Analysis Of Old Spice

The advertisement I have presented for analysis is for Old Spice men’s personal hygiene products. An initial glimpse of this advertisement would lead you to believe it is similar to any other advertisement for this type of product that you may encounter in your everyday life. However, upon a closer inspection, we will find that this advertisement is more complex than initially assumed. By reevaluating this advertisement, it becomes compelling that the advertisement is not focusing on the product being marketed. The predominant focus of the image is the man pictured. In that, it becomes conclusive that Old Spice is not necessarily attempting to sell hygiene products, rather a lifestyle and appearance standard purported as more desirable to a
By stating “What is clear is that most things in and of themselves simply do not mean enough. In fact, what we crave may not be objects at all but their meaning” (472) Twitchell proves his theory. In this Old Spice advertisement it is undeniable that the company is forcing a meaning rather than a product considering that the product is not the dominant focal point in the image. To further indicate his viewpoint of how the advertising industry sells meaning with the product, Twitchell says “Before all else, we must realize modern advertising is tied primarily to things and only second to services. Manufacturing both things and their meaning is what American culture is all about” (470). Old Spice is utilizing that approach in their ad. If they can target a young man and his emotions about his image and inadequacies while implying their products can provide a replacement for what he now feels he is lacking, the company is well on their way to a complete sale. Twitchell further satisfies his argument about the way advertising applies to our culture rather than just some people by stating “The culture we live in is carried on the back of advertising. Now I mean that literally” (468). Accurately describing this Old Spice ad and how advertisements are more often than not designed to be directed at either the male or female gender, Twitchell remarks “Adcult is recombinant culture. This is how it
The copy reads “Somewhere in there there’s a man in there. Old Spice. Smell better than yourself”. By generalizing that statement, it serves to prove Old Spice is explicitly telling the intended audience that he is not good enough as a man. They tell the reader that very clearly with the line that reads “smell better than yourself”. Further scrutinizing the copy, the company is expressing to the young man he is not masculine enough. Old Spice does this with a section of the copy that reads “Somewhere in there there’s a man in there”. With this copy, Old Spice is effectively able to send the message to young men that he may not good enough; however, with the help of their products he won’t feel as troubled about not measuring up to