An article in this week’s Advertising Age profiles Isaiah Mustafa, the “man your man could smell like,” who appeared in a television spot for Old Spice.
Mustafa played for the NFL for four seasons, but didn’t realize fame until he teamed with Procter & Gamble on a campaign for the brand’s body wash. The spot debuted during the Super Bowl (see the irony?) and has become an Internet sensation, garnering more than 6 million views on YouTube.
I’ll admit I hadn’t seen the spot or heard of Mustafa prior to reading Advertising Age. The spot is hilarious and he’s certainly easy on the eyes. According to the article, the PR “bonanza” wasn’t planned. Mustafa has been on NBC’s “Today,” the “Ellen DeGeneres Show” and the “CBS Early Show.” He’s apparently scheduled to be on “Oprah” next week. The article’s author, Jack Neff, suggests the buzz is of “…Snuggie-esque, if perhaps not yet iPad-esque, proportions.”
The success of this campaign is clearly not just about Mustafa; he was a relative unknown. It’s about Mustafa’s appeal combined with super-clever creative and an ad slot that cost between $2 and $3 million. While the exposure is enviable to be sure, is Mustafa an iPad-in-the-making? Highly unlikely. But the investment is definitely paying off for P&G in the form of buzz.
(Note: P&G’s share of the body wash market was slightly down in the four weeks ended February 21, according to the article.)
Very interesting. I had not heard of Mustafa either but it sounds like he’s on his way to becoming a major name and P&G will likely reap the rewards from that though maybe not immediately per your final note. Not sure I believe the PR bonanza wasn’t planned… certainly things can happen organically, but this sounds a little too perfect.
I have loved this ad since the first time I saw it. Had been wondering about the impact to OS sales. Will continue to watch this story!