Adam Williams

Advice for marketers and small business owners

#Old Spice

Does firm-created word of mouth or user-generated content drive purchase intent?

A team from the University of Basel in Switzerland released a paper in 2012 discussing research they had conducted on the impact of firm-created word of mouth communications versus user-generated social media content. The objective was to determine which type of content has the greater effect on consumers’ attitude towards brands and purchase intent. In other words, what’s driving your sales? The content that you create or the content that consumers create?

The research was based on 20 best-selling brands from the tourism, telecommunications and pharmaceuticals industries and also considered the role of traditional advertising such as television.

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Old Spice dropped the ball with “Danger Zone” ads

Earlier this year, Old Spice released a new frontman, Neal Bledsoe, and commercial, Danger Zone, outside of the United States. I have a problem with the new series. I think it betrays the success of Isaiah Mustafa.

The commercial depicts Neal being torn to pieces. The message is that no matter what, you’ll at least smell good. The first problem is that Isaiah is indestructible and Neal is very destructible. He isn’t as manly and appealing.

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