Old Spice came out with a new series of commercials starring ex-NFL player Isaiah Mustafa that quickly became popular. The very first one had a theme about everything that could be possible if the audience’s man stopped using lady-scented body wash.
Old Spice, a product for men, decided to switch up their target audience. Instead of targeting the men the product is made for, it targeted the women in a man’s life. Knowing that mothers make purchases for their sons and girlfriends and wives have a significant impact on what their men wear and buy, the commercial immediately starts off with, “hello ladies.” Without showing the product, women already are paying attention. The constant changes in props and scenery coupled with the fast dialogue makes the audience pay attention.
This commercial went viral with over 52.9 million views on YouTube to date. Another way to know it’s successful? It has an incredible amount of parodies online, showing that it made a big impact on audiences everywhere. After its success, Old Spice went on to produce more commercials with Isiah Mustafa similar to this one.