Old Spice: Level Up On a Big Man Ting

DROPPING A TRACK DISSING THE CHILDISH SCENT OF LYNX

AKA GRIME NEVER SMELT SO GOOD

What we loved

Not making an ad campaign but a diss-track that got through just about every ad blocker in order to connect with the tastemakers of a generation.

How we got there

Our research showed that 15 year old boys are attempting to establish their own personalities as they transition into being ‘grown up’. They are often trying to break out from the safety of the herd. And scent was becoming one very tangible way to stand out. So we repositioned Old Spice as the scent of adult independence, by cussing out young boys that still wear lynx (usually bought for them by their mums or grans). We invited them to go from boy-herd to manhood.

What’s more, 86% of our audience live in urban codes, so we focused on the most influential subculture within that demographic - Grime. Not with an ad either, but a song. BBC 1xtra played it ten times, and they don’t play ads 😉 It was written by Chip, owned by Chip and lived exclusively on his channels.

What it changed

It made Old Spice cool, relevant and appealing again, after 10 years of stalling. 55 radio plays (BBC 1xtra, Capital Xtra, Talksport), 1730 shazams, 2.5m organic youtube views, 99% positive sentiment in comments, trending tik tok open verse challenge with brand ambassadors cussing lynx on Old Spice’ behalf.

14% increase in total sales | Unlocked 1000+ new physical retailers (Boots) | Winner Best Audio: Campaign Big Awards + finalist for best use of celebrity