Marketing in the News - Arby's and Old Spice, Together at Last?

 

    Arby's and Old Spice are together at last. I'm not certain that we needed that, but the collaborative team Wieden + Kennedy and Fallon thought differently.  I chose to write about this article because I thought it was pretty ridiculous and yet like a car accident, couldn't turn my eyes away. 

    In this article, it discusses the campaign marriage between Arby's and Old Spice. In this Youtube video, they are putting together some solutions to the "meat sweats".  I do love me an Arby's roast beef sandwich, but I'm afraid I'm unfamiliar with the issue of the meat sweats. The ad features the depth defying voice of Ving Rhames and Isaiah Mustafa promoting Old Spice's Sweat Defense Dry Spray and Arby's half pound roast beef sandwich.   They also have the option of the Meat Sweat Defense Kit, as well as other playful accessories available on Arby's e-commerce site. 

    The Value Proposition of Arby's and Old Spice, for this particular ad, would be the familiarity, tasty quick food, smelling good, and a trusted history of these two brands. They are throwing in some pop culture and humor which may have the added benefit of the purchaser to feel cool to own the swag including the meat sweat sweat suit.  How cheesy cool would that be? 

    Arby's recent campaign strategy have attempted to create social media excitement. Most recently, they targeted  new products in trying to elbow out a main competitor's fish sandwich, with a rapper.  Old Spice has teamed up with Marvel to create some Thor content, including Chris Hemsworth. They are giving Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and YouTube all they've got. I think that Arby's and Old Spice are trying to stay relevant to today's social media fans, perhaps the younger crowd. Their approach in using humor, star power, and the unusual is getting more common. 

    Despite watching the YouTube video several times, I just don't think these two are a great pair. I can appreciate the humor, but I think it fails to land in the exact position.  All I can say is ouch! when he lands on the Horsey sauce.  But yeah, you did get that Horsey sauce in there. I think if I was the brand manager i would've rejected this ad campaign with the two brands being together.  I'm not a fan of my food and toiletries bagged together at the store. 

    I think Arby's and Old Spice have good products, separately.  I learned about how much effort people are putting into social media ads, just to try to be funny.  I did some research on Arby's, and learned about the company and it's mission.  I think they are pretty solid, and I hope they keep trying, but not with Old Spice. 

https://www.marketingdive.com/news/old-spice-arbys-meat-sweats/626227/                                                                                                                                                                                           UltimeatDreams Old Spice x Arby's Youtube         

 

Meat Sweat Defense Kit - Courtesy of Old Spice on Marketingdive.com.                                     Get yours for $60 at www.arbysshop.com.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              

    I think Arby's and Old Spice have good products, separately.  I learned about how much effort people are putting into social media ads, just to try to be funny.  I did some research on Arby's, and learned about the company and it's mission.  I think they are pretty solid, and I hope they keep trying, but not with Old Spice.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           https://www.marketingdive.com/news/old-spice-arbys-meat-sweats/626227/                                                                                                                                                                                              https://youtu.be/l-r8XHtgcMU