Terry Cruz, A Very Muscled Ex-Pro Football Player, Is Flexin

Terry Cruz A Very Muscled Ex Pro Football Player Is Flexing His Muscle

The assignment involves analyzing strategic marketing decisions made by Procter & Gamble (P&G) regarding the Old Spice brand, focusing on how they maintained loyalty while expanding their target audience through innovative advertising campaigns. Specifically, it requires examining how Old Spice's commercials fostered inclusion of their existing loyal customers, appealed to new demographics using symbols and concepts, and why specific campaigns, such as the Terry Crews videos, resonated with adolescents.

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Old Spice, once a staple of traditional grooming for older generations, faced the challenge of evolving its brand appeal without alienating its existing loyal consumers. The brand's advertising strategy centered on maintaining its iconic identity while modernizing its image to target new, younger consumers. To achieve this, Old Spice’s commercials employed humor, nostalgia, and hyperbolic masculinity to create a sense of inclusion among its loyal audience, who identified strongly with the classic nautical themes and the recognizable scent. The “Old Spice Guy” campaign, characterized by the iconic “The Man Your Man Could Smell Like” commercial, cleverly balanced honoring traditional masculine cues with witty, self-aware humor that resonated broadly. This approach reassured long-time customers that the core qualities of Old Spice remained unchanged, even as the brand appealed to new demographics by adopting contemporary, playful imagery.

By integrating humor and referencing aspects of traditional masculinity while updating the presentation style, Old Spice created a seamless bridge between past and present. The commercials directly involved viewers through interactive online follow-ups, notably the YouTube series featuring personalized responses from the “Old Spice Guy,” which fostered a participatory brand culture. This strategy made loyal consumers feel part of a broader, evolving community that still appreciated the brand’s core values. Simultaneously, the humor and modern aesthetics attracted younger demographics, including adolescents, who responded positively to the boldness, wit, and absurdity. Thus, Old Spice’s advertising maintained a delicate balance: respecting its heritage while innovatively engaging new consumers to secure long-term brand loyalty.

The commercials employed symbols such as the nautical motif—compasses, ships, and maritime colors—which evoked traditional masculinity familiar to old consumers. At the same time, bold, vibrant colors like bright blues and reds appealed visually to younger audiences. Creative concepts like humor overlays, exaggerated masculinity, and playful absurdity highlighted the brand's rebranding effort. The use of continuity in branding—such as the recognizable voice and charismatic spokesperson—ensured that while styles evolved, key symbols remained, serving as anchors that kept existing consumers connected. The humor, wit, and spectacle in these ads created an inclusive environment that integrated traditional values with modern sensibilities, appealing across generational divides.

The Terry Crews videos, with their over-the-top humor, flamboyant muscular displays, and interactive call-to-action, specifically connected with adolescents by aligning with their penchant for exaggerated self-expression and humor. Crews embodies a hyper-masculine, confident figure that transcends traditional manliness, appealing to youth’s fascination with individuality and strength. The absurdity of his musical contraptions, the playful destruction of norms, and the invitation for viewers to submit their own music using muscles tapped into adolescent creativity and desire for recognition. This approach embraced the youth’s affinity for entertainment, social sharing, and humor, making the campaign resonate as fun, relatable, and engaging. By tapping into their personality—bold, humorous, and unconventional—the videos successfully captured the attention of adolescents, positioning Old Spice as relevant and cool within their cultural space.

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