The origin of cool

Cool is a funny thing, especially for brands.

Dos Equis is cool. So is Apple. And after decades of being uncool, Old Spice suddenly is.

So where does cool come from?

Two places: the product and the truth.

Dos Equis is cool because the beer is different and the advertising makes it interesting. And when you're out at a bar, being interesting is a good thing to be.



Apple is cool because their products, their interfaces, their ecosystems are excellent. They allow people to benefit from technology without having to know technology. When it's at its best, that's what Apple's advertising focuses on.



Not long ago, Old Spice was about as far from cool as you could get.



But one insight: men want to smell like a man (an asset buried deep in the brand's heritage), and one great campaign propelled Old Spice from a bit player to the #1 brand in the category.



Want to be cool? Make a great product. Find the truth in your category. Then create a campaign that's authentic to you and your brand.

It's just that easy.