The fragrance of a soda and a 19th-century privateer

Entertainment · Published 19 October 2026 · Updated 20 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: Old Spice isn't just a modern marketing juggernaut; it is a product of 1930s Americana nostalgia. From its origins as a women's scent inspired by a grandmother's spice jug to its iconic maritime branding, the brand's identity is rooted in a very specific, curated history.

Launched in 1937 by William Lightfoot Schultz of Shulton Inc., Old Spice was initially an expansion of the 'Early American' line. Interestingly, the first product was marketed to women. Schultz was inspired by a trend in colonial American-style furniture and the Metropolitan Museum of Art's collection of early American objects. He collaborated with perfumer Bert Hauck to create a scent that evoked his grandmother's spice jug, eventually becoming a spicy amber fragrance with notes of rose petals and cloves.

The brand's masculine identity followed in 1938. While the packaging leaned into colonial aesthetics, the scent profile was distinct. Old Spice is characterized by top notes of orange and allspice, middle notes of cinnamon and clove, and base notes of vanilla and musk. Interestingly, perfumers have noted that these dominant notes—citrus, cinnamon, and vanilla—are the same notes found in Coca-Cola, as well as in the 1798 fragrance l'Eau de Lubin.

The brand's visual identity was deeply tied to maritime history. Artist Enid Edson designed the original packaging, featuring hand-painted drawings of the Grand Turk, a privateer from the American Revolutionary War. Most vessels on the packaging correspond to real ships from Salem, Massachusetts's historic merchant fleet. This specific historical connection only shifted in 1990, after Procter & Gamble acquired the brand, when the specific ships were replaced by a generic sailboat logo.

Old Spice's cultural footprint is defined by its evolution from a shaving brand to a fragrance powerhouse in the 1970s. This transition paved the way for its massive 21st-century viral success, including the 2010 'The Man Your Man Could Smell Like' campaign. These efforts have earned the brand 37 awards at the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity as of 2016, cementing its status as a masterclass in brand evolution.

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