OLD SPICE | Hawkridge | 2013
Why all the hawks? / Old Spice "Hawkridge"
In 2013, Old Spice released a scent called Hawkridge. The ad for it shows a man playing poker suddenly getting swarmed by hawks—you have no idea what's going on, but somehow you totally get it.
The insight
After Old Spice pulled off its big comeback with "The Man Your Man Could Smell Like" in 2010, the brand rolled out several scent lines. Hawkridge was one of them, part of the "Wild Collection" alongside Wolfthorn. Under the tagline "Smell like a man, man" (answer the call of the wild), each fragrance got its own animal motif to build out the brand's world.
The idea
A man at a poker table is sure his hand is unbeatable—and suddenly a huge swarm of hawks descends on him. That's it. It's surreal, it's ridiculous, and it perfectly embodies the name Hawkridge.
Afterthought
Honestly, watching this ad, I never found myself wanting more information. The simple fact that hawks showed up is funny enough on its own, and I think that's exactly where this brand's strength lies. Old Spice in the 2010s churned out ad after ad that explained itself by refusing to explain anything, and somehow it worked every time. There's not much to write about when there's so little information given—but maybe that's its own kind of honesty.
Awards
- Cannes Lions Gold 2013
