Fabio Is The New Old Spice Guy! Good For Buzz… But Is It Good For Old Spice?

The NEW Old Spice Guy is none other than… FABIO. Certainly worthy of internet buzz… but is it good for Old Spice?

The web spots have a sense of humor about themselves that the brand has become known for. But the original viral spoke-sensation, Isaiah Mustafa, had a different image… rugged good looks that appealed to women, irreverence and bravado that appealed to men. And while the campaign succeeded in building the sales of Old Spice’s Body Wash, sale of it’s other products had dropped. Check out the Fabio spots below and see for yourself… then consider whether Fabio is really the right choice for the product.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CcJwWz7zTjM&feature=player_embedded

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yF6Z-ksOfJI&feature=player_embedded

While the appearance of Fabio reflects the same humorous bent seen last time, I have to wonder if the image appeals to the consumer in an effective way. There is no disputing that Fabio is able to make fun of himself and his iconic romance novel image, but rather than focusing on the product and how it relates to a consumer, this is merely a parody of his public image. (I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter! utilized the same over-the-top sarcasm in their Fabio campaign.) As a result, you have a theme that has essentially been done, with a spokesperson that is attractive to a certain group of women, but could in fact be a turnoff to men. If buzz alone is enough for the brand, then they’ll certainly get some of that, but it remains to be seen if that translates into sales.

The one person who isn’t worried is former spokesman Isaiah Mustafa, who booked five film roles for 2011, and is already on pre-production for two in 2012.

What do you think?