Old Spice Makes Gamers the Star of their Audience Strategy
[Originally published on Red Fox Insights]
Old Spice has fine-tuned marketing campaigns towards a very niche, but very large male gaming segment. Their most recent attempt to tap into this highly engaged audience is through Old Spice Youland, a customizable video game starring you and your Facebook friends.
Old Spice's Youland features three retro-styled games as over-the-top as you’d expect from the brand responsible for campaigns like the one above.
Each game features unabashedly blatant product placement/references, and the signature absurdity Old Spice is known for. Youland attempts to tap into millennial male sensibilities, including working dull jobs to become a millionaire, escaping “lifeless co-workers” and bland office setting, and taking down oppressive establishments and rich bosses.
While the gaming demographic has seen dramatic changes in recent years, the Entertainment Software Association still reports 56% of gamers are male, and 30% are between the ages of 18-35. This means Old Spice’s targeting will likely resonate with a large portion of gaming audiences.
Gamers Are 'Uber-Consumers'
Old Spice experimented with gamification last June, letting players explore the madness of Terry Crews’ body. It’s likely that the results of previous game-focused campaigns helped spawn Youland. Kim Thompson, SVP Group Client Director of Digital at MediaVest says advertisers should:
"Consider gamers as 'uber-consumers', who are not only more likely to buy certain products than the general online population, but are also more likely to be key influencers for your brand regardless of whether you are in the gaming industry or not."
Kim also reports that gamers have high expectations for how brands engage them online. Old Spice meets expectations by embedding engagement within campaigns that boil down to playable commercials, starring yourself.
Much of the content and commercials on Old Spice's YouTube page feature millions of views, some totaling over 12 million and some earning more than 8 million in just over a month. Gaming audiences are a vast and integral piece to Old Spice's success. The men's grooming brand has latched onto this group, and continues devising more creative ways to reach them.
