📚 Old Spice Rebranding
Core Lesson: Repositioning, target audience shift
📋 Overview
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Subject | Marketing |
| Core Lesson | Repositioning, target audience shift |
| Source | HBS / Top MBA Case |
🕰️ Background
In 2010, Old Spice launched ‘The Man Your Man Could Smell Like’ campaign featuring Isaiah Mustafa. The brand, previously associated with grandfathers, was repositioned to appeal to 18-34 year old men (and their female partners who buy body wash). The campaign generated 1.8B impressions, 105M YouTube views, and increased sales 125% in 6 months.
❓ The Central Problem
Can a legacy brand with outdated associations completely reposition to a younger demographic without alienating existing customers? Old Spice pulled it off by using humor and digital-first content to make the brand irreverent and shareable.
📊 Analysis
Key analysis points covered in the core lesson and background above. The strategic framework application demonstrates how In 2010, Old Spice launched ‘The Man Your Man Coul… relates to marketing fundamentals taught in core MBA marketing courses.
🔑 Key Lessons
- Repositioning is possible even for deeply ‘old-fashioned’ brands if the execution is bold enough
- Digital-first campaigns (YouTube, Twitter) can generate earned media that dwarfs paid media budgets
- Humor creates shareability — Old Spice’s tone made consumers into brand advocates
- Targeting the purchaser (women buy 60% of men’s body wash) rather than the user was a key insight
🎓 Discussion Questions
- How does this case illustrate the power of brand positioning in a crowded market?
- What are the risks and limitations of the strategy employed here?
- How would you adapt this strategy for a different industry or market?