Can a job be so good, it's bad for your career?
That's a question Isaiah Mustafa began asking himself around 2012, when he realized his role as the Old Spice Guy was so well known, so iconic, that it had begun limiting his career options. Luckily, it was a problem that wasn't to last.
Recently, we asked Mustafa to sit down with two creatives as part of Adweek's "April Surprise" of linking unsuspecting rising talents with industry VIPs.
The resulting conversation was so earnest, uplifting and universal in its lessons, we felt we had to share the entire thing. (Bonus: You get to see my goofy face the whole time, since it was a four-way Zoom call.)
Mustafa specifically recalled a conversation with one of the creatives who made him famous, Wieden + Kennedy copywriter Eric Kallman. Kallman had left to pursue roles at other agencies, and Mustafa reached out during his career doldrums of 2012-2015 in hope of landing a new ad role.
"I was like, 'Is there anything there I can help you with or work on?'" Mustafa recalled. "And [Kallman] said, 'I'd love for you to help me with stuff, but if I put you in a spot, you'll sell deodorant.' He was telling the truth, and it hurt to hear that. But when he said that, it opened my eyes."
Since then, Mustafa has pursued a range of projects, including landing a tremendous role in 2019's It: Chapter 2, one of the top-grossing horror films of all time.
You'll definitely want to check out the full conversation Mustafa had via Zoom with me, creative Mary Buzbee and art director Lauren Meadows.
David Griner
Creative and Innovation Editor, Adweek
[email protected]
