Best advertising of 2010

How can you deny the success of Old Spice?

A great piece of film that really impacted the culture followed by deft navigation of the social media rapids. A top job all around from Wieden and Kennedy. This very obviously revived a brand that was all but dead.

And 26 million views on YouTube? Can’t argue with that.

Whip off your lens caps people, because film is back baby!

THE OLD SPICE CAMPAIGN WORKED. WHY? BECAUSE I SAID SO!

It pains me to see the advertising midgets emerging from their hovels to attack the towering colossus of awesomeness that is the Old Spice ad campaign.

The Old Spice campaign was an incredibly smart use of the media as it is today. it sold the product (and by association all the Old Spice products) as hard as it could be sold. And in a very rational AND emotionally appealing way from the first second of the ad. And it was hilarious. And it was brilliantly executed. It also seeped its way into the popular culture in a big way. “I’m ON A HORSE!”. “Look at your man, now look at me” etc.

YET, and here’s the funny bit, some of the very people who should be cheering and applauding this undeniable specimen of fantastic-ness – ad people – are now coming out of the woodwork to question its efficacy. “Yes, but did it move the needle? Did it sell?”

Well let me put your little minds to rest. THIS CAMPAIGN WORKED. Because i bought an Old Spice product based solely on this ad. That’s it. That’s all there is folks.

if i sound a bit on edge here it’s because i experienced a similar reaction during the Budweiser Wassup! campaign. The giants of the industry (Jeff Goodby etc) loved the campaign. But suddenly all these nobodies came out of the woodwork criticizing what was an undeniable phenomenally successful global viral ad campaign. Trying desperately to make a name for themselves by being contrarian hardasses all of a sudden. “Yeah it’s funny but did it sell?” they would harrumph, arms folded, a sour look on their face. Thinking they were Clint Eastwood or something.

These people are what my old boss, an ad legend himself, used to refer to as “the midgets”. They don’t want things to be successful and elegant and simple. Because deep down they know they’re incapable of ever achieving such a thing. They can’t imagine it. And if they can’t then nobody else can either.

These people are to be avoided like the proverbial plague. Run from them! Run like the wind!

I bet there are no midgets at Wieden and Kennedy. Bravo dudes! You won.

The New World Champions of Advertising

“Why do so many TV ads suck? Seriously!” – Norm Bilow, Managing Director, The Escape Pod. Just minutes ago.

Norm said that as he watched the new Cannes Grand Prix winning Old Spice ad from Wieden and Kennedy. This is that ad. It’s sheer perfection. Watch it and see. There isn’t a wasted millisecond. It’s pure old school hard sell wrapped up in genius execution. Solid gold.

If I wore a hat, i would be doffing it in appreciation. Not every Cannes Grand Prix winning ad is a great ad. This one is. Bravo!

Go on, watch it again. You know you want to.