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Old Spice | The Man Your Man Could Smell Like

Name: Old Spice | The Man Your Man Could Smell Like
Description: The 2010 Old Spice commercial featuring Isaiah Mustafa, shot as a continuous sequence with scene changes and practical effects. It became a famous viral ad.

Old Spice Comedy partly dated

Open on YouTube First HN thread

1 HN user recommended this comedy video in 1 different month between 2010 and 2025.

2007–2026

1 recommendation 2 citations 1 joke HackerTube score 1

Used as an example of a viral ad that worked through humor and clever in-camera production.

The 2010 Old Spice commercial featuring Isaiah Mustafa, shot as a continuous sequence with scene changes and practical effects. It became a famous viral ad.

Pull quote: “a commercial that was particularly well done, especially in scene changes without jump cuts” (HN, 2010)

Also tagged: viral advertising, old spice, advertising, viral marketing, in-camera effects

What Hacker News said

4 labeled comments from the HN archive; up to 20 are kept per video, favoring different commenters. Each one links back to the original thread.

Recommends thih9 March 2025 under The 2005 Sony Bravia ad

2010 Old Spice ad done largely in camera, with behind-the-scenes material.

Honorable mention goes to the Old Spice 2010 ad, where a lot was done in camera too, including the horse. The Man Your Man Could Smell Like: [this video] Pitch presentation: [link] Behind the scenes interview: [link] It was a big success and a series of similar clips followed; this one has an actual “behind the scenes” video: Scent vacation: [link] Behind the scenes: [link]

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Citations, criticism and jokes

Cites it madssj March 2010 under Chatroulette Improv Piano Player Removed from YouTube

Example of a memorable viral ad campaign.

They do know, I have a friend who works at a seeding agency, and they know very, very well how it works. Make it funny/stupid/sexy enough, and people will watch it. A couple of good examples of this: [link] [this video] [link] [link] Don't know if the latter was launched as a viral campaign, but my point is that you know it and the brand it was from if I'd phone you up and shout "WASSUP". Marketing is a lot scarier that you think.

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Cites it sudont December 2010 under Ma.gnolia shut down two months too soon (old delicious competitor)

Commercial notable for scene changes without jump cuts.

It's in reference to a commercial that was particularly well done, especially in scene changes without jump cuts: [this video] What's really amazing is the once-in-a-blue moon of (admittedly, excellent) satire reaching the top of the post rankings.

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Makes a joke 1p1e1 December 2011 under Reasons to install Sublime Text 2

Ah, apologies if you find the title sexism. It's just a reference to OldSpice's commercial: [this video] The first part of the article was meant as a joke if that's not clear.

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