Comments on: Old Spice Still Smells like Old Advertising

By: Ben Caspersz

Ben Caspersz — Mon, 26 Jul 2010 15:10:21 +0000

Thanks for the reply, Joshua-Michéle – I take your point about the particular vantage point you've written this piece from.

My point of view is that social media excellence – exemplar status – is not limited just to the worthies out there (including many of my own not-for-profit clients). As a practitioner, I'm not bothered whether they're doing it as part of a social cause or just to flog deodorant. Social media excellence is social media excellence, no matter where it's come from.

By: joshuamross

joshuamross — Mon, 26 Jul 2010 13:57:51 +0000

Ben – thanks for the comment but I think you misinterpret this post.

As I state right up front – I am not criticizing the campaign itself – it is epic. I am stating the that commentariat, whose interests align with the corporations they serve, are acting as though this is the best that social media has to offer.

If you believe that selling units of deodorant (or any other CPG) is the fulfillment of that promise – then great. I do not. I am not “bemoaning the lack of user generated content” to help sell same deodorant or “consumer participation” – as you put it – (an oxymoron don't you think?). Even if the next phase of this campaign is to solicit user generated content etc. I wouldn't be moved to change my appraisal.

In brief, I don't think social media fulfills its promise by helping sell products or serving large corporations (though neither do I exclude them from the right to use SM). If you take that view – then you look for other exemplars beyond corporations (from Wikipedia to Ushahidi to Lolcats (yes, I mean it) and beyond). That is the point I was trying to make.

I hope you would agree that to argue from this vantage point is to take nothing away from the genius of Wieden and Kennedy or Proctor and Gamble.

By: Ben Caspersz

Ben Caspersz — Mon, 26 Jul 2010 13:21:00 +0000

The Old Spice campaign may not be the pinnacle of 'pure' social media, but it is right up there with the best when it comes to digital PR campaigns.

This is a cracking campaign that's got people excited about a brand that up until this campaign was pretty much dead in the water.

And before we start to bemoan the lack of user generated content and consumer participation etc etc, remember: this campaign is not over yet. Let's see what they come up with next before casting any final judgements...

By: joshuamross

joshuamross — Mon, 26 Jul 2010 01:51:43 +0000

Thanks for the comment and the link. Your point on messaging is well taken. However, I am not concerned with success or failure to sell units of body wash but the fact that corporations and the consultant class see this on/off campaign as some sort of pinnacle of social media – when, in fact, it is another large, wealthy entity essentially broadcasting high production content. Granted, very entertaining and well executed content and leveraging social platforms… But moving units of body wash for P&G is not what is radical or transformative about social media.

By: journik

journik — Sun, 25 Jul 2010 22:12:32 +0000

Joshua,

While I agree that the W+K Old Spice Campaign fits in the “transmedia” box… I think the real problem was the messaging. If you only look at the way W+K used the medium you'll totally overlook the fact that they did a poor job of creating the brand message.

To this day, if I say shoe, I think Nike. If you say body wash, I DONT think Old Spice.

But there are even bigger reasons why the Old Spice ads failed… here they are: http://journik.posterous.com/viral-old-spice-co...

By: K. Warman Kern

K. Warman Kern — Sun, 25 Jul 2010 18:32:20 +0000

That's one of many valuable posts from @DocSearls who is the thought leader in a critical characteristic (and tech integration) of future media designed to benefit customers and consequently brands - Vendor Relationship Management. http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/vrm/

K-

By: joshuamross

joshuamross — Sun, 25 Jul 2010 18:11:22 +0000

Thanks for the comment and link to your post Katherine. Another interesting post in a similar vein just came on my radar. From Doc Searls: http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/doc/2010/07/19/r-b...

By: K. Warman Kern

K. Warman Kern — Sun, 25 Jul 2010 17:30:41 +0000

@jmichele reminds us of the promise of the internet – “enables a more equitable distribution of power, ingenuity and creativity” with this post. We are in the same camp, as discussed in this post “What's the Point?” http://www.comradity.com/comradity/2010/06/what...

As fun as the Old Spice campaign is, here's to continuing to aim beyond it . . .

Katherine Warman Kern
@comradity