Pumpkin spice invades the deodorant aisle as CPG brands manufacture a moment
- 5 days ago
- 3 min read
Updated: 5 days ago
Personal-care brands turned pumpkin spice into a fall marketing battleground — Old Spice launched a limited 'Fallidudes' line while Native gave its PSL-scented deodorant a snarky send-off — a case study in how CPG brands manufacture cultural moments.
What launched
P&G's Old Spice rolled out a limited 'Fallidudes' collection — scents including Pumpking, Apple Crumbro and Frankenstud across deodorants, antiperspirants, 2-in-1 hair and body wash. At the same time, P&G's Native gave its own pumpkin-spice-latte deodorant a tongue-in-cheek 'snarky send-off' as it retires the scent.
The stunts ride a pumpkin-spice retail category cited at roughly $1.25 billion, growing about 8.5% a year since Starbucks launched the PSL in 2003. Old Spice's Kate DiCarlo says the brand 'bottled the scents of everything guys love about fall'.
Manufacturing a cultural moment
Pumpkin spice is a manufactured season, and CPG brands know it. By attaching a commoditised product — deodorant — to a beloved seasonal cue, they borrow ready-made cultural attention that the category itself could never generate.
The genius is in the timing and the wink. These launches aren't really about deodorant performance; they're about earning a share of the annual pumpkin-spice conversation, which is essentially free reach if the execution is funny enough to share.
Two brands, two plays
Old Spice leans into the trend with sincerity-as-parody, extending its established comedic voice into fall. Native does the opposite — retiring its version with a self-aware send-off that turns a discontinuation into content.
Both are valid. It shows that a cultural moment can be worked from either direction: join it loudly, or make a knowing exit that gets just as much attention. What matters is having a distinctive brand voice to do it with.
Our read for marketers
The transferable idea is seasonal borrowing. Tie a low-interest product to a cultural cue your audience already anticipates, and you inherit attention you'd otherwise have to buy.
But it only works with a strong, recognisable brand voice. Old Spice and Native can pull off silliness because their tone is established — a bland brand doing the same stunt just looks like it's trying too hard.
Quick FAQ
What are Old Spice's 'Fallidudes'?
A limited fall collection from P&G's Old Spice with pumpkin-spice-adjacent scents like Pumpking, Apple Crumbro and Frankenstud across deodorants, antiperspirants, hair and body wash.
How big is the pumpkin spice category?
It's cited at roughly $1.25 billion in retail sales, growing about 8.5% a year since Starbucks debuted the pumpkin spice latte in 2003.
Why do CPG brands chase pumpkin spice?
It's a manufactured seasonal moment with ready-made cultural attention. Attaching a commoditised product to it earns essentially free reach if the execution is shareable.
— Alicia Morris, Creative & Campaigns Writer at Marketing Minute
Tie a low-interest product to a cultural moment your audience already anticipates to inherit attention — but it only lands with a strong, recognisable brand voice.
What seasonal moment could your brand borrow — and do you have the voice to pull it off?
If you would like to know more about this topic, please contact us on danieln@merxmarketing.co.uk
Sources: MediaPost, Beauty Packaging, Adweek.
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Written by Alicia Morris, Creative & Campaigns Writer at Marketing Minute
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