The Challenge

Old Spice faced a significant challenge in the UK market, where it had yet to achieve the same level of recognition and sales success as it has globally, particularly in the USA. The brand needed to connect with a younger demographic who often default to more generic, teenage deodorants. The goal was to encourage these young men to embrace their independence and step up their scent game to a more mature smell that reflects their individuality.

The Insight

As teens, it’s all about fitting in, but as you grow up, the focus shifts to standing out—breaking free from the need for conformity. This transition presented a prime opportunity for Old Spice to position itself as the go-to scent for young men ready to leave the herd behind. It’s about gaining independence from overprotective parents, cookie-cutter friends, and those Lynx-wearing kids.

We needed to encourage young men to break free from the sameness—because let’s face it, they all smell the same, and it’s not just boring; it’s overwhelming.

We developed a robust multichannel marketing campaign. This approach aimed to tap into the heartbeat of British youth culture by leveraging music and authenticity. The strategy involved a significant investment in digital and outdoor marketing, including social media content tailored for platforms like TikTok and YouTube, as well as engaging visuals in urban locations. The brand set an ambitious sales target of 2.3 million Captain deodorant sticks within six months, aiming to shift the perception of Old Spice among young British men and encourage them to ditch the basic stuff.

The Idea

At the heart of the campaign is the diss track, “Big Man Ting,” written and performed by grime legend Chip. Mostly cussing boring, generic deodorants and the boys that all wear them, it also gives a cheeky nudge to an audience still clinging to their school days, to level up. With Chip as Captain, Old Spice can deliver a fun, relatable message: it’s time to grow up and smell like a man. The song, music video, TV, social, digital, OOH and content are all about aligning with and contributing to the vibrant energy of British youth. This is about selling deodorant obviously; but it’s also about helping young men find their own style and scent. Step one of making Old Spice the ultimate ‘coming-of-age’ choice for a new generation.