Old Spice “Mano A Mano” takes our banos by storm

Planit Agency
July 27, 2011

By: Jon Pannoni

Who is manlier? That is the ultimate question, one that has challenged men of all ages for centuries, from the sands of the coliseum to the monkey bars of the playground, and now it has reached its peak, the summit of Everest if you will. The manly showdown between Old Spice Guys Isaiah Mustafa and Fabio has spread like wildfire, stimulating the already incredibly popular 18-month-old campaign.

The “Mano A Mano en el Baño” popularity contest has sparked so much buzz in social media outlets that Old Spice is tailoring some of the “battle” videos to be virtual Q&A sessions, allowing fans to get real-time responses from the men via videos on YouTube. Many companies create amazing ad campaigns that generate a strong following, but eventually they all run dry (*cough cough* Geico’s Cavemen). Then, when they try to freshen up and resurrect the ads they almost always fail. But Old Spice? No, not here—not now. Old Spice has managed to do it and do it well. Not only are the videos clever, witty, and slightly absurd, but there are tons of them flooding the internet and the market to the point of no return.

And isn’t this the best kind of marketing? Showcasing the product without showcasing the product. The company has transformed their baño products from a brand to an identity, propelling consumers to purchase the Old Spice brands out of what can almost be referred to as brainwashing. It seems that the more ridiculous and bold the brand ventures, the more success it has both virally and in climbing product sales. Hell women even use Old Spice now, two of whom I sit next to. I give a silent but enthusiastic golf clap to Old Spice, not just for having the cojones to get absurd with the campaign and brand, but for raising the bar for genuine creativity in advertising and marketing for companies worldwide. Who is manlier, Fabio or Isaiah? It is hard to say, both seem to hold their own well, and in reality I don’t care—just as long as plenty more creative and outlandish ads continue to surprise and amuse us for a long time to come.