The success (and utter genius) of the Old Spice Man campaign shows what can happen when the stars align in that just-right arrangement: a solid understanding of your target market, great timing, 100% client buy-in, brilliant casting, and razor-sharp creative with a thoughtful way of pulling it all together.
Great anecdote in this piece about how the actor who plays Old Spice Man found that unmistakable voicing, without which this might have just been another campaign for some kind of body wash product.