Old Spice success story resonates with Gobe's points

No doubt, old spice is the one of the most successful marketing campaign today. In 2010, Old spice became the No 1 all-time most viewed branded channel on youtube. 

Most people attributed it success to sophisticated use of social media. I agree. However, If I used Gobe's rules to analyse the success, I felt even deeper success factors were hidden under the surface.

1, Female focus

Marketing Research tells woman makes purchase of +50% body wash. At the beginning when Old Spice re positioned the brand, it switched its target customer groups from men to women for the first time. All commercials and marketing campaigns questioned woman “ does your man smell like a man?" or " do you want to your man smell like me?". The brand is trying to persuade women not just buy female body wash for men to use. The charming and sexy Old Spice Guy should be very powerful to influence women's purchase decision.

2, Postmodern moment disrupts dogma

One reason that Old Spice ads became so popular, I think, is that they are really different from common or traditional ads. They are full of imaginative scenes beyond people's imagination.

3, Marketing and (popular) culture are coterminous

Its marketing really incorporate with popular culture like social media culture. Old spice use tweeter, youtube, facebook to boost the brand. the Old Spice Guy answered his fans through these channels in a timely fashion.

Super Bowl Ads

Emotional connection 

among Chysler-Eminem-Detroit-Patriotism

I personally really like the ad, its emotional connection set up by it. It set up a perfect connection among Chrysler-Eminem-Detroit. At the same time, the brand is trying to set another connection between consumers and the brand through patriotism and " never give up" spirit.    

Re the connection among Chrysler-Eminem-Detroit.

 American auto makers had been deemed as losers, especially at the beginning of the financial crisis. However, after the crisis, Detroit auto makers are really getting a comeback. GM and Ford really are really doing good jobs in sales and profits.  Chrysler were trying express " A Comeback". The city and the auto makers in Detroit, that all experienced hard time and suffered, never give up, instead, come back with dignity, pride and strength. The reason they use Eminem is he (like Chrysler) is a Detroit native who has experienced huge success, suffered setbacks and returned stronger than ever. The lyrics to “Lose Yourself” are about that very story. So the pairing of Chrysler and Eminem seemed natural.

Re the second connection between consumers and the brand. 

People, especially Americans, identify themselves with the spirit like " Never Give Up!" and " Fight for your pride and dignity" . Besides, Americans, as the citizens of the NO1 super power, tend to buy the Patriotism.    

Thinking from the science of lust

Today I watched a TV program called the science of lust in Discovery Channel. The researcher did an interesting experiment. He asked a street sunglass vendor to sell only two Sunglass designs on Hollywood Avenue-one is traditional whole black design, the other is bold golden design. When He asked the vendor to put his glass stand in front of a conservative clothing store, the traditional black sunglass were sold much better. When he asked the vendor to move the strand in front of a Victoria's Secret store, the bold golden sunglass design were sold remarkably better. Why? 


The researcher said the naked and sexy female models and posters in Victory's Secret store windows and store flirtatious decoration really heighten up male 's  hormones - especially testosterone and estrogen - and hormones, driving their lust. The  lust, sometimes 
unconscious, trigger men's natural bio reactions. Eg. they want to 
stand out, or they are more aggressive, etc. Thus, they bought more 
the bold aggressive sunglass. 




Marketers really need to understand these Connections. 




In class we also talked about how to stimulate  the five senses  to 
advocate consumption. the bottom line of the approach is to find the
 connections between outside stimulus and consumer's inside system, whether nerve system, mental system or other systems.  

My Playa Adventure - Burning Man 2009

WE LOVE YOU: A Rainbow Gathering Documentary Trailer

Big 5 personality traits

Each time when I analyze customers or the normal people I meet, I try to use Big Five personality traits to evaluate people. Big Five personality traits are relatively easy to use to me.  

The Big Five factors and their constituent traits can be summarized as follows:

• Openness – (inventive/curious vs. consistent/cautious). Appreciation for art, emotion, adventure, unusual ideas, curiosity, and variety of experience.
• Conscientiousness – (efficient/organized vs. easy-going/careless). A tendency to show self-discipline, act dutifully, and aim for achievement; planned rather than spontaneous behavior.
• Extraversion – (outgoing/energetic vs. solitary/reserved). Energy, positive emotions, surgency, and the tendency to seek stimulation in the company of others.
• Agreeableness – (friendly/compassionate vs. cold/unkind). A tendency to be compassionate and cooperative rather than suspicious and antagonistic towards others.
• Neuroticism – (sensitive/nervous vs. secure/confident). A tendency to experience unpleasant emotions easily, such as anger, anxiety, depression, or vulnerability. 

3 levels of a brand! by Forrest Jiang

As a complete person should be composed with 3 levels-body, soul and spirit, a super brand should be composed of these 3 levels. But most brands can only reach to level one or level two. 


Level one-body:
These brands means nothing to consumers but the functions. Bargain brands fall in this category. 


Level two-soul:
These brands provide more intangible things, like feeling, experience and connection, besides tangible functions. E.g. Apple products stands for innovation, uniqueness, taste and so on. Buyers feel this products can present their values and identity. Apple's overall products and service provide brand-new experience which other brands can not offer. At last, users feel strong emotional bond with the brand and are proud of being part of the community.


Level three-spirit
These brands can reach to your soul. They have power to change your life style and even your belief and spirit accordingly. These brands do not only serve you like level one and two, but also "control or manipulate" you and your mind. Let me use bibles to make my point. Bible are not only books or peace of mind therapy, but also life-changing soul savior. Of course, very few brands have this power. I personally think Harley-Division can be seen as a brand in this category. This brand changed HD bikes' life styles.  These fans don't deem the bike as a toy for their Holidays, but as a important partner of their daily lives. They live a HD-style lives.