Old Spice keeps losing momentum

In the case of Old Spice, it can. Following up on last year's phenomenon of Isaiah Mustafa's ads, the company first flunked with Raven Ray Lewis, then brought Mustafa back for a lukewarm sequel, and is now attempting a brand extension with some cheesy white dude:



It's kind of funny, sure. But it's lost that lovin' feelin.

The original campaign was brilliant because although it was a parody of manliness, there was a great deal of sincerity behind the approach. Mustafa really was the ideal man for many women, and while the things he did and proposed were exaggerated, they still struck a chord deep in the viewers' souls. The original campaign appealed to men because it appealed so much to women — the real decision-makers when it comes to what a man should smell like. The guys just wanted to be there to make sure it really was a joke.

The campaign went further by really personalizing the approach, responding to questions on Twitter, and providing over-the-top responses. But you can only pioneer a tactic once.

The campaign, Mustafa's sequels included, has regressed into male-pandering slapstick. It's as if the brand went from Cary Grant to the Three Stooges. The whole indirect marketing insight has been lost.

And women, seriously, how sexy is this?

Zombie Freddie Mercury says, "smell like me!"

Oh well.

Link via Copyranter.