By Muhammed and Zhen Duan (Group 33)
Unlike olden days where the conventional promotional strategies such as T.V, radio, billboards were being used, in today’s world to best communicate with various consumer segments marketers are utilizing more interactive ways.
Brands are fast recognizing the importance of various marketing platforms apart from conventional channels and capitalizing on it. Old Spice is one of them, when old spice entered 2010 they were enduring decreased sales and their brand image fading because the brand was not connected to the current younger generation. It was obvious that this need to be changed.
In February 2010 makers of Old Spice launched the “The Man Your Man Could Smell like” campaign with an online and television commercial with a new character and with clear image. The new handsome character is shown in towel clad in his bathroom trying to convince the viewers to purchase Old Spice body wash so that the men or for women their man can be just like him or least smell like him.
The commercial was premiered at super bowl weekend (good platform for launch) on YouTube (social media). Old Spice targeted young adults and the humor in the ads appealed to youth market.
Old Spice went one step further by starting ‘Response Campaign’ in which ‘the old spice guy’ replies to question and comments pointed at him through various social networking site like twitter, YouTube, yahoo, Facebook and few other.
The humorous responses led to huge number of the question from the social media users hoping that the Old Spice guy would answer the question. However only a segment of thousands of question were answered but the manner in which the question were answered it didn’t really matter who questioned but rather enjoyed by all.
Many factors have made the campaign so successful, like the real time concept kept the users involved and connected with them at a personal level. The embracement of media precipitated the campaign. They managed to invest customer in the brand instead of directly advertisement
The results were astonishing, day 1of the campaign received 5.9 million views and by day 7 more than 40 million views, Twitter following increased by 2700% and Facebook fan interaction went up 800%.
But the most interesting thing is their sales they went to a wow 107% by July. The results from the campaign was exceptional.
Old Spice has taken IMC to next level. Integrated communication is no longer communicating same message through different channels but rather different channels add-on to brand story.
What do you think about these campaigns like Old Spice ?
References
http://www.imediaconnection.com/content/27504.asp#multiview
https://zonesofsmm.wordpress.com/old-spice-case-study/
http://www.adweek.com/news/advertising-branding/old-spice-campaign-smells-sales-success-too-107588
http://www.adweek.com/adfreak/hey-old-spice-haters-sales-are-107-12422
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