Old Spice Turns Up the Freshness in New ‘Unbelievably Cool’ Campaign

Old Spice is proving just how far its coolness can go.

The P&G-owned grooming brand has launched “Unbelievably Cool,” the latest chapter in its ongoing “Unbelievably” platform.

In this iteration, the brand shifts the focus from long-lasting protection to a sensory hit of freshness.

Created by Spanish agency Burns and directed by Maxi Blanco of Landia Films, the campaign introduces the Cold Spice range with a story that’s both a survival drama and a comedy.

“Behind every Old Spice laugh is a lot of work listening to the consumer,” Alejandro Guerra, brand director personal care Europe at P&G, said in a press release. 

“We analyse their needs, develop products that solve them, and then work hand in hand with the creative team to turn those benefits into something only Old Spice could do: clever, absurd, and memorable.”

The campaign builds on a previous installment that focused on durability.

This time, it uses the same humor to visualize freshness in extreme conditions.

Old Spice's brand voice is also on full display here, one that's refined over the years. 

"Being chosen again as the creative agency for Old Spice Europe is proof of the talent of our team, our business-oriented vision, and the close collaboration we maintain with P&G," Carla Alexander, managing director at Burns, added.

Cooling Chaos on Screen

At the center is a 60-second film set on a deserted island, where a group of stranded survivors is abandoned by a rescue team because of their unbearable smell.

All but one. A single castaway remains calm, fresh, and minty, thanks to Cold Spice.

His unlikely lifeline arrives via penguins carrying a cooler filled with the product. The rescue helicopter then retreats because apparently, the cool one can stay.

The spot ends with the lone survivor relaxing in front of an igloo-like mansion, applying antiperspirant that visibly freezes on contact.

The campaign rolls out across 28 European markets through TV, digital, outdoor, and point-of-sale placements.

This integrated strategy ensures the creative lands consistently, whether audiences see a full film, shorter edits, or static executions in-store.

Old Spice’s Absurd Freshness Play

The grooming brand is giving us a sharp example of how creative consistency can carry a product message across markets:

• Strong creative platforms let brands refresh their messaging without losing what makes them recognizable to audiences.
• Humor can also simplify functional benefits, making even basic claims feel memorable and distinctive.
• Multi-market rollouts work best when a single idea adapts across formats, from film to outdoor and retail placements.

The Cold Spice campaign also shows how a single product benefit, when expressed clearly, can carry an entire campaign without needing layers of explanation.

Our Take: Is Absurdity Still the Sharpest Tool?

We’ve always thought Old Spice is at its strongest when it goes all in.

Its recent work is a testament to this, parodying an old Boyz II Men hit and crafting a coming-of-age mother-son story out of it. 

Not halfway, not safe, but fully committed to the bit.

This latest Cold Spice ad does exactly this.

A guy surviving on an island with penguins delivering deodorant shouldn’t make sense, but it does because the product benefit is crystal clear.

Old Spice knows that its absurd humor works and keeps pushing it further. 

We believe this to be a lot more respectable than brands that constantly reinvent themselves for attention.