Lust & Old Spice Deodorant

Old Spice deodorant Ad created by Wieden+Kennedy ad agency in  2010 starring Isaiah Mustafa

The photograph above is a still from a video advertisement for Old Spice deodorant as part of the Smell Like a Man, Man ad campaign. The ad uses imagery to promote the product. The ad shows a tropical location. There is a sunny beach in the background and a tree and other greenery in the corner. A bare-chested man is sitting on top of a white horse that is standing on the white sand. The man is wearing tight white pants and a collared shirt tied around his neck. He is holding an Old Spice deodorant in his hand while diamonds fall out of his hand. His hand is placed on his hip and he is sitting in a straight posture. His eyebrows are furled, his lips are in a half-smile, and his eyes are looking intensely into the camera. Next to his head there are the words, "Smell like a man, man. Old Spice." The words Old Spice are italicized to signify the brand of the product. 

The intended audience of this ad is male household members. The deodorant brand is marketed toward men, and the slogan for the ad campaign features a specific gender and appeals to masculinity. The photograph is taken at a tropical location to associate the deodorant brand with ideas that are associated with vacation venues like, happiness, love, and success. The actor is placed in the center of the ad because the background of the advertisement changes from a bathroom to more exciting locations. The ad begins by addressing women and asking them to look at their man and compare him to the man in the commercial. He then tells them that sadly they don't look like him because he doesn't use Old Spice. The ad sets up the actor to be the ideal man and the most desirable. The ad presents the deadly sin of lust. The ad promotes the sex appeal of the actor by making him shirtless to show off his defined muscles. He poses at the end with his hand on his hip to show his bulky arm muscles, and his pants are excessively tight. This tall, dark, and handsome male is even sitting on a horse which creates a fantasy around him. This is a man, women should fantasize about. The ad is suggesting that this is what a true male should look like to achieve his full masculinity and have other women lust for them.

The choice of a black actor makes this ad appeal to a mixed-race audience. Not to mention he has a Muslim name. This makes the ad appeal to all males, not just exclusively white males.