World, meet Swaggy Spice, Old Spice’s first ever brand mascot. The new brand mascot forms part of the company’s “Smelf-Confidence” campaign with two musical theatre-inspired spots produced by Wieden+Kennedy Portland.
Swaggy will also make his full debut at the Super Bowl this weekend and, as fun as the baseball cap-wearing roll-on deodorant is, it’s a far cry from “The Man Your Man Can Smell Like Ads” of years gone by.
“Old Spice wants guys everywhere to feel confident when under the spotlight,” said Matt Krehbiel, Old Spice’s vice president at Procter & Gamble.
“This new campaign is inspired by the insight that we can usually count on others to tell us if something is out of place. Maybe we have something in our teeth, or a spot on our shirt, but no one will tell us if we smell, leaving us wondering in those make-or-break moments, ‘do I smell right now?’ If you can’t be confident that others will tell you that you smell bad, then you need to be really confident in your grooming products.”
The W+K Portland produced ads are inspired by Broadway musicals and feature Colombian-born actor Manuel Pacific.
The first spot, “Soliloquy,” will begin airing on national television along with YouTube, Vevo, TikTok, and Reddit. The second spot, “Tango,” will premiere later this spring.
Sadly, Swaggy Spice does not feature in the spots. However, his appearance during the Super Bowl will be the perfect test of Old Spice’s odour protection.
“People don’t realize is mascots can sweat up to 10 pounds per game, making them the stinkiest thing in the stadium,” explained the company.
“What better way to pressure test Old Spice Swagger’s 24/7 long-lasting freshness than in one of the sweatiest conditions – a mascot costume in Phoenix? Decked out in stylish accessories, Swaggy Spice will deliver the same odour/sweat protection to the masses at one of the most stressful, high-intensity events of the year, the Super Bowl.
“It’s a real honour to become THE most famous deodorant stick of all time and spread the word about my 24/7 long-lasting freshness,” added Swaggy Spice.
“I always had big dreams thanks to my confidence-inducing fragrance and odor protection but never expected to reach the pinnacle of deodorant stardom with Old Spice. Shout out to my good-smelling friends and family who believed in me as a young deodorant stick with one dream…to deliver Smelf-Confidence to guys everywhere.”
During his surprise appearances this week, Swaggy Spice will hand out samples, engage fans around Phoenix, and walk the Super Bowl LVII red carpets with celebrity handlers.
