Old Spice hasn’t issued any press releases lately. It doesn’t have to, with the success of the Old Spice Guy. His face is plastered across television, movie theaters (before the film starts), and now YouTube.
Isaiah Mustafa, better known as the Old Spice Guy, is the centerpiece of what some are calling one of the most brilliant ad campaigns ever — and that was before he became a social-media sensation. Mustafa, who presents himself in commercials as the perfect man, is now responding directly to questions from Twitter and Facebook followers via 30-second videos posted on a YouTube channel.
“The campaign has two magical ingredients. One is a very silly, but charismatic, individual spokesman. The second is the vehicle that allows him to interact with people,” said Brad Shimmin, an analyst at Current Analysis. “When I look at this, I see the barriers that exist between corporations and consumers tumbling down. It’s as if Mustafa is just some other schmo on the Internet engaging with his fans.”
Social-Media Advertising 2.0
Even social media’s mavens are giving Mustafa the nod — or receiving a nod from him. Twitter cofounder Biz Stone tweeted Tuesday night about how he was cracking up at Mustafa’s videos. Mustafa also made a video specifically for Digg cofounder Kevin Rose, who apparently was under the weather. But the bigger hit has been interacting directly with his new fans.
One fan wanted Mustafa to adopt him. In his charismatic flow, Mustafa made a video response in which he explained, “I’m not allowed to adopt fully grown men due to some law about that being weird and entirely creepy and weird. But if you are, by chance, an unborn or baby infant child then yes, I will adopt you unborn and/or baby infant child. Please send along the official paper pieces to my home…