uh, fish catch? *sniff, bye bye, sweet prince*
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nFDqvKtPgZo

Posted by: replica at July 21, 2010 12:55 AM

1. I have NEVER seen those Old Spice ads before. They are hilarious, BUT . . .

2. My grandfather used to put Old Spice on my mosquito bites, so if a man walked up to me smelling like Old Spice, I'm just going to be memory-whipped back to my grandpop's bathroom. Not sexy, by any means.

Posted by: BWeaves at July 21, 2010 8:30 AM

1. The BF wears Old Spice deodorant. They have a variety of smells. This one is non-musty. I think it's called "Pure Sport" or something stupid like that.

2. I live in NJ. The entire state smells like Axe and hair gel. Go in the Atlantic Ocean, smells like Axe. Meadowlands? Axe. (and rotten eggs) Any alcoholic establishment? Axe. Blech. It's still not as bad as whatever they use to make Abercrombie and Fitch smell like it does. The way that place smells (and take care to note I don't go in there, it literally pollutes the surrounding area with its smell) is what I envision "Sex Panther" smelling like.

Posted by: ninetwenteetoo at July 21, 2010 9:34 AM

I have to confess I do use the Axe Shock Body Wash in the summer. It's mentholated and makes me feel cooler. It makes my junk feel like a York Peppermint Patty.

Posted by: Craig at July 21, 2010 9:40 AM

Snugglepants,

Turns out there was just an article in Time about the surprising lack of sales old Old Spice despite the viral success. You can read about it here:

http://newsfeed.time.com/2010/07/20/old-spices-viral-ads-got-attention-not-sales/

Although I hope that doesn't stop them from making more commercials w/ Mustafa - he's just so pretty.

Posted by: Cabbage at July 21, 2010 9:51 AM

My teenage daughter and her friends call Axe "Girl Repellant." In case you were wondering why the ladies are giving you a wide berth.

I think it also protects you from cooties, though, so there's that.

Posted by: Wednesday at July 21, 2010 10:51 AM

Old Spice is associated with old men. And while every man reaches an age when he wouldn't mind smelling like his father or grandfather, that's a hard-sell to women and younger men. Homeboy is funny, but he ain't that funny.

Posted by: Tracer Bullet at July 21, 2010 10:53 AM

@Craig: The junk / peppermint patty comment rocked my socks.
thanks

Never mind the Yale or the B Young Uni association. I thought it was
Yahoo. That's how edumacated this gal is. No leggings or Uggs, thank
goodness. That was so 22 yrs ago for this chickadee.

Posted by: Ms MoMo at July 21, 2010 2:21 PM

I just have to say mmmmm......Mustafa.

He may have just replace my chocolate fantasy Mike Carey. If you don't know who he is, look him up motherfuckers! Be amazed by not only his beauty but his awsomeness!

That said, he and Mustafa look alike, only my new obsession is younger, but I'm guessing not richer. Ooohhh...what's a lonely, middle aged white girl to do? (actually I am not lonely, it just sounded better.)

Posted by: wsapnin at July 21, 2010 6:23 PM

My teenage daughter and her friends call Axe "Girl Repellant." In case you were wondering why the ladies are giving you a wide berth.

A'ight. HELL Yes, roughly 90% of Axe scents smell like total, horrific ASS.
I whole-heartedly agree.

But they have something like 17 or 18 (possibly more that I'd be unaware of) scents on the market at this time in Amurrica.
I've used two -- Phoenix and Clix -- and I've received nothing but, sometimes very forward (from friends/coworkers), positive remarks... from age 40+, mature, intelligent, married, professionally successful WOMEN.
I don't bathe in the stuff -- that's one reason why I haven't been able to find a cologne I'm happy with; most stuff is too strong for
my liking -- I apply just enough for it to be detectable.
I trust the opinions of my close coworkers -- and they aren't afraid of speaking their minds. If I offended their senses, in any way, they'd let me know. The fact that I have to jokingly remind a couple of them that they are happily married, tells me that, at the very least, my choice of scent does not offend.
Therefore I can only conclude that not all Axe is created equally, and not all Axe, nor those who choose to use it in offensive quantities, deserve to be vilified.

Posted by: Rykker at July 21, 2010 7:10 PM

*unoffensive quantities...

Fuck me raw, goddamn typo.

Posted by: Rykker at July 21, 2010 7:39 PM