OLD SPICE | SMELLCOME TO MANHOOD (MOM'S SONG) | 2016
A Song That Genuinely Unsettles Mothers About Their Sons' New Sex Appeal / OLD SPICE "SMELLCOME TO MANHOOD"
A mother hiding outside her son's bedroom door, secretly singing to herself — that image alone is unsettling. Once their sons start using Old Spice, they suddenly become magnets for girls, and the mothers sing about it together, looking almost heartbroken.
The problem
Old Spice had always been a brand for adult men, but to push its new line of body sprays, it needed to win over teenage boys. For years, Old Spice had stood as proof of being a grown man, while its rival AXE had become the go-to scent for younger guys.
The insight
This ad was the first in a series of campaigns, and its core idea is a chorus of mothers who can't quite accept that their sons are taking on Old Spice's "manly scent." Instead of showing the product's effect through the boy himself, the ad flips the perspective to focus on the mothers' bewilderment as they watch from the sidelines.
The idea
The standout visual is a group of middle-aged mothers singing a song lamenting that their sons have hit puberty and, thanks to Old Spice, started attracting girls — all while secretly spying on them. One mother hides behind her son's bedroom door, singing sadly, and the other mothers follow suit, peeking in as their sons hang out with girls.
What happened
The ad won Gold in the Creative Effectiveness category at the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity. It gained massive attention after airing during an NFL playoff broadcast. The ad sparked mixed reactions but spread widely online.
Afterthought
This ad walks the fine line between "creepy" and "funny." Turning the universal awkwardness of a mother's love colliding with her son's growing independence into something this comic is a real talent. The fact that people are still talking about it, mixed reactions and all, feels like the best possible outcome for an ad.
Awards
- Cannes Lions Gold 2016
