Incito MentisA blog by Syed Abdul Karim

Coca Cola, the iconic brand that sits at the top of the 100 most valuable brands list according to Interbrand, is making a big push into the musical array in 2011. For a sugary drink that is not really good for anyone holding the top spot really goes to show the power and position of the brand in the minds of the consumer. If you come to think about it all the strategic moves by Coca Cola are aimed at creating a blue ocean of uncontested market space. Of course not everything they have done has been successful – case in point, Coca Cola Blak – the coffee flavored cola beverage. But by and large Coke was a beverage like no other at the time of it’s creation. In fact it was the only beverage in the world which had about 60mg of cocaine in every serving up until 1903. Rumor or True? No one knows. But time and time again they have done some wonderful things, like sponsoring one of the world’s most iconic TV shows – American Idol, thereby further entrenching their equity and association with music. Even the decision to work with Weiden + Kennedy was a great strategic move. To go for the hottest and not just the biggest. They have done some great brand building work for Coca Cola. Owning something broad and general like happiness was never going to be easy for anyone, but Coke certainly comes out on top in this space. From Happiness Factory to Open Happiness, W+K and Coke have produced some great creative across media.

And here we are in 2011 with another hot new initiative by Coca Cola – branded music. It seems that this is part of a larger strategic push that should unfold through the year. For now they have created a song supported by TV spots which is ruling the radio waves and conventional TV all the same. It evokes that moment when one gets carried away enjoying their music, singing along and feeling like a star. But first check out the video to “Can you feel it tonight” by One Night Only. Then see the TV spot adaptation below. Good stuff!

For a brand that started out in the year 1937 as a fragrance for woman Old Spice  has certainly come a long way. For Procter and Gamble, a company known for it’s classic (read as formulaic) approach to advertising since the 1950’s that included x times of product mentions/product shots followed by media bombardment to drive a message, it too has come a long way.  Although the relationship between P&G and Old Spice is relatively recent – dates back to 1990 when Old Spice was acquired from the Shulton Company who originally created the brand, the last three days are anything but formulaic, dated or conventional.  In fact, Old Spice has sowed the seeds of something remarkable that defines the new communications paradigm for brands in the 21st century.

I think it is a brilliant case study on “how to build brands using social media”. We have seen a surge of branded activity in social media off late. The ingredients are the same – a large chunk of Facebook mixed add a spoonful of Twitter with a dash of YouTube. But as we say, a great idea is one that combines commonly known elements to create something new and unexpected. This is what has been done with Old Spice. The character from the TV Commercial – Isaiah Mustafa responds to individual comments made in social media through a video and he does so persistently over three days with a total of nearly 200 video responses.

Brands engaging people on social networks is not something entirely new. If you are on Facebook you get engaged on Facebook, your tweets get @ replies on Twitter and so on. The power behind the Old Spice campaign was the video response. This was the creative leap taken by W+K.  The character that personifies the brand talks back to you in the form of a video. He would pick up your tweet, your status update on Facebook, a comment on YouTube or anywhere else on the web and talk back to you!  This was the big idea!

To do justice to the idea, the execution was nothing short of being flawless. Isaiah Mustafa, the Old Spice guy, acted out his role brilliantly. It was a mix of bold performances, combined with wit and humor. The best part of it all was the branding – subtle yet obvious.  Besides what Isaiah did for Old Spice he did a lot for himself – from being an unknown actor to overnight celebrity (he apparently inked a deal with NBC that would land him in one of their upcoming sitcoms).

From the film that kicked off the campaign (it won the Film Grand Prix at the Cannes Lions 2010 last month) to the film that started this 3-day social media frenzy, along with a couple of my favorite video response by the Old Spice guy, all have been linked below for your viewing pleasure! Enjoy.

Old Spice -Questions

Old Spice – Responses – Re: chmown | Old Spice

Old Spice – Responses – Re: @knitmeapony| Old Spice

Old Spice – Responses – Re: rahnyc4 | Old Spice

Old Spice – The Man Your Man Could Smell Like (The one that won the Film Grand Prix)

The entire series can be found here.