Campaign Trail is our analysis of some of the best new creative efforts from the marketing world. View past columns in the archives here.
Dr. Squatch is trading cheesecake for beefcake: After being ahead of the curve with a campaign that got risque with it-girl Sydney Sweeney, the Unilever-owned men’s grooming brand tapped actor Alan Ritchson for its latest series of spots.
The “Reacher” star serves as ambassador to Manlandia, the brand’s fictional island “where men can be dudes and dudes can be men.” In a 30-second hero spot, “Yes You Man!,” the heavily muscled actor encourages guys to do what they want, whether riding a motocross bike with a built-in grill, playing guitar in a garage band or using natural soap instead of “spicy synthetic cleanser.” Soundtracked by AC/DC-esque hard rock, the ad ends with the tagline, “There are many ways to man, but only one way to smell like one."
The campaign spans TV, digital and social channels, and features Ritchson in a series of 30-second spots. “For the Ladies” sees Ritchson take off his shirt, split wood with his bare hands and fill common relationship needs. Meanwhile, “The Essentials” shows off his many leather-bound books; “Don’t be a Dummy” takes on competitors’ artificial ingredients; and “Life’s Tough Man” tackles common male quandaries. International spots with similar set-ups starring Paddy “The Baddy” Pimblett and Nick Cummins will run in the U.K. and Australia, respectively.
For Dr. Squatch, crafting the framework of Manlandia, which began about a year and half ago, allowed the brand to address masculinity while keeping the brand’s typically over-the-top, viral-friendly tone.
“Manliness is not one-size-fits-all, so we didn't want to show a place that people would be familiar with or show manliness as a rigid stereotype,” said John Ludeke, senior vice president of global marketing at the brand, on the creation of Manlandia. “We thought it would be a lot more inclusive in that sense. However you want to be a man and show your masculinity is great, and you should just feel confident about being yourself and about exploring that.”
To help supercharge traditional ideas of masculinity into self-parody and celebrate manliness in all its forms, Dr. Squatch enlisted Ritchson, an actor known for his impressive physique but perhaps lesser known for his singing (he once auditioned for “American Idol”), his dancing (he met his wife in ballet class) and his other interests (like music and poetry).
“He's someone that I think men and women really look to as an example of how to be a man in the modern age,” Ludeke said. “[He has] this sense of adventure, of doing different things that are traditionally masculine, but also doing things that aren't, that relate to being a great father, a great caregiver and maybe being able to get in touch with your softer side, as well.”
Who sucked out the feeling?
Despite its cheeky campaigns, Dr. Squatch is a purpose-driven brand that focuses on its mission to inspire and educate men to be happier and healthier. The Manlandia work began with research that keyed in on male malaise, from high suicide rates to low university matriculation rates and a “general feeling” that maybe things aren’t as good as they used to be, Ludeke explained.
“We looked at what a lot of other brands were doing this in the space, and a lot of it was talking directly about men's mental health, or addressing things in a way that guys don't really connect with or guys don't actually solve those problems in that manner,” the exec said. “We decided we could launch a campaign that spoke to guys the way they speak to each other and would be a rallying cry for guys to help feel more empowered to be their wild masculine selves.”
Across the spots, Manlandia is a place to reawaken male spirits and give men an opportunity to embrace masculinity — whether traditional or not — in whatever way makes sense for them. While the ads all have a cinematic feel, they vary in style, including ones that adopt the look and feel of infomercials and news reports — a tactic that helps the campaign break through with consumers who are inundated with ad content.
“As a brand, if you are only deploying one small set of creative and just running that over and over and over again, people get really tired of it,” Ludeke said. “How can we create a variety of content that feels fresh and exciting throughout the course of the campaign, and also ensures that the content fits the platforms and the media channels in which we're trying to connect with our customer base, so that it's actually engaging for them and doesn't just feel like the same wallpaper that they're getting hit with all the time?”
Growing and learning
Unilever in June acquired Dr. Squatch from private equity firm Summit Partners, citing the brand’s “built-in-culture” and “clever digital engagement strategies.” The CPG giant is an “ideal” partner for the brand, according to Ludeke, who has been with Dr. Squatch since March 2022.
“Through our new partnership with Unilever, we're going to get access to more tools, more support and a lot more information that we can use to grow globally,” the executive said.
The acquisition came as Unilever announced plans to spend half of its media on social channels, a strategic pivot in line with how Dr. Squatch has established itself as a disruptor in personal care. But as American Eagle recently learned, aiming for virality with figures like Sweeney is not without risk. Marketers must learn how to read the tea leaves of culture, Ludeke said.
“This idea that doing something just to be disruptive and to hopefully go viral isn't the right way to do things. I think you have to be really clear on the audience that you're trying to serve and what is going to work for them, but also the broader landscape of what's going on out there in the marketplace,” Ludeke said.
Still, triangulating campaign creative so that it is both exciting for core consumers but not off-putting to others is not easy — especially as consumer behaviors and tastes change rapidly. Safe can be boring, and being wild to be wild can turn into a shtick. Finding the right balance will remain a focal point for Dr. Squatch going forward.
“How do you continue to reinvent yourself as a brand? How do you continue to maintain relevancy and saliency?” Ludeke said. “How can we stay fresh and exciting while still also doing things that tie back to the core of what we stand for and represent as a brand?”
