Kudos to the marketing department at Old Spice and all the folks at W+K: Brilliant idea, great execution. Problem is, all other agencies, small or holding companies, are in deep, deep trouble. I mean, deeeeeeep trouble. If I was a betting man, I would say at least 100 marketing executives will talk to their agencies this week alone and demand: "Give me some of that Old Spice." Just like they asked for some of that Second Life, some of that viral video. Remember Subservient Chicken? You ain't see nothing yet. (And, as you can see below, Cisco was the first to jump on the bandwagon.)
The advertising industry loves copying successful ideas. After getting the briefing from account services, my first Creative Director locked himself in the office to go through obscure advertising annuals (Mongolia, anyone?) and Luerzer's Archive. Just to mash-up Czech print ads with Nigerian TV commercials. And lose account after account.
Brilliant advertising takes time. Time to develop a trusting relationship between client and agency. Time to understand new technologies and how to use them effortless and appropriately. Time to understand the brand. Time to understand the culture of the client. Time to fail. Time to almost fail. Time to miserably fail. Time to understand the Zeitgeist and what will delight people. And that's not even the half of it. This is tough work. And W+K's brilliance is in being able to pull it off by doing all the hard work for the last few years.
So, please, continue your hard work. I know, the Old Spice bandwagon is alluring. Intriguing. But it gets you nowhere. And takes time away from your real work to develop your own masterpiece. Cisco, are you listening?
