smell like the man you wish your man could smell like… then copy the hell out of it.
Posted on August 30, 2011 by
I saw this commercial the other day for Pledge:
Which reminded me of this ad for Wii Fit:
Which looks an awful lot like this commercial for Edge Shave Gel:
Which is clearly copying the internet/social media juggernaut known as the “Old Spice Guy”:
They’re all cast from the same mold, albeit the “Old Spice Guy” is the most popular and well known. Apparently, since his Super Bowl debut over a year ago, Old Spice has improved their sales. This should come as no surprise, given the tsunami of attention released upon the brand over the following months. The commercial was funny, interesting, and also appealed to the ladies. I mean c’mon, short of Brad Pitt (or Cooper) what guy wouldn’t want to look like the Old Spice Guy?
So what in-particular made this style of commercial so blindingly successful and worthy of other companies to copy it? Sure, it was hip, charming, and just the right amount of over-the-top, however, I think technology can be held responsible for the wave of Old-Spice commercial imitators (and their massive social following of course).
I’m assuming some of you tried to watch the videos. If, during their download, they stopped, skipped, buffered, or anything that paused the flow of the video, did you feel a twinge of frustration snake through your body? I’m going to guess yes.
We’re all fully aware of the I-need-it-now-ness of many in this country. Thanks to improvements in computer, cell phone, and overall information-processing technology, I think it’d be fair to say that we’ve become somewhat more impatient than in the past, no? If you don’t agree, then you’re not allowed to complain the next time your computer needs time to buffer a YouTube clip. This understanding of impatience is what makes these commercials so brilliant from an advertising perspective.
They’re full-length, 30-second commercials, yet they average about 7 different sets/scenarios in each. You only get about 3 to 5 seconds per drastic scenario shift, so they’ll certainly keep your attention. By adding a touch of humor (some have more than others), they become unforgettable.
I sincerely believe that a realization of America’s impatience, especially with improved technology, went through the minds of those behind these commercials’ creation. After all, Old Spice launched a massive social media campaign following their viral hit, so technology was already something they aimed to utilize. Perhaps their goal wasn’t subtle social commentary, but that’s what I seem to get out of these ads.
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