Comm455/History of Journalism

Where were you?

Where were you when American advertising got turned on its collective head?

When marketing students and practitioners alike were met by a man on a horse and told from that day forth to “Be silly”?

“… what just happened?”

All of a sudden, the spirit of viral video was born in America!

Or, viral video 2.0, that is.

The Old Spice commercial marked viral video’s first commercial blockbuster. The first chance for giddy teenagers everywhere to finally have their work recognized by the suits and coats that held the money.

Because their predecessors hadn’t been nearly as successful.

This one is my favorite:

Sure, it’s hilarious. But does it make you want to buy new tires?

Not really.

So Old Spice is the victor! And its spoils come in the form of pen strokes in the books of direct-to-consumer advertising history.

By entertaining the audience with a slapstick-esque series of absurd and random acts, they’ve likely doubled the national sale of their product. And because they have a small, cheap, easily accessible product?

::palms up, shrug::

The Shulton Company is doing fine now.

Sorry, Nutri Grain:

So take note, kids. This absurdity thing is a gravy train but it’s also not a 1920’s Coca-Cola world anymore. Have some fun with it but don’t get too used to it.

There’s only so much you can do with absurdity before the ideas start feeling a little stale.

Sorry, Dr. Pepper: