The epic Old Spice advert takes us back to the time of pirates.

The Old Spice advert takes epicness to the next level and places us on a pirate ship full of bad smells.

If there is one brand in the advertising world that has managed to build a highly recognizable identity, it is Old Spice. Its signature surreal humor has made its campaigns part of advertising history.

Now, they take their epicness up a notch in their latest advertising campaign. With their peculiar humorous and irreverent tone, they unmask an intruder who smells too good on a 16th-century pirate ship.

“Unbelievably”

“Unbelievably” is the title of the Old Spice advert created by the Spanish agency Burns, produced by Roma, and directed by Martín Jalfen. The campaign aims to make a clear statement about the product’s long-lasting effect.

The piece transports us to a pirate ship sailing the high seas, where bad smells are the norm after months aboard. The images reinforce this idea with explicit scenes of rotting fish, leftover food, and filthy pirates. After all, no one could possibly smell good in such a situation… unless they used Old Spice.

Once the traitor is unmasked, the Old Spice advert brings back its irreverent humor and pays homage to the brand’s past campaigns, such as the legendary “I’m on a Horse.” But this time, on a seahorse.

According to Pablo Madrid, Executive Creative Director at Burns: “It was a long process, but we wanted to communicate a very rational benefit in a very Old Spice way.”

Enric Jiménez Prat, Senior Director Personal Care Europe at Procter & Gamble, highlights: “We didn’t just make an ad; we created entertainment. And that is precisely what we seek at Old Spice and what today’s consumers want, always anchored in a true consumer insight.”

Watch | YouTube