Quick story: My 14-year-old just told me a boy in her class loves singing the Old Spice jingle.
Old Spice. The scent of my grandfather. (I loved how he smelled, and it was 100% from that red bottle in his farmhouse bathroom.)
Let that sink in.
How did a “grandpa brand” become cool for Millennials and now Gen Z?
- They embraced their history (hello, sailor!)
- They got weird (remember “The Man Your Man Could Smell Like”?)
- They stayed relevant (new scents, new faces)
- They leaned into humor (absurdity sells)
- They adapted to new platforms (their social media game is impressive)
Old Spice didn’t try to be something they’re not.
They took what made them unique and cranked it up to 11.
They understood that nostalgia can be a powerful tool when mixed with the right amount of self-awareness and innovation.
The brilliance? They didn’t merely rebrand. They reimagined their entire identity while keeping their core intact. It’s like they took their grandfather’s vintage car and turned it into a time-traveling hovercraft.
The lesson? Your brand’s history can be fuel for reinvention, not baggage. The quirks and “outdated” aspects of your product might just be the key to making it fresh and exciting for a new generation.
Think about it.
What if the feature you’ve been trying to hide is actually your secret weapon?
What “old” aspect of your product could you amplify to make it fresh again? How could you take your brand‘s heritage and spin it into something unexpectedly modern?
I’d love to hear your thoughts on this. Hit reply and let me know — has a brand’s reinvention ever surprised you?
Until tomorrow,
Laurier