Castaways Get Sweaty and Stinky on Old Spice's Tropical Island

'Cold Spice' comes to the rescue

If you’re ever shipwrecked on a sweltering tropical island, never fear. The penguins—chillest birds of all—will provide relief. That’s the premise of Old Spice’s silly :60 below. Developed with Madrid-based agency Burns and director Maxi Blanco, the work breaks today across Europe.

The approach provides a cute continuation of O.S. themes, mixing the brand’s trademark absurdist humor with its more recent nautical notions:

The team strove to “evolve, not reinvent” Old Spice’s vaunted creative style, agency managing director Carla Alexander tells Muse. “We’re exploring different product benefits while keeping that unmistakable Old Spice humor. That balance between a real product insight and smart, ridiculous storytelling is what keeps the Old Spice universe fresh while staying true to its heritage.”

During shoots on Mexico’s Caribbean coast, “The heat was intense” and routinely topped 100 °F, she recalls. “On several occasions, we had to make use of the sea, which was just a few steps from the set, to cool off.”

Imagine how those penguins felt, so far from the South Pole. Little dudes need a better agent.

“On the first day, we were all eagerly awaiting the helicopter’s arrival. We were eager to see that grand entrance, but I don’t think any of us considered the real consequences of a helicopter landing on a beach,” says Alexander. “That day, we all ended up covered in sand after more than 10 takes of the landing. I think we brought a bit of that beach back with us to Spain.”

Along with TV and digital, the work boasts OOH and in-store components, too.