When Ad Campaigns Get Out Of Control – Right Guard Deodorant

Have you visited the official website for Right Guard deodorant recently? Of course you have! I mean, how else are you going to get all the latest news and content on all things sweat related?

Okay, in all seriousness, unless you’re looking for a coupon (or doing research for an article so that you can make fun of deodorant scent names), there’s absolutely no valid reason to visit Right Guard’s consumer website.

That is, unless you want to see a perfect example of what happens when ad campaigns get out of control.

“We hate sweat. We hate the smell of it. We hate the look of it. We hate the feel of it. We are waging war against it, because we want it gone.” This is the first text you will see if you are ever bored enough to visit rightguard.com.

Are they serious? Do they actually think that sounds well written? Do they really think I’m going to read that ad copy and think, “Yes! Here it is! Finally, a deodorant company that is so brazen and uncompromising, they have actually WAGED WAR against my sweaty armpits! I’m sold!”

Dig deeper, and the Right Guard websites is filled with more hilarious gems of over-stylized ad speak:

“Long-lasting protection and patented technologies combine forces to create a juggernaut in the battle against B.O.”

“Its advanced odor-eliminating action makes it a true shutdown defender.”

“Odor and wetness, prepare to get schooled.”

You can also become a fan of Right Guard on Facebook or learn about the “science of sweat” (don’t worry though, the sweat lesson isn’t too nerdy – the chalkboard font has backwards N’s).

And then there’s the deodorant names themselves. Right Guard Xtreme Ultra Gel Cool Peak! Right Guard Xtreme Stealth! Right Guard Powerstripe Fresh Blast!

Right Guard, you are obviously trying too hard (although to be fair, if you uncap that Right Guard Powerstripe Fresh Blast, you totally will be “blasted” with freshness). This “in your face” marketing campaign smells of desperation. And sure, you’re not the only guilty party – Old Spice sells “Red Zone Mountain Rush” and Axe pretty much got the whole ball rolling with those Body Spray commercials.

But newsflash: YOU’RE SELLING DEODORANT! You can’t make it fun. You can’t make it cool. You can’t make it extreme. And that’s fine. All you’ve got to do is make a product that smells good and keeps my pits dry. End of story.